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Advanced Sustainable Cementitious Materials: Design, Mechanisms and Performance
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Advanced Sustainable Cementitious Materials: Design, Mechanisms and Performance

A Special Issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) belonging to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2027 | Viewed by 1798

Editors

Prof. Dr. Jiabin Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Bruges, 8200 Bruges, Belgium
Interests: cement-based materials; recycling of building materials and industrial by-products; sustainable construction materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dongsheng Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, KU Leuven, Campus Bruges, 8200 Bruges, Belgium
Interests: valorisation of solid wastes; fibre-reinforced cementitious materials; geopolymer; durability performance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The transition toward low-carbon, durable, and resource-efficient construction has driven significant advances in sustainable cementitious materials. Beyond minimizing environmental impacts, contemporary systems are increasingly engineered for enhanced mechanical performance, rheological robustness, and long-term durability under demanding service conditions. Progress in this domain requires not only innovations in mixture design but also a mechanistic understanding of the physicochemical processes governing material behaviour across multiple scales. Concurrently, the rapid development of additive manufacturing technologies, particularly 3D-printed cementitious composites, has redefined performance criteria, imposing stringent requirements on rheology, structural buildability, interlayer bonding, and early-age stability.

This Special Issue focuses on recent developments in advanced sustainable cementitious materials, emphasizing mixture design, reaction mechanisms, microstructural evolution, and performance optimization. Contributions addressing both conventional and emerging binder systems are welcomed, including low-clinker cements, SCM-blended binders, alkali-activated materials, geopolymers, and waste-derived composites. Studies related to materials for digital fabrication and extrusion-based 3D printing are particularly encouraged.

We invite submissions that elucidate the relationships between composition, processing, and material response. Investigations into hydration and geopolymerisation mechanisms, phase assemblage evolution, pore structure development, and interfacial interactions are essential for interpreting macroscopic performance. Experimental and analytical studies employing advanced characterization techniques, such as XRD, FTIR, TGA/DTG, SEM/EDS, rheometry, and nano-/micro-scale testing, are especially welcome.

Performance-oriented contributions are equally valued. Topics may include fresh-state behaviour, hardened-state properties, and degradation mechanisms. Research exploring fibres, nano-/micro-modifiers, hybrid reinforcement strategies, and novel admixture systems for regulating structural evolution and functional performance is of particular interest.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent advances in advanced sustainable cementitious materials. We consider contributions addressing innovative binder systems, mixture design strategies, reaction and hydration mechanisms, microstructural evolution, fresh- and hardened-state behaviour, durability performance, and sustainability-driven material optimization.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Low-carbon cement and clinker reduction strategies;
  2. Alkali-activated materials and geopolymer systems;
  3. 3D-printed cementitious materials;
  4. Microstructure development and characterization;
  5. Fibre-reinforced and nano-/micro-modified composites;
  6. Durability and long-term performance.

Prof. Dr. Jiabin Li
Dr. Dongsheng 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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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 cementitious materials
  • low-carbon binders
  • alkali-activated materials
  • 3D-printed concrete
  • recycled materials
  • microstructure
  • rheology
  • durability

