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Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures

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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 2595

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mojia Huang

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Guest Editor

School of Infrastructure Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
Interests: transmission tower structures; structural optimization design; numerical simulation; bridge structures; material microstructures; new energy sources; wind power generation; theoretical analysis of mechanics

Prof. Dr. Zhiwen Lan

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Guest Editor

School of Infrastructure Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
Interests: transmission tower structures; bridge structures; new energy sources; wind power generation; theoretical analysis of mechanics; experimental measurements

Dr. Lei Zhang

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Guest Editor

School of Architecture Engineering and Planning, Jiujiang University, Jiujiang 332005,China
Interests: transmission tower structures; high rise structures; slope engineering; underground structures; wind power generation structures

Dr. Tengfei Zhao

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Guest Editor

College of City Construction, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Interests: insulation materials; transmission tower structures; theoretical analysis of mechanics; experimental measurements

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Green and environmentally friendly building materials and new structural designs play a significant role in the field of sustainable architecture. Their development can reduce environmental impacts, improve energy efficiency, and enhance indoor environmental quality, making them key components in achieving sustainable development goals and crucial for the sustainable development of the construction industry and society. This Special Issue highlights the forefront of environmentally friendly building materials and new structural designs, with a focus on exploring the development of sustainable architecture. It aims to reduce environmental impacts, promote energy efficiency, and explore alternative solutions to traditional materials and structural forms, such as green and environmentally friendly building materials, new structural forms, and improvements in their mechanical properties. These green and environmentally friendly materials and structural forms have promising prospects and can accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the construction industry. This Special Issue encourages researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers to adopt sustainable practices and promote positive change. By sharing groundbreaking research findings and facilitating collaboration, it contributes to creating a greener and more sustainable built environment.

Prof. Dr. Mojia Huang
Prof. Dr. Zhiwen Lan
Dr. Lei Zhang
Dr. Tengfei Zhao
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. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

structural optimization design FE numerical simulation of structures
new green building materials
green building design and application
innovation and application in bridge structures
mechanical issues in engineering structures
structural issues in power systems

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Clay Characteristics for Printable Geo-Materials: A Case Study of Clay–Sand Mixes

by Stefanie Rückrich, Galit Agranati and Yasha J. Grobman

Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1576; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061576 - 29 May 2024

Viewed by 210

Abstract

Extrusion-based 3D Construction Printing (3DCP) involves developing novel material mixtures that incorporate local geo-materials. Given that clay minerals and silt are major causes of soil variability, this study focuses on the fine fraction of soil to facilitate purpose-oriented design, classification, and standardization. We begin with an overview of current research in the field and general information about clays. Subsequently, we establish an evaluation methodology, examining various clay–sand mix ratios, along with locally sourced material to gain general insights into the material’s clay-dependent macro-printability characteristics. The findings are then correlated and discussed in relation to the microcharacteristics of the clays, emphasizing the significance of both intraparticle and interparticle swelling for strength and cohesiveness. Factors such as swelling ability, and charge, which may be reflected by pH, are pivotal for strength; while the quantity of clay and its interparticle swelling ability, denoted by the plasticity index (PI), delineate cohesiveness, which is essential for pumpability and extrudability. Furthermore, the presence of organic material and other minerals is observed to have a significant impact on these properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)

18 pages, 4128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Use of Sargasso Seaweed as Lignocellulosic Material for Particleboards: Technical Viability and Life Cycle Assessment

by Afonso José Felício Peres Duran, Gabriela Pitolli Lyra, Luiz Eduardo Campos Filho, Cristiane Bueno, João Adriano Rossignolo, Cicero Alves-Lima and Juliano Fiorelli

Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051403 - 14 May 2024

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Abstract

There have been beaching events of the marine alga pelagic sargassum in coastal regions of the Caribbean Sea, West African countries, and the north-northeast region of Brazil since 2011. Its presence has caused environmental and socioeconomic impacts while several studies were conducted in order to understand the causes of this phenomenon, as well as alternatives to mitigate its impacts. The objective of this research was to evaluate pelagic sargassum biomass from beaching as a raw material for the manufacture of medium-density multilayer particleboards, aiming for an application that can reduce the impacts generated by the disposal of this seaweed on beaches and landfills. These are composed of 30% sargassum particles in their inner layer and 70% sugarcane bagasse particles on their outer layers, which are bonded with castor-oil-based polyurethane resin. A physical and chemical characterization was carried out in order to evaluate sargassum particles while physical and mechanical tests were carried out in order to evaluate the panels. Results were subsequently compared with indications from different particleboard standards. A life cycle assessment was carried out to complement the feasibility study of these panels and to compare their different manufacturing processes. The multilayer panels met the minimum requirements for physical and mechanical properties established by regulations, indicating that the Sargassum spp. biomass can be used as filling. The life cycle assessment study indicates that sargassum panels produced in the Belém, PA, Brazil, region present lower environmental impacts in four of seven evaluated categories when compared to conventional panels. Given the results obtained, the use of sargassum from beaching events as raw material for panels can be presented as an alternative for reducing social, economic, and environmental impacts in the regions affected by these events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)

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18 pages, 7594 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Finite Element Analyses of Adjustable Foundation Bolts in Transmission Towers

by Huajie Yin, Xianzhi Xiao, