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Low-Carbon Cementitious Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 1442

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
2. School of Transportation and Civil Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
Interests: sustainable construction engineering; low-carbon cementitious composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
Interests: low-carbon cementitious composites; nano engineering and characterization of cementitious composites; machine learning and intelligent design of composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
Interests: nanoscale characterization and simulation of cementitious materials; sustainable and durable civil and environmental engineering materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Building materials, as the fundamental components of architectural structures, directly influence the structural safety, functionality, and long-term durability of buildings. With the growing concerns about global climate change, the sustainability of building materials has become a critical research topic. Low-carbon cementitious composites, a crucial focus in construction materials research, aim to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions during cement production and utilization by optimizing material composition and innovating production processes.

This Special Issue covers developing new production processes to reduce energy consumption or using alternative raw materials to reduce the proportion of carbon-emitting components, such as limestone. This issue also covers research concerning the property investigation of low-carbon cementitious composites, such as compressive strength, impermeability, and durability. We expect the publication of this issue to promote the development of such materials, which will help the green transformation and sustainable development of the building materials industry.

Dr. Yuan Gao
Dr. Junlin Lin
Dr. Weiqiang Chen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • low-carbon cement
  • sustainable construction
  • building materials
  • construction waste recycling
  • recycled concrete
  • environmentally friendly cementitious materials

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 13234 KB  
Article
Cracking-Resistance Mechanism of Fiber-Reinforced Coal-Based Solid-Waste Grouting Materials
by Shuai Guo, Weifeng Liang, Xiangru Wu, Chenyang Li, Hongzeng Li, Yahui Liu, Shenyang Ouyang, Yachao Guo and Junmeng Li
Materials 2026, 19(2), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020389 - 18 Jan 2026
Viewed by 292
Abstract
Grouting technology can be employed to repair cracks in an aquifer to maintain its stability; however, existing grouting materials tend to come with problems such as low flexural strength, poor cracking resistance, and the coupled effects of fiber reinforcement and sulfoaluminate cement (SAC) [...] Read more.
Grouting technology can be employed to repair cracks in an aquifer to maintain its stability; however, existing grouting materials tend to come with problems such as low flexural strength, poor cracking resistance, and the coupled effects of fiber reinforcement and sulfoaluminate cement (SAC) addition on hydrate evolution, and pore-refinement and crack-resistance mechanisms in coal-based solid-waste cementitious grouts remain insufficiently understood. In this paper, fiber-modified coal-based solid-waste grouting (F-CWG) materials were prepared by mixing different contents of sulfoaluminate cement (SAC) and different fibers. The mechanical strength, microstructure, hydration products, and pore evolution characteristics were analyzed by means of mechanical property tests, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The results show that the mechanical strength decreases at first due to insufficient early-stage hydration products. Specifically, the 28 d compressive and flexural strengths decrease from 15.34 MPa and 4.55 MPa at 0% SAC to 8.18 MPa and 2.99 MPa at 40% SAC but increase again to 13.36 MPa and 3.79 MPa at 60% SAC as the formation of ettringite (AFt) and C–S–H is promoted with higher SAC content. Among the tested fibers, a dosage of 0.6% generally improves mechanical strength and refines pore structure, with PVA and steel fibers showing the most pronounced effects. Our results reveal the mechanism behind the enhancement of cracking resistance in F-CWG materials, providing a scientific basis for grouting and water-preservation mining, and are of great significance in improving the utilization rate of coal-based solid waste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon Cementitious Composites)
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23 pages, 5163 KB  
Article
Performance Evolution of High-Slump Concrete Under Vibration: Influence of Vibration Timing on Mechanical, Durability, and Interfacial Properties
by Shiwei Sun, Junmin Shen, Haoqin Guo, Xinxin Zheng and Rui He
Materials 2025, 18(23), 5389; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18235389 - 29 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 603
Abstract
High-slump concrete is highly sensitive to vibration due to its low viscosity and weak cohesion, factors that critically influence its performance development and long-term durability. In practice, vehicle–bridge coupled vibrations during half-width bridge construction represent a typical condition that intensifies these effects. This [...] Read more.
High-slump concrete is highly sensitive to vibration due to its low viscosity and weak cohesion, factors that critically influence its performance development and long-term durability. In practice, vehicle–bridge coupled vibrations during half-width bridge construction represent a typical condition that intensifies these effects. This study investigates performance deterioration of high-slump concrete subjected to simulated vibration modes reflecting construction scenarios. Mechanical and durability properties were evaluated, and microstructural changes were analyzed using SEM. Results show that early vibration enhances compressive strength at early ages, but this benefit diminishes with curing. The bonding performance at the new–old concrete interface is highly sensitive to vibration timing, casting-to-final setting vibration greatly reduces bond strength, while initial-to-final setting vibration causes minor damage or slight improvement. Vibration modes also differently affect durability: initial-to-final setting weakens frost and abrasion resistance, whereas casting-to-final setting enhances pore structure and chloride resistance. SEM analysis reveals vibration-induced dispersion of hydration products, reduced C-S-H gel formation, and increased microcracks at the fresh–old interface. Both vibration modes further promote microcracks and porosity after freeze–thaw cycles, damaging the gel structure. Overall, this study clarifies the mechanisms by which vibration timing governs the performance evolution of high-slump concrete and provides a scientific basis for optimizing vibration procedures to ensure durability and interfacial reliability in engineering applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon Cementitious Composites)
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