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2629 KB  
Article
Surface Characterization of Cement Paste Exposed to Magnesium Sulfate
by Hani Alanazi
Materials 2026, 19(17), 3691; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19173691 - 30 Aug 2026
Viewed by 199
Abstract
Exposure to external sulfate attack can cause significant deterioration of concrete structures. This is a particular concern for concrete structures exposed to sulfate-rich soils, seawater, or groundwater. This study aims to evaluate the impact of external sulfate attack on the surface of cement [...] Read more.
Exposure to external sulfate attack can cause significant deterioration of concrete structures. This is a particular concern for concrete structures exposed to sulfate-rich soils, seawater, or groundwater. This study aims to evaluate the impact of external sulfate attack on the surface of cement paste systems. The nanomechanical properties of the surface of the cement paste systems were evaluated using the nanoindentation test. Microstructural and chemical analyses were conducted on the cement paste systems using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Significantly different nanoindentation results were obtained after exposure to magnesium sulfate, coinciding with the development of degraded areas and a Mg-rich surface layer consistent with brucite formation. The microstructural and chemical analyses showed that this brucite layer forms a white layer and covers almost the entire cement paste surface. Based on the nanoindentation results, the volume fraction with an indentation modulus below 9.6 GPa increased from 3.3% before exposure to a MgSO4 solution to 8.4% after exposure, due to the degradation of C–S–H and the formation of microcracks. The results of this study revealed that 7 days of exposure to a 2% MgSO4 solution was enough to induce noticeable degradation of the cement paste surface. The development of a dense Mg-rich surface layer, consistent with brucite formation, may contribute to reducing ion transport through the outer cement paste region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Sustainable Cementitious Materials: Design, Mechanisms and Performance)
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19 pages, 20652 KB  
Article
Tensile Response and Energy Absorption of Galvanized Steel Mesh-Reinforced Cement Mortar with Alkali-Resistant Glass Fibers
by Leonardo Rodríguez, Rodrigo Valle, César Garrido, Marian Valenzuela, Víctor Tuninetti and Felipe Núñez
Materials 2026, 19(16), 3491; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19163491 - 18 Aug 2026
Viewed by 285
Abstract
This study investigates the direct tensile mechanical behavior of cement mortar plates reinforced with a galvanized steel mesh and randomly incorporated alkali-resistant glass fibers. An experimental program was executed using direct tensile tests on thin mortar specimens containing fiber volumetric fractions of 0%, [...] Read more.
This study investigates the direct tensile mechanical behavior of cement mortar plates reinforced with a galvanized steel mesh and randomly incorporated alkali-resistant glass fibers. An experimental program was executed using direct tensile tests on thin mortar specimens containing fiber volumetric fractions of 0%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% relative to the cement volume. To rigorously characterize the mechanical response, the study quantified the apparent initial stiffness, 0.2% offset stress, ultimate tensile strength, and post-offset energy absorption capacity. Results indicate that increasing alkali-resistant glass-fiber content systematically modified the global tensile response of the composite system. At 10% glass-fiber content, the mean crosshead-derived apparent initial tensile stiffness was 10.43 times that of the reference group without glass fibers. The characteristic stress determined using the adopted 0.2% offset criterion and the ultimate tensile strength increased by 154.5% and 74.1%, respectively, while the apparent post-offset energy absorption increased by 68.4%. Because strain was derived from crosshead displacement, the apparent stiffness and energy-absorption parameters represent the global specimen–grip–machine response rather than intrinsic material properties. The experimental results exhibited acceptable repeatability, although the apparent tensile stiffness showed greater variability than the strength-related parameters. These findings support the continued development of the investigated composite configuration for thin cementitious elements requiring improved tensile response and damage tolerance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Sustainable Cementitious Materials: Design, Mechanisms and Performance)
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26 pages, 10219 KB  
Article
Development of 3D-Printed Cementitious Layered Model Rocks with Recycled Waste: A Study on Anisotropy
by Yongbo Hu, Yugao Wang, Zhenxing Wang, Shuying Wang, Jinsong Hu, Lehua Wang and Xiaoliang Xu
Materials 2026, 19(10), 2067; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19102067 - 15 May 2026
Viewed by 462
Abstract
Understanding the anisotropy in the physical and mechanical properties of layered rocks is essential for predicting and preventing instability in layered rock masses. However, in-situ sampling is often hindered by the difficulty of obtaining specimens with controlled bedding orientations. Cement-based 3D printing (3DP) [...] Read more.
Understanding the anisotropy in the physical and mechanical properties of layered rocks is essential for predicting and preventing instability in layered rock masses. However, in-situ sampling is often hindered by the difficulty of obtaining specimens with controlled bedding orientations. Cement-based 3D printing (3DP) offers an efficient approach for fabricating rock analogues, yet the inherent anisotropy induced by the layer-by-layer deposition process has not been well characterized, hindering its broader application. The objectives of this study are (i) to systematically evaluate the intrinsic anisotropy of cement-based 3DP rocks and (ii) to compare the mechanical anisotropy and failure modes of 3DP layered rocks with those of natural layered sandstone. The key findings are as follows: (1) The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), P-wave velocity, and computed tomography (CT) number of the 3DP rock vary by less than 6% among the X-, Y-, and Z-directions, indicating lower intrinsic anisotropy compared to typical sandstones and several other natural rocks. (2) The UCS, elastic modulus, and secant modulus of the 3DP layered rocks all decrease initially and then increase with bedding dip angle, reaching a minimum at 60°. (3) The main fracture characteristics of the 3DP layered rocks are similar to those of layered sandstone; notably, the 3DP layered soft rock exhibits the most pronounced shear failure features. This study quantifies the low intrinsic anisotropy of cement-based 3DP rocks and validates their similarity to natural layered sandstone in both mechanical anisotropy and failure modes. It thereby provides a reliable, reproducible basis for physical modeling of layered rock masses using 3DP, offering a new approach for laboratory-scale investigations of layered rocks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Sustainable Cementitious Materials: Design, Mechanisms and Performance)
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Review

