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Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials
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Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024 | Viewed by 4426

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Honglei Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Qilu Transportation, Shandong University, Jinan 250002, China
Interests: durability and degradation mechanism of concrete; self-healing cementitious-based materials; high performance cementitious-based materials design
Dr. Li Ai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
Interests: concrete and composite materials; nondestructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) based on sensing technology and signal processing; artificial intelligence techniques; cyber-physical systems, and digital twins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Feng Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Qilu Transportation, Shandong University, Jinan 250002, China
Interests: semantic segmentation; non-destructive testing; intelligent transportation infrastructure
Dr. Xinxiang Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA.
Interests: computer vision; machine learning; sensor fusion; intelligent transportation systems; transportation infrastructures damage sensing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research in construction materials plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of transportation infrastructure, which is critical to the global economy by connecting people and goods while facilitating trade and development. With the rapid growth of urbanization, aging materials, and increasing environmental concerns, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions in material design and nondestructive testing methods to ensure the safety, resilience, and sustainability of these vital systems. We invite high-quality research articles, reviews, and communications that focus on topics such as advanced materials for sustainable infrastructure, nondestructive evaluation techniques, structural health monitoring and intelligent systems, nanotechnology applications, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, renewable energy integration in transportation infrastructure, and case studies showcasing successful implementations and lessons learned. The scope of this Special Issue includes but is not restricted to:

  • Novel and sustainable materials for transportation infrastructure;
  • Development and characterization of nanocomposites and their applications in infrastructure materials;
  • Advancements in 3D printing and additive manufacturing for material design and fabrication in infrastructure;
  • Innovations in nondestructive evaluation techniques for assessing and monitoring infrastructure materials;
  • Structural health monitoring and damage diagnosis with a focus on material properties and performance;
  • Innovative material-based maintenance and rehabilitation methods for transportation infrastructure;
  • Material-centric resilience and life-cycle assessment of transportation infrastructure components.

Dr. Honglei Chang
Dr. Li Ai
Dr. Feng Guo
Dr. Xinxiang Zhang
Guest Editors

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

  • advanced materials
  • transportation infrastructure
  • nondestructive testing
  • construction materials

