Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.4
3.1
Journals
Buildings
Special Issues
Sustainable Geopolymers and Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials for High-Performance Concrete
share announcement

Sustainable Geopolymers and Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials for High-Performance Concrete

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2026 | Viewed by 2359

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiang Tian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410114, China
Interests: alkali-activated materials; waste recycling; high-performance concrete
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zhenzhen Jiao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
Interests: geopolymer; alkali-activated materials; waste recycling
Dr. Yu Yan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Liaoning Technical University, Liaoning 123000, China
Interests: ultra-high-performance lightweight concrete; reinforcement learning; blast demolition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The construction industry is under increasing pressure to address environmental challenges and reduce its carbon footprint. High-performance concrete (HPC), essential for modern infrastructure, often relies on conventional cementitious materials with significant environmental impacts. Sustainable alternatives, such as geopolymers and other low-carbon cementitious materials, offer a promising path to achieving high performance while meeting global sustainability goals.

This Special Issue aims to provide a platform for state-of-the-art research on the development, characterization, and application of sustainable geopolymers and low-carbon cementitious materials in HPC. We seek original research articles, reviews, and case studies that address the following topics:

  • Development of innovative geopolymer and alkali-activated materials for use in HPC.
  • Optimization of material design for reduced carbon emissions while maintaining or enhancing concrete performance.
  • Advances in understanding the microstructure, durability, and long-term behavior of these materials.
  • Novel methodologies for integrating low-carbon binders into HPC mixtures.
  • Life cycle assessment (LCA) of geopolymers and low-carbon cementitious materials in concrete applications.
  • Practical applications, challenges, and scalability of sustainable concrete technologies in real-world projects.

Contributions focusing on interdisciplinary approaches, innovative experimental techniques, and computational modeling are particularly encouraged. This Special Issue aspires to advance the knowledge base for sustainable, high-performance concrete technologies, fostering a transition to greener construction practices worldwide.

We invite researchers and practitioners to contribute their work to this critical and dynamic field of study. Your insights and innovations will play a key role in shaping the future of sustainable infrastructure development.

Dr. Xiang Tian
Dr. Zhenzhen Jiao
Dr. Yu Yan
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

  • green building materials
  • low-carbon construction
  • mechanical properties
  • durability performance
  • structural fire resistance
  • seismic performance
  • impact and explosion resistance
  • composite materials

