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Functional Cement-Based Composites for Civil Engineering (3rd Edition)
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Functional Cement-Based Composites for Civil Engineering (3rd Edition)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2025 | Viewed by 1582

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jonathan Oti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Computing, School of Engineering, Engineering and Science, University of South Wales, Pontypridd CF37 1DL, UK
Interests: low-carbon technology; sustainability; cement; concrete; bricks; blocks; geopolymers; soil stabilization; suppression of expansion; freezing and thawing; waste utilization; microstructural analysis; life cycle inventory; ground granulated blastfurnace slag; pulverized fuel ash; silica fume
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the context of increased regulations with the aims of reducing the carbon footprint of the construction industry and of limiting greenhouse gas emissions associated with cement production, the production of cement-based materials for housing and infrastructure is set to continue increasing worldwide. This Special Issue will bring together cutting-edge and economically viable new construction and building materials made from alternative cement replacement materials; it will bring together techniques and concepts from various distinct workers to examine, explore, and critically engage with issues and advances in cement-based composite, with several environmental benefits. The papers collected in this Special Issue can help researchers and practicing engineers, construction and building material scientists, and low-carbon and sustainability practitioners to find more advanced techniques and alternative approaches to cement-based composite construction and building material development.

Dr. Jonathan Oti
Guest Editor

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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

  • building materials
  • durability
  • recycled materials
  • cement
  • concrete
  • stabilization
  • life cycle assessment
  • bricks
  • block
  • mortar
  • geo-polymer
  • steel
  • timber
  • green building materials
  • eco-friendly materials
  • nano- and fiber composites
  • ceramics
  • limes
  • PFA
  • GGBS

