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High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives

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A Special Issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309) belonging to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 4374

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Editors

Dr. Hanbing Zhao

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Guest Editor

Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Interests: cementitious composites; concrete materials; interfacial transition zone; experimental study

Dr. Liangming Sun

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Guest Editor

School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: vibration and noise assessment; vibration and noise control; engineering structure analysis

Prof. Dr. Zihong Guo

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Guest Editor

School of Civil Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, Dujiangyan 611830, China
Interests: tunnel engineering; geological disaster protection; structural optimisation and seismic strengthening

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

High-performance construction materials are crucial for meeting the growing demands of modern construction, including sustainability, durability, and energy efficiency. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the development of new materials such as advanced composites, smart materials, and eco-friendly materials. These materials offer improved mechanical properties, better resistance to environmental factors, and enhanced functionality. However, challenges still exist in terms of cost, scalability, and integration into existing construction practices. This Special Issue will bring together researchers, engineers, and industry experts to share their insights and findings, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future directions of high-performance construction materials. It will cover topics such as material innovation, application case studies, and the potential impact on the construction industry. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, we hope to drive further development and application of these materials to shape a more sustainable and resilient built environment.

Dr. Hanbing Zhao
Dr. Liangming Sun
Prof. Dr. Zihong Guo
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

construction materials
sustainable materials
low carbon
high performance
mechanical properties
durability

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2667 KB

Open AccessArticle

Conductive Network Evolution and Self-Sensing Mechanism of Carbon Fiber Asphalt Concrete Based on Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy

by Pengqing Li, Xiaolong Liao, Peng Wu, Qiang Liu and Yinghong Wang

Buildings 2026, 16(17), 3494; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16173494 - 2 Sep 2026

Viewed by 274

Abstract

To overcome the problems of poor durability and structural incompatibility inherent in conventional urban traffic monitoring technologies, this study develops a self-sensing asphalt concrete composite incorporating carbon fiber (CF) as a conductive functional filler to construct an internal conductive network. The effects of CF dosage and loading rate on the electrical and dynamic piezoresistive characteristics of the composite were systematically investigated. Furthermore, the evolution mechanism of the micro-conductive network was revealed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) coupled with equivalent circuit modeling. The results demonstrate that the electrical resistivity follows a two-stage percolation behavior (“sharp decline followed by stabilization”) with increasing CF content, yielding a percolation threshold of 0.2 wt%. As CF dosage increases, the Nyquist plots transition from quasi-linear profiles to a fully developed single semicircle, and eventually to an alternating pattern of high-frequency capacitive arcs and low-frequency diffusion impedance. Equivalent circuit analysis reveals that higher CF loadings reduce both contact and tunneling resistances while simultaneously elevating interfacial capacitance. Under monotonic loading, the developed conductive network enables enhanced piezoresistive responses, and the 0.2 wt% group achieves the most pronounced improvement relative to the 0.1 wt% group, with the maximum resistivity change rate and stress sensitivity increasing by 82.05% and 313.59%, respectively. Moreover, the specimens exhibit the optimum piezoresistive response under a dynamic loading rate of 250 N/s. This study clarifies the variable-frequency sensing mechanism of self-sensing asphalt concrete, providing scientific guidance for dynamic speed measurement and weigh-in-motion (WIM) monitoring in smart pavements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives)

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12 pages, 1868 KB

Open AccessArticle

Load-Bearing Capacity of Mechanical Fastening in Lightweight Concrete

by Marek Dohojda, Mateusz Grzęda and Olga Szlachetka

Buildings 2026, 16(10), 1888; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16101888 - 10 May 2026

Viewed by 412

Abstract

In traditional masonry construction, roof trusses are anchored to walls using conventional anchors embedded directly into the reinforced concrete ring beam. However, in lightweight structures, installing a ring beam may impose an additional load on the wall, which may not necessarily improve its bearing capacity. The use of lightweight concrete, due to its specific properties, represents a significant advancement in modern construction, but requires special consideration in the design of anchoring systems. Based on the anchoring solution proposed by the author, steel, galvanized, screw-type anchors installed directly into lightweight perlite concrete blocks were assumed. Experimental tests and analyses of these anchors provide a basis for the development of design approaches for lightweight structures. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using bonded anchors in perlite concrete and indicate their potential applicability in practical engineering design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives)

