Advanced Composite Materials and Design for Structural Safety and Sustainability

A special issue of Journal of Composites Science (ISSN 2504-477X). This special issue belongs to the section "Composites Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 854

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
LTDS, École Centrale de Lyon, École Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Saint-Étienne, University of Lyon, Saint-Étienne, France
Interests: composites materials; rehabilitation of structures using composite materials; 3D printing; fire resistance of materials and structures
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Guest Editor
1. International Research Organization for Advanced Science and Technology (IROAST), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 8608555, Japan
2. Ecole Centrale de Lyon–ENISE, LTDS, CNRS UMR 5513, Université de Lyon, 58 Rue Jean Parot, 42000 Saint-Etienne, France
Interests: structural safety and sustainability (SSS); dynamics and vibrations of structures; structural seismic resilience (SSR); high-performance numerical analysis; sustainable structures and materials (SSMs); AI for civil engineering; digital pattern recognition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering, University of London, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, UK
Interests: steel and composite structures; modular construction; optimization; machine learning; aseismic design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge advancements and innovative research in theoretical and experimental methodologies pertaining to material development, specifically focusing on structural integrity and sustainability.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • High-performance materials;
  • Resilience and sustainability;
  • Civil and structural engineering;
  • Structural rehabilitation;
  • Retrofitting and strengthening;
  • Eco-materials for civil engineering;
  • Concrete structures;
  • Composite materials and structures;
  • Structural safety;
  • Environmentally friendly construction, structural analysis and design;
  • Seismic engineering;
  • Reliability and durability of structures.

Prof. Dr. Amir Si Larbi
Dr. Gaochuang Cai
Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Daniel Tsavdaridis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • high-performance materials
  • resilience and sustainability
  • civil and structural engineering
  • structural rehabilitation
  • retrofitting and strengthening
  • eco-materials for civil engineering
  • concrete structures
  • composite materials and structures
  • structural safety
  • environmentally friendly construction, structural analysis and design
  • seismic engineering
  • reliability and durability of structures

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 3332 KiB  
Article
Reliability-Based Calibration of Strength-Reduction Factors for Flexural Design of FRP-RC Beams Under Various Load Combinations
by Nahid Attarchian, Reza Aghamohammadi and Kourosh Nasrollahzadeh
J. Compos. Sci. 2025, 9(4), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9040154 - 23 Mar 2025
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Abstract
The aim of this paper is to conduct reliability analysis of flexural strength design provisions of FRP-reinforced concrete (FRP-RC) beams in accordance with CSA S806. In particular, different load combinations, including dead, live, wind and snow, are investigated. Through this, the various sources [...] Read more.
The aim of this paper is to conduct reliability analysis of flexural strength design provisions of FRP-reinforced concrete (FRP-RC) beams in accordance with CSA S806. In particular, different load combinations, including dead, live, wind and snow, are investigated. Through this, the various sources of uncertainty related to the material strength and geometrical properties are taken into account when examining the reliability of the flexural strength provisions of CSA. The uncertainty inherent in the flexural strength model is assessed using a large experimental database of 303 FRP-RC beams assembled from the literature. The first-order reliability method (FORM) is employed for reliability analysis. The results indicated that the reliability index, β, of the current code is not consistent for different failure modes, yielding overly conservative values for the FRP rupture mode (β = 4.895) compared to the concrete crushing mode of failure (β = 3.726). Based on the reliability-based calibration of the existing design equations, modifications to the current provisions are proposed to achieve a variety of target reliability indexes of 3.5, 3.8, and 4 for the failure modes of concrete crushing and FRP rupture, separately, and for a common range of load ratios in the different load combinations. The results presented enable designers to choose proper strength-reduction factors to reach the desired level of safety for each failure mode in the flexural design of FRP-RC beams. Full article
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22 pages, 5067 KiB  
Article
Leveraging Delayed Strength Gains in Supplementary Cementitious Material Concretes: Rethinking Mix Design for Enhanced Cost Efficiency and Sustainability
by Wanderson Santos de Jesus, Thalles Murilo Santos de Almeida, Suânia Fabiele Moitinho da Silva, Marcelo Tramontin Souza, Eduarda Silva Leal, Ramon Santos Souza, Laio Andrade Sacramento, Ivan Bezerra Allaman and José Renato de Castro Pessôa
J. Compos. Sci. 2025, 9(3), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs9030110 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 359
Abstract
Engineers commonly use the 28-day characteristic strength of concrete for project calculations, but this may not reflect the full-strength potential, especially in concretes with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). SCMs, known for their slow reactivity, often delay optimal strength beyond 28 days, requiring higher [...] Read more.
Engineers commonly use the 28-day characteristic strength of concrete for project calculations, but this may not reflect the full-strength potential, especially in concretes with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). SCMs, known for their slow reactivity, often delay optimal strength beyond 28 days, requiring higher cement content to speed up early strength development, thus increasing production costs. This study examined the relationship between concrete age and mechanical strength across eight cement types, including tests for axial compression, water absorption, void index, and specific mass. The findings showed that pozzolan and slag cements gained significant long-term strength due to slow pozzolanic reactions. Conversely, limestone filler mixes had lower initial strength and slower progress, likely due to increased porosity from fine fillers. A correlation was found between higher pozzolan content and improved durability, including reduced water absorption and void index. Cost analysis indicated that optimizing cement mix designs for targeted strength levels could reduce production costs, especially for concretes with high SCM content. Using long-term characteristic strength rather than the traditional 28-day strength resulted in approximately 14% savings, particularly for slag- and pozzolan-based cements. The savings were less significant for other cement types, emphasizing the importance of adjusting mix designs based on both performance and financial considerations. Full article
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