Innovations in Building Foundations and Geotechnical Materials: Sustainable Technologies and Engineering Performance

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 245

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: soft clay engineering property; underground structure

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China
Interests: tunnel and subway construction; underground engineering; groundwater seepage

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Interests: smart geotechnical testing and detection technology; new building materials; long-term performance of structures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Modern building engineering faces dual challenges: ensuring the safety of foundations in complex environments and reducing the carbon footprint of construction activities. To address these issues, the industry is shifting towards innovative foundation systems and advanced civil engineering materials. This Special Issue aims to provide a multidisciplinary platform covering the intersection of foundation engineering, material science, and construction technology. We invite broad contributions ranging from the development of green construction materials to their application in ground improvement and foundation support. The scope is not limited to material synthesis but extends to advanced numerical simulation and field performance monitoring. We particularly welcome research on smart construction technologies, problematic soil treatment, and the mechanical behavior of novel geotechnical composites under static or dynamic loads. By integrating new material solutions with modern foundation design, this collection seeks to promote resilient, sustainable, and high-performance building infrastructures.

Prof. Dr. Jie Yuan
Prof. Dr. Xingxin Chen
Dr. Renguo Gu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • advanced foundation engineering
  • green building materials
  • innovative ground improvement
  • soil-structure interaction
  • smart construction technologies
  • seismic resilience and stability
  • numerical simulation and AI
  • case studies of underground construction

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

20 pages, 3995 KB  
Article
Hydro-Mechanical Coupling Analysis of Field Pumping Test in Granite Residual Soil Site
by Zefu Li, Yadong Li, Shuyu Nie, Zikang Pang, Jie Cui and Yi Shan
Buildings 2026, 16(5), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16050993 - 3 Mar 2026
Viewed by 126
Abstract
In addressing the challenge that the settlement behavior of granite residual soil in South China during foundation pit dewatering cannot be fully understood due to its unsaturated characteristics, this study proposes and validates an unsaturated fluid–solid coupling calculation method for dewatering-induced settlement analysis. [...] Read more.
In addressing the challenge that the settlement behavior of granite residual soil in South China during foundation pit dewatering cannot be fully understood due to its unsaturated characteristics, this study proposes and validates an unsaturated fluid–solid coupling calculation method for dewatering-induced settlement analysis. This method is implemented by compiling FISH language code within a finite difference software framework. Validation was carried out by comparing thes simulated groundwater drawdown–time response with the measured drawdown from a field pumping test, demonstrating the improved agreement of the proposed unsaturated coupling approach relative to the conventional coupling scheme. Furthermore, to elucidate the soil settlement mechanisms, a sensitivity analysis of the deformation behavior of granite residual soil during dewatering was performed. The results demonstrate that, compared to the traditional fluid–solid coupling method, the unsaturated fluid–solid coupling method exhibits superior agreement with field dewatering experiments. The sensitivity analysis reveals that the differential settlement observed in the soil surrounding a dewatering well under the same target drawdown is primarily attributed to variations in drainage consolidation time and pore water pressure dissipation. Finally, a normalized analysis correlating the dewatering depth at the well with the resulting soil settlement deformation was conducted, establishing a practical relationship applicable under similar ground conditions and dewatering durations. This analysis provides theoretical guidance for selecting appropriate dewatering schemes during engineering practice. Full article
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