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18 pages, 3209 KB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility of Industrial High-Titanium Heavy Slag for Thermally Induced Self-Healing Asphalt Pavement Materials: Road Performance and Thermal Conductivity Analysis

by Zhijian Hu, Xiaobao Li, Hanqi Xu, Zijiang Tang and Bin Lei

Buildings 2026, 16(7), 1333; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16071333 - 27 Mar 2026

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 579

Abstract

Thermally induced self-healing technology is regarded as an effective approach to mitigating the frequent occurrence of asphalt pavement distresses. Its efficiency, however, is highly dependent on the thermal conductivity of asphalt mixtures, which conventional aggregates can hardly satisfy. Meanwhile, high-titanium heavy slag (HTHS), an industrial solid waste rich in TiO₂, has been stockpiled in large quantities, and its large-scale resource utilization remains a critical challenge. Against this background, HTHS was employed in this study to replace limestone at equal mass ratios for the preparation of seven asphalt mastics (replacement rates of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100%, and neat asphalt) and four types of asphalt mixtures differentiated by coarse and fine aggregate compositions. The results indicate that with increasing HTHS content, the proportion of structural asphalt in the mastic increased markedly, leading to significant improvements in temperature susceptibility, high-temperature stability, and rutting resistance. Compared with the 100% limestone system, the penetration index (PI) of the 100% HTHS mastic increased by 8.4%, the softening point rose by 18.0%, and the rutting resistance factor at five temperatures from 46 °C to 70 °C increased by 21.8%, 56.8%, 79.2%, 171.7%, and 169.6%, respectively. Although low-temperature ductility decreased by 21.3% due to the reduction in free asphalt, it remained within acceptable limits. Regarding asphalt mixture performance, both high-temperature stability and low-temperature cracking resistance improved progressively with increasing HTHS replacement, showing increases of 75.56% and 11.75%, respectively, at full replacement. Water stability decreased by approximately 9% owing to the porous and water-absorptive nature of the slag, yet still satisfied specification requirements. In addition, the incorporation of HTHS significantly enhanced the thermal conductivity of the system, with increases of 0.125 W/(m·K) for asphalt mastics and 0.666 W/(m·K) for asphalt mixtures, corresponding to improvements of 33.7% and 32.2%, respectively. This study confirms that HTHS can serve as a viable asphalt pavement material capable of meeting the thermal conductivity requirements of thermally induced self-healing technology, while simultaneously providing a promising pathway for its large-scale resource utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives)

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24 pages, 4995 KB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Study on Compressive Strength and Chloride Permeability Improvement of Recycled Aggregate Concrete Modified by Glazed Hollow Beads, Fly Ash, and Fiber Composites

by Xin Yu, Zhitao Lin, Yongtao Li, Zetong Li, Ziheng Chang, Hengjian Liu, Zhuohui Yu, Ping Gong, Xiaozhi Hu and Yanjie Wang

Buildings 2026, 16(4), 810; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040810 - 16 Feb 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 631

Abstract

Recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) typically exhibit higher chloride permeability and lower strength compared to natural aggregates, potentially accelerating steel corrosion and compromising the durability of reinforced concrete structures. While functional additives like fibers, fly ash (FA), and glazed hollow beads (GHBs) are known to improve concrete properties, the quantification of the synergistic effects of their hybridization in RAC and a systematic multicriteria-based performance assessment are still lacking. This study experimentally investigates the individual and combined effects of GHB, FA, BF, and PPF on the compressive strength and electric flux of RAC. Fourteen mixtures were designed with different RCA replacements (0, 30, 50, and 100%), FA contents (0, 10, 20, and 30%), GHB dosages (0, 15, and 30%), and PPF and BF hybridization (0, 0.1 and 0.2%). Compared to unmodified RAC with 50% RCA replacement, the addition of 30% GHB significantly decreased the electric flux by 34.1% but comprised the compressive strength by 9.4%, whereas FA provided a weaker electric flux reduction of 16.3% alongside a lower strength decrease of 6.0%. A multicriteria analysis revealed that the synergistic GHB-FA-BF-PPF hybridization achieved the best performance of all formulations, exhibiting a remarkable 40.7% reduction in electric flux and a slight 1.3% increase in compressive strength compared to the unmodified RAC specimen. These findings demonstrate that the practical use of RAC modified by GHB-FA-BF-PPF hybridization would be highly beneficial in terms of mechanical performance as well as chloride permeability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives)