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 10698 KB  
Article
Bidirectional Shear Performance of Corroded Stud Connectors in Steel–Concrete Composite Monorail Track Beams
by Junhui Li, Wendong He, Min Yang, Jun Deng and Weixiong Li
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3331; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183331 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Under the combined action of bidirectional (longitudinal and transverse) shear loads and corrosive environments, the shear performance of stud connectors in steel–concrete composite track beams of straddle-type monorail transit systems is susceptible to degradation, thereby posing a potential risk to the structural safety [...] Read more.
Under the combined action of bidirectional (longitudinal and transverse) shear loads and corrosive environments, the shear performance of stud connectors in steel–concrete composite track beams of straddle-type monorail transit systems is susceptible to degradation, thereby posing a potential risk to the structural safety of the track girders. This study employs push-out tests and numerical simulations to investigate the influence of bidirectional shear loads and stud corrosion on the shear performance of stud connectors. The results showed that both transverse shear loads and stud corrosion lead to a reduction in the shear capacity of stud connectors, with their coupling effect amplifying the degradation. Transverse shear loads induce an accelerated decay trend in the load-bearing capacity of stud connectors, while an increase in corrosion depth results in a linear degradation of the load-bearing capacity. The corrosion depth at the stud root exerts a more pronounced influence on shear performance compared to the corrosion height. Furthermore, the dominant failure mode of stud connectors manifests as root fracture, while transverse shear loads induce alterations in the concrete damage zone. Based on the verified FE model, a shear capacity reduction factor accounting for the coupling effects of bidirectional shear and stud corrosion was established to improve the Oehlers model. This research provides critical theoretical support for the safe design and durability assessment of monorail track girders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geopolymers and Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials for High-Performance Concrete)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 3134 KB  
Article
Selection of the Best 3D Printing High-Performance Mortars Using Multi-Criteria Analysis
by Sara Alonso-Cañon, Elena Blanco-Fernandez, Eva Cuesta-Astorga, Irune Indacoechea-Vega and Joaquin Salas-Alvarez
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3307; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183307 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 170
Abstract
High-performance concrete for 3D printing has recently attracted significant attention due to its potential to create structural elements without the need for traditional reinforcement. While various formulations have been proposed by researchers, evaluations are often limited to mechanical performance and printability, while cost [...] Read more.
High-performance concrete for 3D printing has recently attracted significant attention due to its potential to create structural elements without the need for traditional reinforcement. While various formulations have been proposed by researchers, evaluations are often limited to mechanical performance and printability, while cost and environmental impact are generally overlooked. This study expands the analysis by also considering cost and environmental impact, aiming to identify the optimal mix using a multi-criteria decision-making analysis (MCDMA). In the first phase, several high-strength mortar formulations were developed and assessed based on mechanical strength, printability, environmental impact, and cost. In the second phase, the most promising mix from the initial evaluation was further modified by incorporating different types of fibers, including aramid, carbon, glass, cellulose, and polypropylene. Comprehensive testing—covering mechanical properties and printability—together with cost and a life cycle assessment were conducted to determine the most effective mortar formulations. One of the main findings is that adding 0.05% of 20 mm length cellulose fibers in weight to a mortar containing Cem I 42.5R can increase the compressive strength by more than 9% without affecting the cost or environmental impact, also allowing the obtainment of a mortar apt for 3D printing. This increase in the compression strength is presumably related to a lateral restriction in movements of the mortar, which makes it increase the maximal principal stresses, and thus, its strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geopolymers and Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials for High-Performance Concrete)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 7703 KB  
Article
Research on Optimization of Intelligent Recognition Model for Bridge Cracks Based on Dual-Parameter Error Evaluation Indexes
by Keke Peng and Wenlang Wei
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3266; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183266 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 255
Abstract
The optimization model of intelligent identification for bridge cracks based on dual-parameter error indexes’ feedback mechanism is studied here. An interdisciplinary evaluation system of geometric morphology and fracture mechanics is proposed and established. The weighted average of two parameters is proposed as the [...] Read more.
The optimization model of intelligent identification for bridge cracks based on dual-parameter error indexes’ feedback mechanism is studied here. An interdisciplinary evaluation system of geometric morphology and fracture mechanics is proposed and established. The weighted average of two parameters is proposed as the index to evaluate the crack information model. The two parameters are as follows: (1) effective crack width index (ECWI), which reflects the geometric error of crack information vector graphics; (2) the tip curvature radius error (TCRE), which reflects the stress concentration degree of structural cracks. The aforementioned dual-parameter error evaluation indexes are processed by weighted averaging with reference to current specifications, and the recognition errors of cracks identified by the lightweight semantic segmentation model MobileNetV2-DeepLabv3+ are comprehensively evaluated. The above errors are fed back to the model training code, and parameters such as crack training hyperparameters and data augmentation parameters are adjusted for retraining. After iterative optimization from Version 1 to Version 5, the model’s prediction accuracy is improved: the Dice coefficient is increased by 3.5~32.4%, IoU by 5.3~56.5%, and PA by 0.42~1.33%, finally iterating to an optimized crack recognition model. This combined evaluation system of geometric morphology and fracture mechanics can optimize the information model through error feedback. Meanwhile, by virtue of this method, the disease photos from bridge inspections during the maintenance phase can be identified and converted into an information model of bridge diseases, which holds significant theoretical significance and engineering value for promoting digital maintenance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geopolymers and Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials for High-Performance Concrete)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 3890 KB  
Article
AI-Driven Optimization of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete for Sustainable High Strength and CO2 Reduction: An Application of Hybrid Taguchi–Grey–ANN Approach
by Muhammad Usman Siddiq, Muhammad Kashif Anwar, Faris H. Almansour, Muhammad Ahmed Qurashi and Muhammad Adeel
Buildings 2025, 15(12), 2081; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15122081 - 17 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1233
Abstract
The construction industry urgently requires sustainable alternatives to conventional concrete to reduce its environmental impact. This study addresses this challenge by developing machine learning-optimized geopolymer concrete (GPC) using industrial waste fly ash as cement replacement. An integrated Taguchi–Grey relational analysis (GRA) and artificial [...] Read more.
The construction industry urgently requires sustainable alternatives to conventional concrete to reduce its environmental impact. This study addresses this challenge by developing machine learning-optimized geopolymer concrete (GPC) using industrial waste fly ash as cement replacement. An integrated Taguchi–Grey relational analysis (GRA) and artificial neural network (ANN) approach was developed to simultaneously optimize mechanical properties and environmental performance. The methodology analyzes over 1000 data points from 83 studies to identify key mix parameters including fly ash content, NaOH/Na2SiO3 ratio, and curing conditions. Results indicate that the optimized FA-GPC formulation achieves a 78% reduction in CO2 emissions, decreasing from 252.09 kg/m3 (GRC rank 1) to 55.0 kg/m3, while maintaining a compressive strength of 90.9 MPa. The ANN model demonstrates strong predictive capability, with R2 > 0.95 for strength and environmental impact. Life cycle assessment reveals potential savings of 3941 tons of CO2 over 20 years for projects using 1000 m3 annually. This research provides a data-driven framework for sustainable concrete design, offering practical mix design guidelines and demonstrating the viability of fly ash-based GPC as high-performance, low-carbon construction material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Geopolymers and Low-Carbon Cementitious Materials for High-Performance Concrete)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop