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Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems
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Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 2981

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zike Wang

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Guest Editor
School of Mechanics and Safety Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: preparation and performance characterization of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars; durability and high-temperature performance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials; structural performance of new concrete structures (geopolymer, sulphoaluminate cement, seawater sea sand concrete, etc.) reinforced with FRP bars
Dr. Weiwei Wu

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Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: FRP composite structure durability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Weichen Tian

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Guest Editor
School of Infrastructure Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
Interests: advanced cement-based composites; common waste large-scale treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Longbiao Yan

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Guest Editor
Beijing Urban Construction Group Co., Ltd., Beijing 100088, China
Interests: life-cycle assessment; recycled construction and demolition (C&D) materials; composite materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The construction industry is undergoing a transformative shift toward sustainability, driven by the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate environmental impacts. This Special Issue focuses on the latest developments in sustainable construction materials and structural systems, emphasizing the use of low-carbon, recycled, and waste-derived materials. We invite contributions that explore material properties, mechanical performance, microstructural characterization, and durability assessment. Studies encompassing experimental investigations, theoretical modeling, and numerical simulations are particularly welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the mechanical behavior of eco-friendly concrete, lightweight and high-performance composite materials, novel reinforcement techniques, and integrating waste materials into construction applications. By bringing together cutting-edge research, this Special Issue will foster innovation and provide insights into the next generation of sustainable construction solutions.

Dr. Zike Wang
Dr. Weiwei Wu
Dr. Weichen Tian
Dr. Longbiao Yan
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. 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

  • low-carbon concrete
  • solid waste recycling
  • renewable concrete
  • sustainable materials
  • mechanical properties
  • structural properties
  • simulation