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 11928 KiB  
Article
Degradation Behavior and Lifetime Prediction of Polyurea Anti-Seepage Coating for Concrete Lining in Water Conveyance Tunnels
by Chengcheng Peng, Jie Ren and Yuan Wang
Materials 2024, 17(8), 1782; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17081782 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 415
Abstract
In the lining of water conveyance tunnels, the expansion joint is susceptible to leakage issues, significantly impacting the long-term safety of tunnel operations. Polyurea is a type of protective coating commonly used on concrete surfaces, offering multiple advantages such as resistance to seepage, [...] Read more.
In the lining of water conveyance tunnels, the expansion joint is susceptible to leakage issues, significantly impacting the long-term safety of tunnel operations. Polyurea is a type of protective coating commonly used on concrete surfaces, offering multiple advantages such as resistance to seepage, erosion, and wear. Polyurea coatings are applied by spraying them onto the surfaces of concrete linings in water conveyance tunnels to seal the expansion joint. These coatings endure prolonged exposure to environmental elements such as water flow erosion, internal and external water pressure, and temperature variations. However, the mechanism of polyurea coating’s long-term leakage prevention failure in tunnel operations remains unclear. This study is a field investigation to assess the anti-seepage performance of polyurea coating in a water conveyance tunnel project located in Henan Province, China. The testing apparatus can replicate the anti-seepage conditions experienced in water conveyance tunnels. An indoor accelerated aging test plan was formulated to investigate the degradation regular pattern of the cohesive strength between polyurea coating and concrete substrates. This study specifically examines the combined impacts of temperature, water flow, and water pressure on the performance of cohesive strength. The cohesive strength serves as the metric for predicting the service lifetime based on laboratory aging test data. This analysis aims to evaluate the polyurea coating’s cohesive strength on the tunnel lining surface after five years of operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials)
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17 pages, 6175 KiB  
Article
The Mechanism of Deformation Compatibility of TA2/Q345 Laminated Metal in Dynamic Testing with Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar
by Yanshu Fu, Shoubo Chen, Penglong Zhao and Xiaojun Ye
Materials 2023, 16(24), 7659; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16247659 - 15 Dec 2023
Viewed by 674
Abstract
The laminated metal materials are widely used in military, automobile and aerospace industries, but their dynamic response mechanical behavior needs to be further clarified, especially for materials with joint interface paralleling to the loading direction. The mechanical properties of TA2/Q345 (Titanium/Steel) laminated metal [...] Read more.
The laminated metal materials are widely used in military, automobile and aerospace industries, but their dynamic response mechanical behavior needs to be further clarified, especially for materials with joint interface paralleling to the loading direction. The mechanical properties of TA2/Q345 (Titanium/Steel) laminated metal of this structure were studied by using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). To shed light on the stress-state of a laminated metal with parallel structure, the relative non-uniformity of internal stress R(t) was analyzed. The mechanism of deformation compatibility of welding interface was discussed in detail. The current experiments demonstrate that in the strain rate range of 931–2250 s−1, the discrepancies of the internal stress in specimens are less than 5%, so the stress-state equilibrium hypothesis is satisfied during the effective loading time. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that all stress–strain responses of the material are valid and reliable. Furthermore, the four deformation stages, i.e., the elastic stage, the plastic modulus compatible deformation stage, uniform plastic deformation stage and non-uniform plastic deformation stage, of the laminated metal with parallel structure were firstly proposed under the modulating action of the welding interface. The deformation stages are helpful for better utilization of laminated materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials)
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16 pages, 7319 KiB  
Article
Novel Approach in Fracture Characterization of Soft Adhesive Materials Using Spiral Cracking Patterns
by Behzad Behnia and Matthew Lukaszewski
Materials 2023, 16(23), 7412; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237412 - 29 Nov 2023
Viewed by 674
Abstract
A novel approach for the fracture characterization of soft adhesive materials using spiral cracking patterns is presented in this study. This research particularly focuses on hydrocarbon polymeric materials, such as asphalt binders. Ten different asphalt materials with distinct fracture characteristics were investigated. An [...] Read more.
A novel approach for the fracture characterization of soft adhesive materials using spiral cracking patterns is presented in this study. This research particularly focuses on hydrocarbon polymeric materials, such as asphalt binders. Ten different asphalt materials with distinct fracture characteristics were investigated. An innovative integrated experimental–computational framework coupling acoustic emissions (AE) approach in conjunction with a machine learning-based Digital Image Analysis (DIA) method was employed to precisely determine the crack geometry and characterize the material fracture behavior. Cylindrical-shaped samples (25 mm in diameter and 20 mm in height) bonded to a rigid substrate were employed as the testing specimens. A cooling rate of −1 °C/min was applied to produce the spiral cracks. Various image processing techniques and machine learning algorithms such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and regression were utilized in the DIA to automatically analyze the spiral patterns. A new parameter, “Spiral Cracking Energy (ESpiral)”, was introduced to assess the fracture performance of soft adhesives. The compact tension (CT) test was conducted at −20 °C with a loading rate of 0.2 mm/min to determine the material’s fracture energy (Gf). The embrittlement temperature (TEMB) of the material was measured by performing an AE test. This study explored the relationship between the spiral tightness parameter (“b”), ESpiral, Gf, and TEMB of the material. The findings of this study showed a strong positive correlation between the ESpiral and fracture energies of the asphalt materials. Furthermore, the results indicated that both the spiral tightness parameter (“b”) and the embrittlement temperature (TEMB) were negatively correlated with the ESpiral and Gf parameters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials)
