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Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 12117

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Byungik Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
Interests: structural engineering; wind engineering; wind energy; economic feasibility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable energy research in civil and environmental engineering evaluates the potential impact of the energy system and aims to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of an existing or proposed project. Therefore, it must be conducted with an objective approach to provide information upon which decisions can be based. In its simplest terms, the two criteria to judge a sustainable energy structure or system are the cost required and efficiency to be attained. There are many ongoing sustainable energy studies and projects in civil and environmental engineering. The results of sustainable energy research in civil and environmental engineering study could be used to analyze or further develop the energy system at other locations for projects that share similar conditions and environments.

This Special Issue will focus on the environmental and economic benefits of sustainable energy, system design, management, or strategies, with topics including: sustainability in infrastructure; sustainable construction; smart cities; resilient design; sustainable materials (reuse and recycling); renewable energy; LEED certified structures; sustainable energy efficiency and reliability; analysis of sustainable energy structures or systems; numerical modelling of sustainable energy structures or systems; experimental studies of sustainable energy structures or systems; economic feasibility of a sustainable energy system; reviews of sustainable energy structures or systems; net zero energy buildings; and life cycle assessment.

Reference:

Rafique, M.M.;  Rehman, S.;  Alhems, L.M. Developing zero energy and sustainable villages – a case study for communities of the future. Renew. Energ. 2018, 127, 565–574.

Prof. Dr. Byungik Chang
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

  • LEED
  • renewable energy
  • net zero
  • sustainable development
  • sustainable energy system

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 13907 KiB  
Article
Oil Plant Pomace as a Raw Material in Technology of Sustainable Thermoplastic Polymer Composites
by Karolina Lipska, Izabela Betlej, Katarzyna Rybak, Małgorzata Nowacka and Piotr Boruszewski
Sustainability 2024, 16(16), 7088; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16167088 - 18 Aug 2024
Viewed by 4409
Abstract
The design of composites offers extensive opportunities for controlling parameters and utilizing diverse materials, including those sourced from recycling or waste streams. In this study, biocomposites were developed using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and pomace derived from oilseed plants such as evening primrose, gold [...] Read more.
The design of composites offers extensive opportunities for controlling parameters and utilizing diverse materials, including those sourced from recycling or waste streams. In this study, biocomposites were developed using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and pomace derived from oilseed plants such as evening primrose, gold of pleasure, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds, mixed in a 1:1 ratio. These biocomposites were evaluated for their structural, mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties, as well as their vulnerability to overgrowth by cellulolytic fungi. The results indicate that incorporating plant waste into HDPE reduces thermal stability while increasing water absorption and thickness swelling. Additionally, the biocomposites showed enhanced fungal growth, which may improve their biodegradability. Notably, the PE_EP composite, derived from evening primrose pomace, did not show significant differences in surface roughness and MOE parameters compared to pure polyethylene. In the case of PE_R composite, an increase in MOE was observed while maintaining the MOR parameter compared to pure PE. Although generally the mechanical properties of composites were lower compared to pure polyethylene, the findings suggest that with further optimization, oil plant pomace can be a valuable raw material for producing biocomposites suitable for various industrial applications, thereby contributing to sustainability and effective waste recycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering)
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15 pages, 3989 KiB  
Article
Dematerialization of Concrete: Meta-Analysis of Lightweight Expanded Clay Concrete for Compressive Strength
by İlbüke Uslu, Orkun Uysal, Can B. Aktaş, Byungik Chang and İsmail Özgür Yaman
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6346; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156346 - 24 Jul 2024
Viewed by 924
Abstract
The construction industry is responsible for a significant share of global material consumption, including natural resources. Therefore, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.2 on sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources cannot be achieved without significant advances and contributions from the [...] Read more.
The construction industry is responsible for a significant share of global material consumption, including natural resources. Therefore, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.2 on sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources cannot be achieved without significant advances and contributions from the construction sector. Furthermore, various materials used by the construction industry contribute to the development and expansion of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system. LECA (Light Expanded Clay Aggregate) is one such material that enhances LEED performance through its key benefits, including lightness, thermal insulation, sound insulation, and fire resistance. One of the most effective methods for reducing the weight of concrete is the incorporation of lightweight aggregates, and the advantages of LECA include lessening loads and enabling reduced cross-sections, directly improving the sustainability of the built environment via reduced materials consumption. This study aims to develop a prediction model for the compressive strength of LECA-incorporated concrete through a meta-analysis. More than 140 data points were compiled through literature via 15 separate studies, and results were analyzed to conduct the meta-analysis. Moreover, an experimental program was carried out to verify the model and evaluate its accuracy in predicting compressive strength. Results from the developed model and the experimental program were in accordance with concrete having lower compressive strengths compared to those at high strength values. Likewise, more accurate results were obtained for concrete mixes that have w/b ratios of 0.5 or higher. Concrete mixes that have higher amounts of LECA by volume of concrete yielded more accurate results when using the prediction model. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to quantify the impact of several parameters on the compressive strength of LECA concrete. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering)
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9 pages, 1111 KiB  
Article
Impact of Crumb Rubber Concentration and Plastic Coated Aggregates on the Rheological Performance of Modified Bitumen Asphalt
by Arun Kumar, Parveen Berwal, Abdullah I. Al-Mansour, Mohammad Amir Khan, Shamshad Alam, Seongkwan Mark Lee, Akash Malik and Amjad Iqbal
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3907; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073907 - 25 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3072
Abstract
The diminution of natural resource exploration, the retrieval of waste, and the structural modification of polymers by additives are the main contributions to sustainable development. The properties of bitumen are enhanced by the crumb rubber through effective bitumen modification techniques, which have environmental [...] Read more.
The diminution of natural resource exploration, the retrieval of waste, and the structural modification of polymers by additives are the main contributions to sustainable development. The properties of bitumen are enhanced by the crumb rubber through effective bitumen modification techniques, which have environmental and economic advantages. In this study, plastic waste, plastic-coated aggregate (PCA), and bitumen were blended in order to enhance the engineering properties of the flexible pavement. In order to compute the composition of crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB), the adopted materials were subjected to the relevant experiments. PCA was a very effective material when compared to the standard bitumen road pavement. The recycling of waste crumb rubber and plastic was tested by adding them into the hot mix asphalt. The Marshall properties of standard (virgin) bituminous mix, CRMB grade 55, and plastic mix asphalt were studied in detail to explore the solutions for a sustainable environment. The comparison was performed between these two materials with the standard bitumen, which resulted in the CRMB and plastics being found as the most effective additions with robust properties such as low-cost material, high strength, long life usage, and un-harmful to nature. The optimal bitumen content was found to be 6.166%, 6.1%, and 5.833% for standard bitumen, crumb rubber modified bitumen, and plastic-coated aggregate, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering)
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Review

