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Polymers in Civil Engineering

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 3384

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yongcheng Ji

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: civil engineering materials; green bridges in cold regions; solid waste recycling and reuse
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Luciano Feo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
Interests: composites and nano-composites materials; experimental investigation of composites materials (FRP); computational mechanics; multiscale numerical modelling and simulation of materials and structures; computational design and engineering of innovative sustainable materials and infrastructures; structural rehabilitation of masonry and concrete structures with FRP; full FRP composite structures; connections in composites structures; durability of high performance fiber reinforced concrete (HPFRC)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymers are pivotal in modern civil engineering, serving as versatile materials with diverse applications. Both natural and synthetic polymers are integral to various construction processes and innovations, influencing the design, durability, and performance of infrastructures. The exploration of polymers in this context spans multiple scientific and engineering disciplines. It is vital to integrate technological advancements with insights from chemical, physical, environmental, and civil engineering sciences to fully harness the potential of polymeric materials in civil engineering.

Therefore, having an in-depth understanding of polymers' physical, chemical, and environmental properties is crucial for their innovative development and implementation. This Special Issue invites original research articles and comprehensive reviews that study various facets of polymers in civil engineering. Potential topics include, but are not restricted to, the following:

  • Advancements in polymeric materials for structural applications;
  • Durability and lifecycle assessment of polymeric materials in civil engineering;
  • Synthesis and modification of polymers for enhanced performance;
  • Modeling and simulation of polymeric behavior in civil structures;
  • Characterization techniques for polymeric materials in construction;
  • Processing and fabrication methods for polymeric civil engineering materials;
  • Smart and functional polymeric materials for intelligent infrastructures;
  • Environmental impact and sustainability of polymeric materials in civil engineering;
  • Mechanical and physical characterization of polymers and polymer-based composites.

Dr. Yongcheng Ji
Prof. Dr. Luciano Feo
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. Polymers 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 2700 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

  • theory and simulation
  • synthesis
  • physics and analysis
  • polymer-based composites
  • intelligent infrastructures
  • durability and lifecycle assessment
  • mechanical performance
  • FRP-strengthened structures and modelling

