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Applications of Sustainable and Emerging Construction Materials in Civil Engineering

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 2 November 2025 | Viewed by 6519

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Civil Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates
Interests: construction materials; experimental testing of structural components; finite element analysis; reliability-based structural design codes; and bridge structures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

1) Introduction, including scientific background and highlighting the importance of this research area.

The construction industry has long been acknowledged as an essential factor that influences the economic development and growth of countries around the world. It acts as a critical function in shaping a country’s infrastructure, labor, and wealth. One drawback of the construction sector is its contribution towards greenhouse gases. The manufacturing, transportation, and implementation of traditional materials such as cement, steel, and masonry result in considerable carbon emission. Sustainable construction materials can help to lower the carbon footprint, energy consumption, and waste. Recent advances in material science and engineering have resulted in emerging materials that are stronger, lighter, and more durable than traditional materials. Such materials can be used in the design of new structures as well as in the maintenance and strengthening of existing ones. This Special Issue explores such sustainable and emerging construction materials, their prospects, challenges, and future in civil engineering. It also covers their contribution towards building more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and resilient structures.

2) Aim of the Special issue and how the subject relates to the journal scope.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish up-to-date research contributions covering the application of sustainable and emerging construction materials in civil structures and infrastructures. The materials under consideration include eco-friendly ones that possess high conservation and recycling impact, as well as advanced materials that are developed after intensive research and analysis to solve different problems encountered in the design, rehabilitation, and strengthening of structures today. State-of-the-art innovative materials with a strong resiliency dimension when facing extreme disasters are particularly encouraged.

3) Suggest themes.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:  

  • Aerated, bendable, self-healing, and 3D-printed concrete;
  • Use of recycled concrete, plastic, tires, and glass waste in construction materials;
  • Ultra-high performance cementitious composites;
  • Laminated timber, reclaimed wood, and wood composites;
  • Biodegradable and synthetic geotextile and geomembrane use in geotechnical engineering;
  • Fiber-reinforced polymers concrete composites;
  • High-performance fiber-reinforced materials under extreme loading;
  • Structural behavior of steel reinforced geopolymer concrete;
  • Disaster resilient structures;
  • Structural safety, reliability, and risk assessment;
  • Structural integrity and design against progressive collapse;
  • Blast-resistant design of steel and concrete structures;
  • Long-term durability response of innovative composite materials in harsh environment. 

I look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Prof. Dr. Sami Tabsh
Guest Editor

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. Sustainability 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 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

  • sustainable materials
  • fiber-reinforced polymers
  • engineered cementitious composites
  • recycled materials
  • geopolymers
  • high performance materials
  • durability
  • engineered wood
  • emerging materials
  • nanomaterials
  • repair
  • strengthening
  • structural fire engineering
  • 3D printing
  • resilient structures

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 6813 KiB  
Article
Development of Geopolymeric Mortar from Metakaolin and Ignimbrite from the Añashuayco Quarries, Peru, for Civil Construction
by Alan Ícaro Sousa Morais, Daniela Krisbéll Ortega Palmeira, Ariane Maria Da Silva Santos Nascimento, Josy Anteveli Osajima, Ramón Raudel Peña Garcia and Fredy Alberto Huamán-Mamani
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5714; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135714 - 21 Jun 2025
Viewed by 595
Abstract
The construction industry generates large amounts of waste and high CO2 emissions, especially from cement production. Sustainable alternatives, such as geopolymers, help reduce these impacts by promoting eco-friendly materials. This study aimed to develop geopolymer mortar using ignimbrite (IG) residues from the [...] Read more.
The construction industry generates large amounts of waste and high CO2 emissions, especially from cement production. Sustainable alternatives, such as geopolymers, help reduce these impacts by promoting eco-friendly materials. This study aimed to develop geopolymer mortar using ignimbrite (IG) residues from the Arequipa region, Peru, combined with metakaolin (MK). The raw materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to assess the chemical composition, structure, and morphology. Geopolymeric mortars were synthesized with varying MK/IG ratios while maintaining a fixed fine sand proportion. An activating solution of 9 mol/L NaOH was used with different liquid-to-solid ratios. Geopolymers cured at room temperature for 28 days exhibited lower compressive strength than those dried at 50 °C for 48 h or sequentially at 50 °C for 48 h followed by 90 °C for 12 h. The highest IG-content mixture achieved a compressive strength of 18 MPa, while the MK-based geopolymer reached 12 MPa, both under high-temperature curing. An increase in the SiO2/Al2O3 molar ratio was also associated with improved mechanical performance, reinforcing the influence of precursor composition on geopolymerization. These results highlight the potential of regional ignimbrite for the production of geopolymer mortar, promoting sustainable and innovative building materials. Full article
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Review

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38 pages, 18765 KiB  
Review
Recycled Materials in Construction: Trends, Status, and Future of Research
by Jiawei Wu, Xunrong Ye and Huachun Cui
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2636; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062636 - 17 Mar 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5282
Abstract
The utilization of recycled materials has emerged as a pivotal strategy for mitigating resource depletion and reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry. However, existing reviews predominantly focus on specific technical aspects, often overlooking the interdisciplinary complexities associated with recycled materials as a [...] Read more.
The utilization of recycled materials has emerged as a pivotal strategy for mitigating resource depletion and reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry. However, existing reviews predominantly focus on specific technical aspects, often overlooking the interdisciplinary complexities associated with recycled materials as a systems engineering challenge. This study systematically reviews 1533 documents from the Web of Science Core Collection, integrating quantitative and qualitative analytical approaches to assess the current state and future trajectory of the field, thereby addressing existing research gaps. The findings highlight the substantial evolution of recycled building materials from waste recovery to a multifaceted domain encompassing value assessment, circular economy principles, advanced technologies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and long-term societal benefits. This study identifies six key research themes in recycled building materials: life cycle assessment, biological and natural materials, recycled concrete, recycled asphalt and building infrastructure, construction and demolition waste, and environmental impacts with composite factors. Furthermore, current research is categorized into two primary dimensions: value strategies and technological tools. The analysis of future research directions underscores the potential of AI-driven innovations and their role in enhancing human living environments. However, developing countries continue to face critical challenges, necessitating further interdisciplinary integration and knowledge exchange. Finally, this study proposes a comprehensive and systematic disciplinary framework that offers valuable insights for future strategic planning and technological advancements in the field. Full article
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