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4799 KB  
Article
Performance Evaluation of Stress-Absorbing Layer Mixtures Incorporating High-Content Oil-Rich RAP Fine Aggregate
by Yaoting Zhu, Xiangyang Fan, Bin Liu, Yuchao Gao, Xin Yu and Wei Tang
Sustainability 2025, 17(20), 9230; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17209230 - 17 Oct 2025
Abstract
The utilization of oil-rich reclaimed asphalt pavement fine aggregate (O-RAP), characterized by its high asphalt content, which has inherent compatibility with the high asphalt demand of stress-absorbing layer (SAL) mixtures, enables significant recycling rates, thereby promoting resource efficiency and a promising pathway for [...] Read more.
The utilization of oil-rich reclaimed asphalt pavement fine aggregate (O-RAP), characterized by its high asphalt content, which has inherent compatibility with the high asphalt demand of stress-absorbing layer (SAL) mixtures, enables significant recycling rates, thereby promoting resource efficiency and a promising pathway for sustainable infrastructure development. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the rheological properties of recycled asphalt binder through dynamic shear rheometer and bending beam rheometer tests. Furthermore, the pavement performance of SAL mixtures was systematically assessed via fatigue testing, moisture susceptibility evaluation, rutting resistance analysis, and overlay testing. The results indicate that increasing the O-RAP content enhances the complex shear modulus while reducing the phase angle, suggesting improved stiffness but reduced flexibility of the binder. In SAL mixtures, higher O-RAP content was associated with decreased fatigue life, moisture stability, and low-temperature cracking resistance, yet it contributed to improved resistance to reflective cracking and high-temperature rutting. Pearson correlation analysis further revealed that the fatigue life of the binder exhibits a strong positive correlation with creep rate and significant negative correlations with creep stiffness modulus, high-temperature stability, and reflective cracking resistance. These findings underscore the viability of high-content O-RAP incorporation in SAL mixtures as a technically sound and environmentally sustainable strategy for low-carbon pavement construction, offering significant reductions in virgin material consumption and associated carbon emissions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems)
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18 pages, 1922 KB  
Article
Simulation of Snow and Ice Melting on Energy-Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Thermally Conductive Asphalt Pavement
by Wenbo Peng, Yalina Ma, Lei Xi, Hezhou Huang, Lifei Zheng, Zhi Chen and Wentao Li
Sustainability 2025, 17(18), 8190; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17188190 - 11 Sep 2025
Viewed by 508
Abstract
Conventional asphalt pavement snow and ice removal methods suffer from issues such as time-consuming operations, high costs, and pollution from chemical de-icing agents. Commonly used thermally conductive asphalt concrete (TCAC) faces problems including limited filler diversity, high filler content, and elevated costs. To [...] Read more.
Conventional asphalt pavement snow and ice removal methods suffer from issues such as time-consuming operations, high costs, and pollution from chemical de-icing agents. Commonly used thermally conductive asphalt concrete (TCAC) faces problems including limited filler diversity, high filler content, and elevated costs. To address these challenges, this study developed a thermally conductive asphalt concrete incorporating carbon fiber–silicon carbide composite fillers to provide a low-cost, energy-saving winter pavement snow melting solution and enhance eco-friendly de-icing performance. Finite element simulation software was employed to model its snow and ice melting performance, investigating the factors influencing this capability. Thermal conductivity was measured using the transient plane source (TPS) technique. The results show that with 0.3% carbon fiber, thermal conductivity reaches 1.43 W/(m·°C), 72.3% higher than ordinary asphalt concrete. Finite element simulations in finite element simulation software were used to model snow and ice melting, and strong agreement with field test data (correlation coefficients > 0.9) confirmed model reliability. Then, the finite element simulation software was used to study the effects of wind speed, temperature, laying power, and spacing on the snow and ice melting of TCAC. The simulation results show that the heating rate increases with TCAC thermal conductivity. Raising the power of the embedded carbon fiber heating cord reduces de-icing time but shows a threshold effect. In this study, asphalt pavement with high thermal conductivity was prepared using a low content of thermal conductive filler, providing a theoretical basis for sustainable pavement design, reducing energy use and environmental damage. TCAC technology promotes greener winter road maintenance, offering a low-impact alternative to chemical de-icing, and supports long-term infrastructure sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems)
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36 pages, 5625 KB  
Article
Behavior Prediction of Connections in Eco-Designed Thin-Walled Steel–Ply–Bamboo Structures Based on Machine Learning for Mechanical Properties
by Wanwan Xia, Yujie Gao, Zhenkai Zhang, Yuhan Jie, Jingwen Zhang, Yueying Cao, Qiuyue Wu, Tao Li, Wentao Ji and Yaoyuan Gao
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6753; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156753 - 24 Jul 2025
Viewed by 621
Abstract
This study employed multiple machine learning and hyperparameter optimization techniques to analyze and predict the mechanical properties of self-drilling screw connections in thin-walled steel–ply–bamboo shear walls, leveraging the renewable and eco-friendly nature of bamboo to enhance structural sustainability and reduce environmental impact. The [...] Read more.
