Recent Scientific Developments in Cement-Based and Alternative Materials—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 1837

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Interests: building composites; alkali activated materials; concrete material technology; structural properties; waste supplementary materials
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to announce an upcoming Special Issue, entitled “Recent Scientific Developments in Cement-Based and Alternative Materials—2nd Edition”, in the Buildings journal. Concrete, mortars and all cement-based materials are crucial parts of modern buildings and different kinds of industrial constructions over the world due to the availability of local composites' components and due to their beneficial utility properties. However, the growing production of traditional binders, in combination with intensive depletion of natural aggregate resources, causes serious impacts on our environment, in terms of increased carbon dioxide emissions and ecological burdens. In this respect, it is recommended to change the composition of traditional building composites, on the one hand, by using various construction waste materials and industrial by-products as filling or binding components; on the other hand, it is necessary to provide building materials with customized set properties for specific applications.

This Special Issue is focused on research of traditional cement-based and alternative composite materials with alkali-activated bases that contribute to the preservation of the environment and, thus, a higher rate of sustainability in the construction industry. In this sense, original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, communications, and discussions are welcomed.

Dr. Jaroslav Pokorný
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cement-based composites
  • mortar
  • concrete
  • lightweight concrete
  • industrial wastes and by-products
  • artificial aggregates
  • alternative binders
  • alkali-activated materials
  • durability
  • mechanical resistance

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 2955 KiB  
Article
Sulfate-Resistant Clinker Base Cement with New Secondary Main Constituents: A Technical, Economic, and Environmental Analysis
by Miguel Ángel Martínez Infante, Benito Navarrete Rubia and Luis Francisco Vilches Arenas
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030479 - 4 Feb 2025
Viewed by 596
Abstract
The Spanish cement sector must adapt its production model to a green economy model. This study focuses on the use of new secondary main constituents (SMCs) suitable for a cement plant that specializes in sulfate-resistant (SR) cement production, defining a framework of technical [...] Read more.
The Spanish cement sector must adapt its production model to a green economy model. This study focuses on the use of new secondary main constituents (SMCs) suitable for a cement plant that specializes in sulfate-resistant (SR) cement production, defining a framework of technical conditions for their usage and their economic and environmental feasibility. Low-calcium-carbonate-content albero, steel slags, and iron silicate were the tested SMCs; however, they are not currently permitted in cement manufacture. CEM I 42.5 R-SR 3 (type I-SR) was mixed with 5%, 20%, and 30% of these new SMCs. XRF, XRD, leaching and other chemical tests, setting, and hardening tests were performed with no significant issues. Albero is the best option, on the whole, because of the following characteristics: availability, >100 Mt; proximity, 3 km; and acceptable compressive strength level. However, black slag cement with 30% SMC after 28 days shows the best performance, with a compressive strength of 41.3 MPa compared to 35.3 MPa for albero cement and 56.5 MPa for the type I-SR reference. Albero and steel slag at 30% content are the best option according to the cost savings of 32% (−31.5 EUR/t and −31.6 EUR/t, respectively) compared to the type I-SR reference. Regarding the carbon footprint, albero and steel slag at 30% content have the least impact, showing a 31% reduction (−254.8 kg CO2/t and −255.2 kg CO2/t, respectively) compared to the type I-SR reference. The studied SMCs meet the analytical conditions and—with the corresponding regulatory changes—offer potential cost savings for SR cement production, exhibiting a competitive advantage. Full article
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20 pages, 4389 KiB  
Article
Preparation of Low Carbon Silicomanganese Slag-Based Alkali-Activated Materials Using Alkali-Activated Silica Waste
by Yang Zheng, Zhi-Yuan Zhang, Yisong Liu, Xiaozhu Zhang, Shaoguo Kang, Leyang Lv and Junbo Zhou
Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3835; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123835 - 29 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 773
Abstract
The utilization of silicomanganese slag (SiMnS) as a precursor for alkali-activated materials (AAMs) is considered as an efficient approach for sustainable and eco-friendly large-scale resource utilization. However, sodium silicate solutions account for more than 50% of the production costs and carbon emissions of [...] Read more.
The utilization of silicomanganese slag (SiMnS) as a precursor for alkali-activated materials (AAMs) is considered as an efficient approach for sustainable and eco-friendly large-scale resource utilization. However, sodium silicate solutions account for more than 50% of the production costs and carbon emissions of AAMs. In this study, AAM activators were prepared by silica-containing waste (acid leaching residue of boron mud, BM-AR) and NaOH as raw materials, and were successfully substituted for commercial sodium silicate-NaOH activators. Results indicated that the NaOH dosage had a great effect on the concentration and modulus of the activator. With the appropriate dosage of NaOH (NaOH: BM-AR = 0.4–0.7), suitable moduli of AAM activators can be produced at a wide range of solid/liquid ratios (L/S = 3–4.5) under mild conditions (80–100 °C). The compressive strength of the SiMnS AAM specimens prepared by this activator can reach 68.58 MPa, and its hydration products were mainly hydrated calcium silicate and amorphous silica–alumina gel, indicating the successful preparation of AAM. Calculation showed that the carbon emission of the AAMs prepared in this study was 12.4% and 37.6% of that of OPC and commercial water glass/NaOH-activated AAMs, and the cost was only 67.14% and 60.78% of them. The process achieves the use of waste materials to replace commercial activators, and is expected to be extended to a variety of AAMs raw materials and silica-containing waste. This makes it a highly promising alternative method for the production of AAMs, particularly the ‘just add water’ AAMs. Full article
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