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Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials, Third Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2025 | Viewed by 1056

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
Interests: zero waste; zero carbon; geopolymer concrete; sustainable pavement; ultra-low carbon concrete; construction materials; waste recycling; smart materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Interests: intelligent infrastructure materials; soil mix technology; advanced and green binders and grouts; self-healing and self-repair materials; smart materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The success of our previous two editions of the Special Issue “Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials” underlines that the issues of sustainable construction materials are still open matters and require further research. This fact encouraged us to create a third Special Issue under the same title that will further present state-of-the-art advances in sustainable construction materials; such materials are fundamental to civil engineering, as they are used to build various buildings and infrastructures. Concrete, steel, and asphalt form the majority of the materials used, followed by bricks, glass, and different kinds of wood. However, the increased use of raw materials in the construction industry has led to the depletion of natural resources, such as aggregates and fossil fuels. As a result, researchers, agencies, and policymakers have been seeking sustainable alternatives to mitigate this issue. 

As for the construction sector, there is a growing interest in manufacturing sustainable buildings and infrastructure with high percentages of recycled materials, which is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These sustainable solutions include, but are not limited to, recycling aggregates and other waste materials into new products. In addition to recycling, other sustainable practices are implemented in civil engineering. For instance, green building materials such as bamboo, straw bales, and recycled plastic are alternatives to traditional construction materials. These materials are renewable, biodegradable, and have a lower carbon footprint. Moreover, researchers continue to push the boundaries and advance sustainable solutions that will result in zero-waste or zero-carbon infrastructures, for example. The field is experiencing rapid advancements as novel areas of discovery continue to emerge.

Thus, we invite everyone who works in this area to present their latest findings that provide a better understanding of Sustainable Construction Materials. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Dr. Abbas Solouki
Prof. Dr. Abir Al-Tabbaa
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

  • smart materials
  • low-carbon binders
  • sustainability
  • LCA
  • construction materials
  • concrete
  • asphalt
  • infrastructure
  • material characterization
  • waste fines

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 881 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Concrete Using Ceramic Tile Waste as a Substitute for Brick Aggregate
by Kamal Hosen and Alina Bărbulescu
Materials 2025, 18(13), 3093; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18133093 - 30 Jun 2025
Abstract
Recycled materials have gained extensive recognition in many industrial sectors for enhancing sustainability and reducing environmental impacts. Combining ceramic tile waste (CTW) in concrete mixes with recycled aggregate will help lower natural aggregate demand and reduce the amount sent to landfill. This paper [...] Read more.
Recycled materials have gained extensive recognition in many industrial sectors for enhancing sustainability and reducing environmental impacts. Combining ceramic tile waste (CTW) in concrete mixes with recycled aggregate will help lower natural aggregate demand and reduce the amount sent to landfill. This paper aims to study the mechanical properties of CTW in concrete mixes as a brick aggregate replacement and its impact on concrete strength and durability. To evaluate and assess their strength and durability, three types of concrete cubes were prepared using 20%, 40%, and 70% of waste ceramic tiles as a replacement for coarse aggregate. Two kinds of concrete samples were also prepared with conventional coarse aggregate as the control specimen (CC). A 1:2:4 concrete mixed ratio was used in this research with a 0.50 water–cement ratio. The samples were tested after 14 days and 28 days to assess their mechanical properties, including strength and durability. When CTW was added to concrete mixtures instead of brick chips, the mechanical strength rose considerably, and the water absorption performance increased. Moreover, replacing brick chips with ceramic waste in concrete could have significant environmental benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials, Third Edition)
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Review

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23 pages, 2213 KiB  
Review
Influence of Length-to-Diameter Ratio on Static and Dynamic Behavior of Rocks: A Review and Perspective
by Kang Peng, Yansong Bai, Song Luo, Kun Luo, Haoyu He and Ze Xi
Materials 2025, 18(5), 1109; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18051109 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 691
Abstract
The size effect in rock mechanics has long been a challenging issue, with the length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio emerging as a critical factor that has received substantial attention. Understanding the L/D ratio effect is essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of laboratory tests. [...] Read more.
The size effect in rock mechanics has long been a challenging issue, with the length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio emerging as a critical factor that has received substantial attention. Understanding the L/D ratio effect is essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of laboratory tests. This paper presents a comprehensive review of studies on the L/D ratio effect in rocks, examining its influence on static and dynamic mechanical behavior. The analysis encompasses the effects of specimen L/D ratio on rock mechanical properties, energy characteristics, and failure modes, integrating the findings from theoretical research and experimental studies. The results reveal that the L/D ratio effect varies significantly under different external loading conditions. Despite extensive research, the mechanisms underlying the L/D ratio effect remain ambiguous, and a unified conclusion has yet to be reached. This review highlights the importance of selecting appropriate specimen dimensions for laboratory tests and emphasizes the need for further investigation into the L/D ratio effect to advance the understanding of rock mechanics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials, Third Edition)
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