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29 pages, 2534 KB  
Review
Marine Durability of Alkali-Activated Materials Under Multi-Ion Attack: Mechanisms, Responses, and Mitigation Strategies
by Xue Bai, Zhiliang Zhou, Menglei Yue, Lilin Yang, Tong Gao, Man Feng and Ning Xie
Materials 2026, 19(14), 3058; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19143058 - 16 Jul 2026
Viewed by 419
Abstract
Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are widely regarded as promising alternatives to ordinary Portland cement for marine engineering because of their low carbon footprint, efficient utilization of industrial by-products, and potentially favorable mechanical and durability performance. However, their long-term application in marine environments remains challenging, [...] Read more.
Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are widely regarded as promising alternatives to ordinary Portland cement for marine engineering because of their low carbon footprint, efficient utilization of industrial by-products, and potentially favorable mechanical and durability performance. However, their long-term application in marine environments remains challenging, as the original advantages of AAMs can be progressively weakened by the individual and coupled actions of aggressive seawater ions, particularly chloride (Cl−), sulfate (SO42−), and magnesium (Mg2+). These ions affect AAMs through distinct but interconnected mechanisms, including chloride binding and transport, competitive ion interactions, phase transformation, destabilization of reaction products, pore-structure evolution, and the subsequent degradation of macroscopic properties. Meanwhile, the response of AAMs to marine exposure is highly system-dependent, since precursor chemistry, activator design, reaction-product assemblage, and pore structure strongly govern their resistance to ion attack. In recent years, considerable efforts have been devoted to improving the marine durability of AAMs through composition and phase design, pore-structure refinement, and transport control. Nevertheless, current understanding remains fragmented, particularly regarding the coupled effects of multiple seawater ions and the links between microstructural evolution and long-term performance. The primary purpose of this review is to provide a systematic overview of the marine durability of AAMs from the perspectives of multi-ion threats, material-dependent responses, and existing mitigation strategies. Particular emphasis is placed on the roles of Cl−, SO42−, and Mg2+, the controlling effects of precursor and activator chemistry, and the translation of micro-mechanisms into macroscopic durability evolution. By integrating these aspects within a unified framework, this review aims to support the design and application of AAMs for reliable long-term use in coastal and offshore engineering. Future research should prioritize standardized multi-ion exposure protocols, coupled transport–reaction models, long-term field validation, and durability assessment of reinforced AAM concretes under realistic marine conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Sustainable Cementitious Materials: Design, Mechanisms and Performance)
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