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Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications
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Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 3760

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Rabah Hamzaoui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ESTP PARIS, and Microbusiness Director (Low Carbon Construction Materials), 94234 Paris, France
Interests: low-carbon construction materials; nanostructured materials; cement; geopolymers; earth concrete; mechanosynthesis; struture and microstruture; biosoureced and geosoureced materials; inert waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Rachida Idir

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Cerema, UMR MDC, 77171 Sourdun, France
Interests: low-carbon binders and concretes; development and use of innovative materials (geopolymers, activated materials); recycling of industrial by-products; development of eco-design tools and approaches for sustainable development (that include the use of life cycle assessment and circular economy)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the evolving landscape of construction, the exploration and enhancement of building composite materials stand as a cornerstone for advancing architectural and engineering solutions. The relentless pursuit of more resilient, sustainable, and cost-effective building materials has led to significant research into the properties of these composites. This Special Issue, entitled "Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications", aims to encapsulate the breadth and depth of recent advancements in this field. We seek to explore how these materials can transform building practices, focusing on their mechanical properties, durability, and environmental impact. Composite materials in construction offer unique advantages, including improved strength-to-weight ratios, enhanced thermal properties, and increased longevity. This Special Issue will highlight innovative research on the development, testing, and application of such composites, providing insights into their potential to redefine the standards of modern construction. We invite contributions that address the scientific, technical, and practical aspects of building composite materials, from novel formulations to applications in real-world scenarios.

We welcome your submissions that push the boundaries of current knowledge and contribute to the sustainable practices of tomorrow’s construction industry.

Prof. Dr. Rabah Hamzaoui
Dr. Rachida Idir
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • composite materials
  • mechanical, thermal, and hygrothermal properties
  • durability
  • life cycle analysis and carbon footprint
  • environmental impact
  • testing techniques
  • construction materials innovations and applications
  • alternative materials
  • energy efficiency
  • biosoured and gesourced materials

