Challenges of Rehabilitation of Infrastructures in Future

Dear Colleagues,

Degradation and deterioration of existing infrastructures have been one of the major challenges for communities in decades and for this purpose, infrastructures need to be inspected, evaluated, and rehabilitated consistently by which it is ensured that infrastructures are operational and safe for public during their service life. Two primary challenges for rehabilitation of infrastructures are listed below:

Quality and Performance of Repair Materials—It needs to be considered that the repair materials need to exhibit improved mechanical and durability performances compared to that of in the original materials since the deteriorated locations are usually located within areas with more exposure to deleterious materials, such as deicers and harsh environments. Better resistance to permeability, freeze-thaw damage, Alkali-silica reaction, sulphate attack, scaling, abrasion, and carbonation are some of the ideal durability properties expected for appropriate repair materials. Compatibility between the repair and substrate materials is another key factor to extend service life of infrastructures.

Sustainability of Rehabilitation—Construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures have significant influence on the global environment by generating noises, pollutions, and consuming energy and natural resources. Since infrastructures experience more rehabilitation and repair compared to the original construction, the sustainability in rehabilitation process must be considered for as much as for the original construction. Sustainability goals in rehabilitation of infrastructures can be achieved by selecting sustainable materials, design methods, and construction. Using recycled and green materials to minimize consumption of natural resources and reduce the amount of waste materials in landfills, employing sustainable design methods to reduce the amount of negative impact on the environment, and finally employing sustainable techniques and construction skills are some of the topics that need further discussions and evaluations.

In this Special Issue, we seek high-quality research and case study articles concentrating on challenges our industries will face to properly rehabilitate the existing infrastructures. The focus would be more on materials, design methods, and techniques, as described above. We seek both original research articles, case studies, as well as review articles related to rehabilitation of infrastructures.

Dr. Kaveh Afshinnia
Guest Editor

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