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21 pages, 4108 KiB  
Review
A Review on the Effect of Metakaolin on the Chloride Binding of Concrete, Mortar, and Paste Specimens
by Reza Homayoonmehr, Ali Akbar Ramezanianpour, Faramarz Moodi, Amir Mohammad Ramezanianpour and Juan Pablo Gevaudan
Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15022; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215022 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2148
Abstract
Chloride binding is a complex phenomenon in which the chloride ions bind with hydrated Portland cement (PC) phases via physical and chemical mechanisms. However, the current utilization of clays as (Al)-rich supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as metakaolin (MK), can affect the chloride-binding [...] Read more.
Chloride binding is a complex phenomenon in which the chloride ions bind with hydrated Portland cement (PC) phases via physical and chemical mechanisms. However, the current utilization of clays as (Al)-rich supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as metakaolin (MK), can affect the chloride-binding capacity of these concrete materials. This state-of-the-art review discusses the effect of clay-based SCMs on physical and chemical chloride binding with an emphasis on MK as a high-reactivity clay-based SCM. Furthermore, the potential mechanisms playing a role in physical and chemical binding and the MK effect on the hydrated cement products before and after exposure to chloride ions are discussed. Recent findings have portrayed competing properties of how MK limits the physical chloride-binding capacity of MK-supplemented concrete. The use of MK has been found to increase the calcium silicate hydrates (CSH) content and its aluminum to silicon (Al/Si) ratio, but to reduce the calcium to silicon (Ca/Si) ratio, which reduces the physical chloride-binding capacity of PC-clay blended cements, such as limestone calcined clay cements (LC3). By contrast, the influence of MK on the chemical chloride capacity is significant since it increases the formation of Friedel’s salt due to an increased concentration of Al during the hydration of Portland cement grains. Recent research has found an optimum aluminum to calcium (Al/Ca) ratio range, of approximately 3 to 7, for maximizing the chemical binding of chlorides. This literature review highlights the optimal Al content for maximizing chloride binding, which reveals a theoretical limit for calcined clay addition to supplementary cementitious materials and LC3 formulations. Results show that 5–25% of replacements increase bound chloride; however, with a higher percentage of replacements, fresh and hardened state properties play a more pivotal role. Lastly, the practical application of four binding isotherms is discussed with the Freundlich isotherm found to be the most accurate in predicting the correlation between free and bound chlorides. This review discusses the effects of important cement chemistry parameters, such as cation type, sulfate presence, carbonation, chloride concentration, temperature, and applied electrical fields on the chloride binding of MK-containing concretes—important for the durable formulation of LC3. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering)
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