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12 pages, 4078 KiB  
Communication
Testing and Analysis of Ultra-High Toughness Cementitious Composite-Confined Recycled Aggregate Concrete under Axial Compression Loading
by Li He, Sheng Peng, Yong-Sheng Jia, Ying-Kang Yao and Xiao-Wu Huang
Materials 2023, 16(19), 6573; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196573 - 6 Oct 2023
Viewed by 665
Abstract
In order to analyze the axial compressive properties of ultra-high-toughness cementitious composite (UHTCC)-confined recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), a batch of UHTCC-confined RAC components was designed and manufactured according to the requirements of GB/T50081-2002 specifications. After analyzing the surface failure phenomenon, load-displacement curves, scanning [...] Read more.
In order to analyze the axial compressive properties of ultra-high-toughness cementitious composite (UHTCC)-confined recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), a batch of UHTCC-confined RAC components was designed and manufactured according to the requirements of GB/T50081-2002 specifications. After analyzing the surface failure phenomenon, load-displacement curves, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and parameter analysis of the specimen, the result shows that UHTCC-confined RAC is an effective confinement method, which can effectively improve the mechanical properties and control the degree of surface failure of RAC structures. Compared with the unconfined specimen, the maximum peak load of the UHTCC confinement layer with a thickness of 10 mm and 20 mm increased by 44.61% and 79.27%, respectively, meeting the requirements of engineering practice. Different fiber mixing amounts have different effects on improving the mechanical performance of RAC structural. The specific rule was steel fiber (SF) > polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVAF) > polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PEF) > no fiber mixture, and the SF improves the axial compression properties of UHTCC most significantly. When there are strict requirements for improving the mechanical properties of the structure, SF should be added to UHTCC. On the contrary, PVAF should be added to UHTCC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials)
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19 pages, 9692 KiB  
Article
Nondestructive Detection and Early Warning of Pavement Surface Icing Based on Meteorological Information
by Jilu Li, Hua Ma, Wei Shi, Yiqiu Tan, Huining Xu, Bin Zheng and Jie Liu
Materials 2023, 16(19), 6539; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196539 - 3 Oct 2023
Viewed by 790
Abstract
Monitoring and warning of ice on pavement surfaces are effective means to improve traffic safety in winter. In this study, a high-precision piezoelectric sensor was developed to monitor pavement surface conditions. The effects of the pavement surface temperature, water depth, and wind speed [...] Read more.
Monitoring and warning of ice on pavement surfaces are effective means to improve traffic safety in winter. In this study, a high-precision piezoelectric sensor was developed to monitor pavement surface conditions. The effects of the pavement surface temperature, water depth, and wind speed on pavement icing time were investigated. Then, on the basis of these effects, an early warning model of pavement icing was proposed using an artificial neural network. The results showed that the sensor could detect ice or water on the pavement surface. The measurement accuracy and reliability of the sensor were verified under long-term vehicle load, temperature load, and harsh natural environment using test data. Moreover, pavement temperature, water depth, and wind speed had a significant nonlinear effect on the pavement icing time. The effect of the pavement surface temperature on icing conditions was maximal, followed by the effect of the water depth. The effect of the wind speed was moderate. The model with a learning rate of 0.7 and five hidden units had the best prediction effect on pavement icing. The prediction accuracy of the early warning model exceeded 90%, permitting nondestructive and rapid detection of pavement icing based on meteorological information. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials)
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17 pages, 2742 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Relationship between Permanent Deformation and Dynamic Modulus Performance for Bearing-Layer Asphalt Mixture
by Weidong Ji, Yunrui Meng, Yunlong Shang, Xiwei Zhou and Huining Xu
Materials 2023, 16(19), 6409; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16196409 - 26 Sep 2023
Viewed by 607
Abstract
Of major concern is the lack of correlation between the material design and structural function of asphalt pavement in China. The objective of this paper is to identify the layer in asphalt pavement where permanent deformation occurs most seriously and to propose a [...] Read more.
Of major concern is the lack of correlation between the material design and structural function of asphalt pavement in China. The objective of this paper is to identify the layer in asphalt pavement where permanent deformation occurs most seriously and to propose a control index for that layer’s asphalt mixture. The permanent deformation of each layer was determined through the utilization of thickness measurements obtained from field cores. The results indicate that the reduction in thickness is more significant in the driving lane than in the ridge band and shoulder. This phenomenon can be attributed to the intensified densification and shearing deformation that arise from the combined impacts of recurrent axle loads and high temperatures. Compared to surface and base layers, the bearing layer is the primary area of concern for permanent deformation in asphalt pavement. Therefore, it is imperative to incorporate the ability of bearing-layer asphalt mixture to withstand permanent deformation as a crucial design parameter. The dynamic modulus of the bearing-layer asphalt mixture is significantly influenced by the type of asphalt, gradation, and asphalt content, compared to other design parameters. Based on the relationship established between dynamic modulus and dynamic stability, with creep rate as the intermediate term, a control standard was proposed to evaluate the permanent deformation of the bearing-layer asphalt mixture. This study can provide reasonable and effective guidance for prolonging pavement life and improving pavement performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Material Design and Nondestructive Testing Applications for Infrastructure Materials)
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