This study employed multiple machine learning and hyperparameter optimization techniques to analyze and predict the mechanical properties of self-drilling screw connections in thin-walled steel–ply–bamboo shear walls, leveraging the renewable and eco-friendly nature of bamboo to enhance structural sustainability and reduce environmental impact. The dataset, which included 249 sets of measurement data, was derived from 51 disparate connection specimens fabricated with engineered bamboo—a renewable and low-carbon construction material. Utilizing factor analysis, a ranking table recording the comprehensive score of each connection specimen was established to select the optimal connection type. Eight machine learning models were employed to analyze and predict the mechanical performance of these connection specimens. Through comparison, the most efficient model was selected, and five hyperparameter optimization algorithms were implemented to further enhance its prediction accuracy. The analysis results revealed that the Random Forest (RF) model demonstrated superior classification performance, prediction accuracy, and generalization ability, achieving approximately 61% accuracy on the test set (the highest among all models). In hyperparameter optimization, the RF model processed through Bayesian Optimization (BO) further improved its predictive accuracy to about 67%, outperforming both its non-optimized version and models optimized using the other algorithms. Considering the mechanical performance of connections within TWS composite structures, applying the BO algorithm to the RF model significantly improved the predictive accuracy. This approach enables the identification of the most suitable specimen type based on newly provided mechanical performance parameter sets, providing a data-driven pathway for sustainable bamboo–steel composite structure design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems)
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17 pages, 2470 KB  
Article
Correlation Between Packing Voids and Fatigue Performance in Sludge Gasification Slag-Cement-Stabilized Macadam
by Yunfei Tan, Xiaoqi Wang, Hao Zheng, Yingxu Liu, Juntao Ma and Shunbo Zhao
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6587; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146587 - 18 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 541
Abstract
The fatigue resistance of cement-stabilized macadam (CSM) plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term durability of pavement structures. However, limited cementitious material (CM) content often leads to high packing voids, which significantly compromise fatigue performance. Existing studies have rarely explored the coupled [...] Read more.
The fatigue resistance of cement-stabilized macadam (CSM) plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term durability of pavement structures. However, limited cementitious material (CM) content often leads to high packing voids, which significantly compromise fatigue performance. Existing studies have rarely explored the coupled mechanism between pore structure and fatigue behavior, especially in the context of solid-waste-based CMs. In this study, a cost-effective alkali-activated sludge gasification slag (ASS) was proposed as a sustainable CM substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in CSM. A dual evaluation approach combining cross-sectional image analysis and fatigue loading tests was employed to reveal the effect pathway of void structure optimization on fatigue resistance. The results showed that ASS exhibited excellent cementitious reactivity, forming highly polymerized C-A-S-H/C-S-H gels that contributed to a denser microstructure and superior mechanical performance. At a 6% binder dosage, the void ratio of ASS–CSM was reduced to 30%, 3% lower than that of OPC–CSM. The 28-day unconfined compressive strength and compressive resilient modulus reached 5.7 MPa and 1183 MPa, representing improvements of 35.7% and 4.1% compared to those of OPC. Under cyclic loading, the ASS system achieved higher energy absorption and more uniform stress distribution, effectively suppressing fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Moreover, the production cost and carbon emissions of ASS were 249.52 CNY/t and 174.51 kg CO2e/t—reductions of 10.9% and 76.2% relative to those of OPC, respectively. These findings demonstrate that ASS not only improves fatigue performance through pore structure refinement but also offers significant economic and environmental advantages, providing a theoretical foundation for the large-scale application of solid-waste-based binders in pavement engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems)
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15 pages, 6309 KB  
Article
Study on the Sustainability of Carbon Emission Reduction in China’s Cement Industry
by Kui Zhao, Congling Bao and Bingxin Zhang
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6349; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146349 - 10 Jul 2025
Viewed by 714
Abstract
Recycled concrete fines (RCFs) have the potential to serve as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) after carbonation. Traditionally, carbonation of RCFs results in calcium carbonate primarily in the form of calcite, which significantly limits the development of RCFs as an SCM. In this [...] Read more.
Recycled concrete fines (RCFs) have the potential to serve as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) after carbonation. Traditionally, carbonation of RCFs results in calcium carbonate primarily in the form of calcite, which significantly limits the development of RCFs as an SCM. In this research, a wet grinding carbonation (WGC) technique was introduced to enhance the reactivity of RCFs. The research indicates that RCFs after WGC exhibit a finer particle size and a larger specific surface area. The carbonation products include calcite with smaller grains, metastable calcium carbonate, and nanoscale silica gel and Al-Si gel. When RCF-WGC is used as an SCM in ordinary Portland cement (OPC), it significantly promotes the hydration of the cement paste, as evidenced by the advancement and increased intensity of the exothermic peaks of aluminates and silicates. RCF-WGC can significantly enhance the compressive strength of hydrated samples, particularly at early ages. Specifically, at a curing age of 1 day, the compressive strength of WGC5, WGC10, and WGC20 samples increased by 9.9%, 22.5%, and 7.7%, respectively, compared to the Ref sample (0% RCF-WGC). At a curing age of 3 days, the compressive strength of the WGC5, WGC10, and WGC20 samples showed even more significant improvements, increasing by 20.8%, 21.9%, and 11.8%, respectively. The performance enhancement of the WGC samples is attributed to the chemical reactions involving nanoscale silica gel, Al-Si gel, and calcium carbonate in the RCFs. When RCF-WGC is used as an SCM to replace 5%, 10%, and 20% of cement, it can reduce carbon emissions by 27.5 kg/t, 55 kg/t, and 110 kg/t, respectively. Large-scale application of RCFs as a high-value SCM can significantly reduce the life-cycle carbon emissions of the cement industry, contributing to the achievement of carbon peaking in China’s cement sector. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Sustainable Construction Materials and Structural Systems)
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