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4901 KiB  
Article
Unveiling the Influence and Mechanisms of Enhancing Ferrite-Phase Composition on the Properties of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement
by Songsong Lian, Yu Shao, Chenyu Wang, Yutian Bi, Jiaxing Ma, Kangzhan Han, Anzhe Zhu and Guogang Ying
Materials 2025, 18(11), 2457; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18112457 - 23 May 2025
Abstract
Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement has emerged as a low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), offering reduced CO2 emissions and rapid strength development. However, the role of the ferrite phase in CSA systems remains underexplored. This study investigates the influence of ferrite-phase [...] Read more.
Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement has emerged as a low-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC), offering reduced CO2 emissions and rapid strength development. However, the role of the ferrite phase in CSA systems remains underexplored. This study investigates the influence of ferrite-phase composition on CSA cement properties through targeted clinker design, hydration analysis, and macro–micro performance testing. Nine clinker formulations were synthesized by systematically increasing the ferrite content (10–30%) while adjusting belite (C2S) proportions, using limestone, bauxite, and supplementary Fe2O3/SiO2. Results reveal that the ferrite phase enhances the formation and stabilization of ye’elimite (C4A3Š) during clinkering and reduces low-activity transitional phase products. Increasing the iron-phase content appropriately improves early strength by promoting ettringite (AFt) formation and refines pore structures to enhance later strength development. The maximum strength improvement is achieved when the target ferrite-phase content is set to 15%, showing a 25.1% increase in 1 d strength and an 11.5% increase in 28 d strength. While ferrite phases and C2S ensure long-term strength gains, excessive ferrite content reduces C4A3Š availability, limiting early AFt formation and compromising initial strength. These findings highlight the dual role of the ferrite phase in optimizing CSA cement performance and sustainability, providing a foundation for designing ferrite-rich, low-carbon binders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Cement-Based Composites for Civil Engineering (3rd Edition))
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16 pages, 1325 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Effect of Waiting for the Dissolution of Sodium Hydroxide in Geopolymer Concrete Mixes
by Samara Altameemi, Blessing O. Adeleke, John M. Kinuthia and Jonathan Oti
Materials 2025, 18(4), 849; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18040849 - 15 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 563
Abstract
Geopolymer concrete (GPC) can be produced by the chemical activation of industrial by-products and processed natural minerals that contain aluminosilicates with the presence of an alkaline activator. Raw components are one of the critical parameters affecting geopolymer performance. On the other hand, the [...] Read more.
Geopolymer concrete (GPC) can be produced by the chemical activation of industrial by-products and processed natural minerals that contain aluminosilicates with the presence of an alkaline activator. Raw components are one of the critical parameters affecting geopolymer performance. On the other hand, the mixing procedure of geopolymer concrete is not any less important. Few demonstrative constructions have been built using GPC as a greener alternative to Portland cement concrete. Numerous variables affect GPC manufacture, such as raw material specification, activator type and dosage, and curing regimes. Despite the conventions of the building industry, the lack of proper mix design methods limits the wide acceptance of GPC in the industry. This report conducted experimental trials on GGBS-based GPC to optimize a mixing design procedure to achieve best mechanical strength and structural integrity. Geopolymer concrete properties were evaluated through slump and unconfined compressive strength tests. The laboratory trials in this report revealed that all geopolymer mixes, except SD0HV and 1W-SG, exhibited high workability values. Also, the presence of an alkaline activator was vital to attain satisfactory compressive strength values. The alkaline activator could be used when cooled and reached room temperature after two hours of preparation and was not necessary after 24 h. Mix G-(0.5W-S) with a 0.5A.A. (alkaline activator)/precursor (GGBS) ratio, SSA (sodium silicate alternative)/SH (sodium hydroxide with 10 M molarity) ratio of 1:1, and 0.55 W/B (water to binder) ratio is recommended to achieve best mechanical performance and structural integrity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Cement-Based Composites for Civil Engineering (3rd Edition))
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19 pages, 13201 KiB  
Article
Experimental Evidence on the Possible Use of Fine Concrete and Brick Recycled Aggregates for 3D Printed Cement-Based Mixtures
by Marco Pepe, Rosario Lombardi, Carmine Lima, Bruno Paolillo and Enzo Martinelli
Materials 2025, 18(3), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18030583 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 745
Abstract
In recent years, the development of alternative and more sustainable technologies for reinforced concrete structures has been attracting more and more interest, given the increasing need to reduce the impact that the construction sector has on the environment. Furthermore, 3D concrete printing (3DCP) [...] Read more.
In recent years, the development of alternative and more sustainable technologies for reinforced concrete structures has been attracting more and more interest, given the increasing need to reduce the impact that the construction sector has on the environment. Furthermore, 3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology falls into this context, allowing the optimization of the quantities of employed raw material to be used while at the same time allowing the possibility to design more complex elements’ shapes. In the view of improving the sustainability of construction sector, the present study aims at experimentally investigating the characteristics of the fresh and hardened states of concrete mixtures incorporating different percentages of replacement of the fine aggregate with recycled aggregates of different nature. As such, the key innovative aspect of the present study is the possible investigation of cement-based mixtures produced with 100% recycled fine aggregates (both derived from concrete waste and brick elements) without affecting either the fresh or hardened mechanical properties of the resulting Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC) mixtures. Furthermore, in order to make this study linked to 3D printing technology, extruded concrete elements were realized and tested through a process designed to simulate the automated 3D concrete printing process: in fact, the RAC mixtures were designed in order to obtain an adequate workability and compressive strength typically adopted for ordinary 3D printed mixtures. Although some adjustments and further analyses are required in order to optimize the shape retention and stability, as well as the well-known problem of the 3D mixtures being linked to anisotropic behavior, the obtained results unveil that it was possible to observe promising characteristics for the mixes containing recycled aggregates (i.e., consistency index at the fresh state above 150 mm and compressive strength at 28 days above 50 MPa), which were in any case suitable for the creation of 3D printed structural concrete elements and can be further confirmed with future studies in order to validate their possible buildability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Cement-Based Composites for Civil Engineering (3rd Edition))
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