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 6989 KiB  
Article
Study on the Uniaxial Compression Constitutive Relationship of Wood Reinforced with Fiber-Reinforced Polymer
by Hao Chen, Zihui Zhang, Zhihui Wang and Yongcheng Ji
Polymers 2025, 17(8), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17081119 - 20 Apr 2025
Viewed by 147
Abstract
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites demonstrate significant advantages in the reinforcement of timber structures, with basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) exhibiting distinct characteristics. This study systematically compares the mechanical performance differences between BFRP- and CFRP-reinforced Northeast larch timber columns. Uniaxial [...] Read more.
Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites demonstrate significant advantages in the reinforcement of timber structures, with basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) exhibiting distinct characteristics. This study systematically compares the mechanical performance differences between BFRP- and CFRP-reinforced Northeast larch timber columns. Uniaxial compression tests focused on the mechanical responses under different reinforcement conditions along the grain direction. The results indicate that BFRP-reinforced specimens exhibit superior cost-effectiveness, enhanced ductility, and improved damage tolerance, whereas CFRP-reinforced specimens demonstrate higher stiffness and ultimate load-bearing capacity. A damage constitutive model, developed based on Poisson distribution theory, accurately describes the damage evolution process of fully FRP-reinforced Northeast larch timber columns. Numerical simulations show excellent agreement with experimental results. The study provides critical guidance for FRP material selection and reinforcement strategies in timber structure engineering: BFRP is more suitable for general applications prioritizing cost efficiency and ductility, while CFRP is better suited for special structures requiring higher load-bearing capacity. Finite element models of CFRP- and BFRP-reinforced timber specimens under axial compression were established using ABAQUS 2020 software, with simulation results closely matching experimental data. The proposed constitutive model and finite element analysis method offer a reliable tool for predicting the mechanical behavior of FRP-wood composite structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers in Civil Engineering)
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16 pages, 3595 KiB  
Article
Evolutionary Algorithm-Based Design and Performance Evaluation of Wood–Plastic Composite Roof Panels for Low-Cost Housing
by Bassel Abdelshahid, Khaled Nassar, Passant Youssef, Ezzeldin Sayed-Ahmed and Mohamed Darwish
Polymers 2025, 17(6), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17060795 - 17 Mar 2025
Viewed by 331
Abstract
Wood–plastic composites (WPCs) have emerged as a sustainable and cost-effective material for construction, particularly in low-cost housing solutions. However, designing WPC panels that meet structural, serviceability, and manufacturing constraints remains a challenge. This study focused on optimizing the cross-sectional shape of WPC roof [...] Read more.
Wood–plastic composites (WPCs) have emerged as a sustainable and cost-effective material for construction, particularly in low-cost housing solutions. However, designing WPC panels that meet structural, serviceability, and manufacturing constraints remains a challenge. This study focused on optimizing the cross-sectional shape of WPC roof panels using evolutionary algorithms to minimize material usage while ensuring compliance with deflection and stress constraints. Two evolutionary algorithms—the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO)—were employed to optimize sinusoidal and trapezoidal panel profiles. The optimization framework integrated finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate structural performance under uniformly distributed loads and self-weight. The modulus of elasticity of the WPC material was determined experimentally through three-point bending tests, ensuring accurate material representation in the simulations. The trapezoidal profile proved to be the most optimal, exhibiting superior deflection performance compared with the sinusoidal profile. A comparative analysis of GA and PSO revealed that PSO outperformed GA in both solution optimality and convergence speed, demonstrating its superior efficiency in navigating the design space and identifying high-performance solutions. The findings highlight the potential of WPCs in low-cost housing applications and offer insights into the selection of optimization algorithms for similar engineering design problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers in Civil Engineering)
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17 pages, 4894 KiB  
Article
Study on the Improvement Effect of Polypropylene Fiber on the Mechanical Properties and Freeze–Thaw Degradation Performance of High Fly Ash Content Alkali-Activated Fly Ash Slag Concrete
by Zhu Yuan, Yanmin Jia and Junming Xu
Polymers 2025, 17(2), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17020175 - 13 Jan 2025
Viewed by 759
Abstract
This article systematically investigated the improvement effect of polypropylene fiber (PPF) on the mechanical and freeze–thaw properties of alkali-activated fly ash slag concrete (AAFSC) with high fly ash content and cured at room temperature. Fly ash and slag were used as precursors, with [...] Read more.