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 6755 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Influence of Alfa Fiber Morphology on the Thermo-Mechanical Performance of Plaster-Based Composites and Exploring the Cost–Environmental Effects of Fiber Content
by Othmane Horma, Mohammed Drissi, Boutahar Laaouar, Sara El Hassani, Aboubakr El Hammouti and Ahmed Mezrhab
Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071187 - 4 Apr 2025
Viewed by 302
Abstract
The construction industry’s escalating energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions underscore the need for sustainable, high-performance building materials. This study investigates the incorporation of locally sourced alfa fibers (AFs) into plaster-based composites to enhance thermal insulation, reduce environmental impact, and lower production costs. [...] Read more.
The construction industry’s escalating energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions underscore the need for sustainable, high-performance building materials. This study investigates the incorporation of locally sourced alfa fibers (AFs) into plaster-based composites to enhance thermal insulation, reduce environmental impact, and lower production costs. Three distinct AF morphologies—small (<5 mm), medium (10 ± 5 mm), and large (20 ± 5 mm)—were incorporated at fixed mass ratios, and their effects on key material properties were systematically evaluated. The results indicate that integrating AFs into plaster reduces composite density by up to 16.5%, improves thermal characteristics—lowering thermal conductivity and diffusivity by up to 52%—and diminishes both CO2 emissions and production costs. The addition of fibers also enhances flexural strength (up to 40%) through a fiber bridging mechanism that mitigates crack propagation, although a general decline in compressive strength was observed. Notably, composites containing medium and large fibers achieved significantly lower densities (~1050 kg/m3) and superior thermal insulation (~0.25 W/mK) compared with those with small fibers, with the largest fibers delivering the greatest thermal performance at the expense of compressive strength. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of AF–plaster composites as environmentally responsible, high-performance building materials, while emphasizing the need to carefully balance mechanical trade-offs for structural applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications)
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19 pages, 3322 KiB  
Article
Thermal, Hygrothermal, Mechanical and Environmental Study of Stabilized Earth with GGBS-Based Binders
by Arthur Lam, Rabah Hamzaoui, Andrea Kindinis, Rachida Idir, Séverine Lamberet and Stéphane Patrix
Buildings 2025, 15(4), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15040594 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 527
Abstract
Earth materials are recognized for their excellent thermal and hygrothermal properties but exhibit low mechanical resistance. Binder stabilization improves compressive strength but often increases the carbon footprint. This study evaluates the mechanical, thermal, hygrothermal, and environmental properties of 12 stabilized earth concrete formulations. [...] Read more.
Earth materials are recognized for their excellent thermal and hygrothermal properties but exhibit low mechanical resistance. Binder stabilization improves compressive strength but often increases the carbon footprint. This study evaluates the mechanical, thermal, hygrothermal, and environmental properties of 12 stabilized earth concrete formulations. The samples were prepared using four types of excavated earths (A, B, C, and D) with varying granular distributions and chemical compositions, stabilized with three industrial binders: two low-carbon activated GGBS-based binders (LN and LW) and a CEM II cement. The samples were cured at 20 °C and 100% relative humidity. Density, porosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and Moisture Buffer Value (MBV) were measured at 28 days of curing, using standard methods from concrete and geotechnical fields, while compressive strength tests were performed at 7, 28, and 90 days. The results revealed that gravel-rich earths (A and B) demonstrated higher densities and compressive strengths compared to fine-rich earths (C and D). GGBS-stabilized earths exhibited superior mechanical performance (1.7–14.8 MPa) compared to cement-stabilized earths (0.8–3.8 MPa). Despite low binder content (7%), thermal and hygrothermal properties were largely influenced by the earth’s composition. Thermal conductivity (0.48–0.59 W·m−1·K−1), volumetric heat capacity (1661–2031 J·m−3·K−1), and MBV (0.9–1.9 g·m−2·%RH−1) were consistent with raw earth values, supporting thermal inertia and humidity regulation. The carbon footprint analysis showed that both LN and LW binders had the lowest emissions (29–34 kg CO2·eq/m3), with LN binders demonstrating consistent normalized performance (5.2–6.2 kg CO2·eq/m3·/MPa) and LW binders exhibiting superior mechanical performance and a lower normalized indicator (2.3–5.4 kg CO2·eq/m3/MPa). Conversely, CEM II-stabilized formulations displayed the highest emissions (70–86 kg CO2·eq/m3) and the least favorable compressive strength-to-carbon ratios. These findings emphasize the potential of stabilized earth concretes, particularly those with low-carbon GGBS binders, for sustainable and energy-efficient construction practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications)
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38 pages, 9985 KiB  
Article
Experimental and Computational Assessment of Building Structures Reinforced with Textile Fiber Waste to Improve Thermo-Mechanical Performance
by Rabeb Ayed, Emiliano Borri, Safa Skouri, Mohamed Lachheb, Salwa Bouadila, Zohir Younsi, Luisa F. Cabeza and Mariem Lazaar
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030425 - 29 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1154
Abstract
Faced with the growing demand for energy-efficient construction and the need to address environmental challenges, the building sector must innovate to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability. This study investigates a dual solution to these challenges by enhancing the thermo-mechanical performance of building [...] Read more.
Faced with the growing demand for energy-efficient construction and the need to address environmental challenges, the building sector must innovate to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainability. This study investigates a dual solution to these challenges by enhancing the thermo-mechanical performance of building materials through the integration of textile fiber waste, using a combination of experimental and computational methodologies. This investigation focused on incorporating textile fiber wastes in cementitious composites for construction applications. A series of mechanical and thermal tests were carried out on the cement mortars with different proportions of incorporated textile fibers after 7 and 28 days of water curing. The results showed that the incorporation of fibers can significantly improve the thermal insulation of buildings by reducing the thermal conductivity of cement mortar by up to 52%. To complement experimental findings, computational models were developed using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.2 software to predict the thermal diffusivity and volumetric heat capacity of textile-reinforced mortars. These models revealed that mortars incorporating 40% textile fibers as a sand replacement achieved significant reductions in thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and volumetric heat capacity by approximately 40%, 21%, and 23%, respectively, compared with ordinary cement mortar. Furthermore, this study numerically examined the potential of combining textile-reinforced mortar with phase-change material (PCM) in building applications. The aim of the research was to overcome the challenges of cooling buildings in scorching summer conditions. The optimization of roof and wall composition was based on an assessment of air temperature variation within a space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications)
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13 pages, 4158 KiB  
Article
Exploring Raw Red Clay as a Supplementary Cementitious Material: Composition, Thermo-Mechanical Performance, Cost, and Environmental Impact
by Mohammed Drissi, Othmane Horma, Ahmed Mezrhab and Mustapha Karkri
Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3906; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123906 - 6 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1264
Abstract
This study explored the potential of natural red clay as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs associated with the cement industry. Given that cement production is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, developing [...] Read more.
This study explored the potential of natural red clay as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs associated with the cement industry. Given that cement production is one of the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, developing sustainable alternatives is of paramount importance. Recognizing the environmental impact of cement production, this research investigates the substitution of conventional cement with raw red clay, aiming to balance mechanical performance with enhanced thermal properties and a lower environmental footprint. Through chemical characterization using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), along with comprehensive mechanical and thermal performance testing, this study identifies the dual role of raw clay in mortar. It was found that incorporating up to 5% by weight of raw clay slightly impacted compressive strength while significantly improving thermal conductivity and diffusivity, cost-efficiency, and environmental sustainability, making it an appealing option for structural applications requiring high mechanical resistance. Conversely, a higher proportion of clay (beyond 5%) compromises compressive strength, but further enhances thermal properties and environmental benefits, suggesting its suitability for applications where low mechanical resistance is acceptable. This investigation highlights the viability of raw clay as a promising SCM, offering a pathway to more sustainable construction materials without the need for energy-intensive processing, thereby contributing to the reduction in the construction sector’s carbon footprint and energy demand. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Properties of Sustainable Composite Materials for Building Applications)
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