Microstructure and Properties of Sustainable Cement and Concrete
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 12
Special Issue Editor
Interests: high-performance cement-based materials; shrinkage reduction and toughening mechanism of concrete; prevention and control of concrete cracks; recycling of solid waste; organic-inorganic composite cementitious materials; molecular dynamics simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cement and concrete are the most widely used construction materials worldwide, yet their production is associated with significant carbon emissions and environmental impact. In response to the global demand for sustainable development, there is an urgent need to develop eco-friendly cementitious materials with reduced environmental footprint while maintaining or enhancing their mechanical performance and durability. The microstructure of sustainable cement and concrete, which incorporates alternative binders, recycled aggregates, supplementary cementitious materials, and innovative additives, plays a critical role in determining their macroscopic properties and long-term behavior.
This Special Issue aims to collate high-quality research on the relationship between the microstructure and properties of sustainable cement and concrete. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: the reaction mechanisms and hydration evolution of low-carbon binders such as alkali-activated materials, geopolymers, limestone calcined clay cement, and carbonatable calcium silicate-based cements; the influence of industrial by-products (e.g., fly ash, slag, silica fume) and recycled aggregates on microstructural development, pore structure, and interfacial transition zone; the role of nano- and micro-scale additives (e.g., nanoclay, graphene, bio-based materials) in modifying the microstructure and enhancing mechanical and durability properties; the coupling effects of multi-scale reinforcement systems on toughness, shrinkage, and cracking resistance; and the impact of curing conditions and environmental exposure on the microstructural stability and performance of sustainable concrete.
We welcome the submission of original research papers, review articles, and short communications that address microstructure–property relationships in sustainable cement and concrete and contribute to our understanding and design of green construction materials.
Dr. Weiting Xu
Guest Editor
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. Materials 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
- sustainable cement and concrete
- low-carbon binders
- microstructure–property relationship
- alternative cementitious materials
- recycled aggregates
- geopolymer and alkali-activated materials
- hydration and reaction mechanism
- durability and long-term performance
- nano- and micro-scale modification
- eco-friendly construction materials
- carbonation and chloride ingress
- lifecycle assessment of concrete
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