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15 pages, 4871 KB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigation of Conductive Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Concrete

by Yusong Yan, Lingjuan Huang, Pengzhe Xie, Bin Lei and Hanbing Zhao

Buildings 2026, 16(2), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16020369 - 15 Jan 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 796

Abstract

Numerical simulation of the electrical conductivity of carbon fiber-reinforced asphalt concrete is essential for understanding its electrical behavior, yet research in this area remains limited. This study prepared six groups of Marshall specimens with carbon fiber (CF) contents of 0.1 wt%, 0.2 wt%, 0.3 wt%, 0.4 wt%, 0.5 wt%, and 0.6 wt%. The resistivity and asphalt concrete (AC) impedance spectra were measured to analyze the effect of fiber content on electrical performance. Nyquist diagrams were fitted to establish an equivalent circuit model, and a representative volume element (RVE) finite element model was developed. The Generalized Effective Medium (GEM) equation was employed to fit the resistivity data. The results show that the resistivity exhibits a two-stage characteristic—an abrupt decrease followed by stabilization, with an optimal CF content range of 0.2–0.4 wt%. Among the equivalent circuit parameters, the contact resistance (R₁) and tunneling resistance (R₂) significantly decreased, the growth of interface capacitance (C₁) slowed, the constant phase element Z_Q increased, and the non-monotonic change of volume resistance (R₃) reflected the heterogeneity of the internal void distribution of the material. The finite element numerical solution for resistivity, derived from the GEM equation, aligns well with experimental values, validating the proposed simulation approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives)

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18 pages, 2295 KB

Open AccessArticle

Time-Dependent Structuration of Cement Pastes with Mineral Additions: A Yield Stress-Based Approach

by Mahmoud Hayek, Youssef El Bitouri and Ammar Yahia

Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4297; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234297 - 27 Nov 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 899

Abstract

The time-dependent structuration of cement pastes is a key parameter governing the fresh-state behavior of modern concretes. This study investigates the influence of four supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs): fly ash (FA), slag (S), limestone filler (LF), and metakaolin (MK) on both the total and irreversible structural build-up of cement pastes, under various temperatures (5, 20, 30 °C) and a constant replacement level of 30% at w/b = 0.45. Static yield stress was measured using a vane rheometer with or without re-shear to distinguish between the total (without re-shear) and irreversible (with re-shear) structural build-up. Complementary tests, including mini slump flow, isothermal calorimetry, and bleeding analysis, were conducted to assess the effect of SCMs on rheology, hydration and stability. Results show that all SCMs significantly reduced the rate and intensity of structural build-up compared with reference cement paste: after 90 min at 20 °C, the static yield stress (total structural build-up) was 1740 Pa for the reference mix and between 420 and 840 Pa for the blended systems. The irreversible fraction remained low (<10%) for all blended systems, confirming that early-age structuration is mainly governed by reversible flocculation rather than by hydration-driven bonding. Temperature significantly accelerated the total structural build-up in all mixtures; at 30 °C, the total build-up of slag-, LF-, and MK-blended pastes approached that of plain cement. However, while the reference cement paste exhibited a clear increase in irreversible structuration (from 25% at 20 °C to 35% at 30 °C), SCM-containing systems remained largely governed by reversible mechanisms, with the irreversible fraction consistently below 10%. These findings highlight the distinct roles of particle morphology, clinker dilution, and hydration kinetics in governing early structuration. Understanding these coupled mechanisms is essential for optimizing low-clinker binders used in self-compacting and 3D-printable concretes, where balancing flowability and early stability is critical. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Construction Materials: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives)

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