This article systematically investigated the improvement effect of polypropylene fiber (PPF) on the mechanical and freeze–thaw properties of alkali-activated fly ash slag concrete (AAFSC) with high fly ash content and cured at room temperature. Fly ash and slag were used as precursors, with fly ash accounting for 80% of the total mass. A mixed solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate was used as alkali activator, and short-cut PPF was added to improve the performance of AAFSC. Firstly, the strength characteristics of AAFSC at different curing ages were studied. Then, key indicators such as morphology, residual compressive strength, weight loss, relative dynamic modulus of elasticity (RDME), and pore characteristics of AAFSC after different freeze–thaw cycles were tested and analyzed. The strength performance analysis showed that the optimal dosage of PPF was 0.90%. When the alkali equivalent of the alkali activator was increased from 4% to 6%, the frost resistance of AAFSC could be improved. Furthermore, adding 0.90% PPF could increase the freeze–thaw cycle number of AAFSC by about 50 times (measured by RDME). With the increase in freeze–thaw cycles, the porosity of AAFSC increased, the fractal dimension decreased, and the proportion of harmless and less harmful pores decreased, while the proportion of harmful and multiple harmful pores increased. The relationship model between the porosity and compressive strength of AAFSC after freeze–thaw cycles was established. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers in Civil Engineering)
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17 pages, 4369 KiB  
Article
Study on Mechanical Properties and Carbon Emission Analysis of Polypropylene Fiber-Reinforced Brick Aggregate Concrete
by Fei Li, Shenghao Jin, Peifeng Cheng, Zehui Wang and Zehao Yang
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3535; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243535 - 19 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 754
Abstract
Given the current construction waste accumulation problem, to utilize the resource of red brick solid waste, construction waste red brick was used as a concrete coarse aggregate combined with polypropylene fiber to prepare PPF (polypropylene fiber)-reinforced recycled brick aggregate concrete. Through a cube [...] Read more.
Given the current construction waste accumulation problem, to utilize the resource of red brick solid waste, construction waste red brick was used as a concrete coarse aggregate combined with polypropylene fiber to prepare PPF (polypropylene fiber)-reinforced recycled brick aggregate concrete. Through a cube compression test, axial compression test, and four-point bending test of 15 groups of specimens, the influences of the aggregate replacement rate of recycled brick and the PPF volume on the mechanical properties of recycled brick aggregate concrete reinforced by PPF were studied, and a strength parameter calculation formula was constructed and modified based on the above. Finally, combined with a life cycle assessment (LCA), the carbon emissions of raw materials were analyzed and evaluated. It was found that the mechanical properties of recycled concrete enhanced by PPF are critical at an addition rate of 50% and then decrease slowly with an increase in the aggregate content. PPF effectively alleviates the problem of strength reductions caused by regenerated aggregate substitution through the fiber-bridging effect. Based on the experimental data, a mechanical transformation model considering fiber reinforcement and BA weakening was constructed, and the regression accuracy R2 was around 0.90. The environmental benefit obtained when only replacing the natural aggregate is low. Although the incorporation of fiber improves the carbon emissions of the material to a certain extent, the benefits are more noticeable compared with the increase in strength. The results show that garbage recovery and strength demand benefits are achieved when the amount of recycled brick aggregate is 50% of the total. The strength conversion model established in this paper has of high accuracy and was created with careful consideration of fiber reinforcement and the regenerated aggregate weakening correction, providing it with more robust adaptability and extensibility. The mechanical properties of the recycled brick aggregate concrete enhanced by PPF are excellent and sustainable when the replacement rate of BA is 50% and the PPF volume is 0.1%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers in Civil Engineering)
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18 pages, 16187 KiB  
Article
Cumulative Strain and Improvement Mechanisms of Soil Reinforced by Xanthan Gum Biopolymer Under Traffic Loading
by Liu Yang, Lingshi An, Kuangyu Yan and Gaofeng Du
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3500; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243500 - 16 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 855
Abstract
As is widely accepted, cumulative strain and improvement mechanisms of stabilized soil are critical factors for the long-term reliable operation of expressways and high-speed railways. Based on relevant research findings, xanthan gum biopolymer is regarded as a green and environmentally friendly curing agent [...] Read more.
As is widely accepted, cumulative strain and improvement mechanisms of stabilized soil are critical factors for the long-term reliable operation of expressways and high-speed railways. Based on relevant research findings, xanthan gum biopolymer is regarded as a green and environmentally friendly curing agent in comparison to traditional stabilizers, such as cement, lime, and fly ash. However, little attention has been devoted to the cumulative strain and improvement mechanisms of soil reinforced by xanthan gum biopolymer under traffic loading. In the current study, a series of laboratory tests, including cyclic triaxial tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests, were performed to investigate this issue in more detail. The influences of xanthan gum biopolymer content, curing time, moisture content, confining pressure, and cyclic stress amplitude on cumulative strain were analyzed. In addition, the cumulative strain model was proposed to provide a good description of experimental data. Finally, the microscopic structure of soil reinforced by xanthan gum biopolymer was analyzed to discuss the improvement mechanisms. The results show that the cumulative strain is strongly influenced by xanthan gum biopolymer content. For a given number of loading cycles, the greater the confining pressure, the smaller the cumulative strain. The calculated results of the cumulative strain model show a good agreement with test data. The “flocculent” hydrogel can form a denser structure and greater bonding strength in comparison to the “branch-like” and “net-like” hydrogels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers in Civil Engineering)
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