Sustainable Structural Resilience Under Extreme Loads: Materials, Modeling, and Safety Innovations
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 9 February 2027 | Viewed by 248
Special Issue Editors
Interests: research on the static and dynamic mechanical properties and dynamic constitutive models of materials such as concrete, rock and soil, and metals, as well as rubber; research on the anti-explosion mechanisms of military protective structures, dams, port terminals, bridges, ships, etc.; terminal damage effects, explosion diffusion, explosion combustion, etc. (all issues related to explosion and shock dynamics); software programming and artificial intelligence
Interests: research on impact dynamics; new building materials; concrete
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Extreme load events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, blast impacts and progressive collapse induced by accidental or anthropogenic factors, pose unprecedented threats to the safety and functionality of civil engineering structures worldwide. Concurrently, the global pursuit of sustainable development goals demands that structural systems not only withstand extreme disturbances but also minimize environmental impacts throughout their entire lifecycle—from material extraction and construction to operation and deconstruction. This dual challenge of ensuring structural resilience under extreme loads while advancing sustainability has become a critical frontier in structural engineering research and practice.
It is worth emphasizing that traditional structural design approaches, which primarily focus on strength and ductility, are increasingly insufficient to address the complex interactions between extreme loads, material performance, environmental sustainability and long-term structural safety. Moreover, the rapid development of advanced materials, numerical modeling techniques and intelligent monitoring systems has opened new avenues for innovating structural resilience solutions, yet gaps remain in integrating these innovations into a cohesive framework that prioritizes sustainability. In the existing literature, there is a growing body of research on either structural resilience or sustainable materials, but relatively few studies that systematically bridge these two domains, particularly from the perspectives of integrated modeling, performance-based design and lifecycle-oriented safety optimization. Thus, there is an urgent need for in-depth investigations and interdisciplinary studies that advance the understanding and implementation of sustainable structural resilience, fostering synergies between material innovation, advanced modeling and safety enhancement under extreme load scenarios.
This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research, practical experiences and innovative methodologies that address the core challenges of sustainable structural resilience under extreme loads. We seek to showcase high-quality studies that integrate materials science, structural mechanics, numerical modeling and safety engineering to develop sustainable, resilient structural systems capable of withstanding extreme disturbances and contributing to a low-carbon, disaster-resilient built environment.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Sustainable and high-performance materials for resilient structures under extreme loads (e.g., eco-friendly fiber-reinforced composites, self-healing materials, recycled aggregate concrete, bio-based materials);
- Advanced numerical modeling and simulation techniques for sustainable structural resilience (e.g., multi-scale modeling, coupled multi-physics analysis, probabilistic resilience assessment, lifecycle assessment integrated with structural performance);
- Performance-based design frameworks for sustainable and resilient structures under extreme loads;
- Innovative structural systems and retrofitting technologies for enhancing sustainability and resilience (e.g., modular structures, adaptive structures, nature-based solutions for structural protection);
- Damage detection, health monitoring and rapid recovery strategies for sustainable and resilient structures after extreme load events;
- Lifecycle-oriented safety and sustainability optimization of structures under extreme load scenarios;
- Machine learning and artificial intelligence applications in sustainable structural resilience modeling and safety assessment.
Innovative original research papers, comprehensive review articles and short communications submitted to this Special Issue are expected to contribute to advancing the state-of-the-art in sustainable structural resilience. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary studies that bridge academia and industry, providing practical insights and actionable solutions to address the global challenges of extreme load threats and sustainable development in the built environment.
Dr. Ruiyuan Huang
Dr. Jian Ma
Dr. Zhong Ye
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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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 2400 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
- extreme load events
- civil engineering structures
- lifecycle
- resilient structures
- simulation techniques
- design frameworks
- damage detection
- health monitoring
- recovery strategies
- machine learning
- artificial intelligence applications
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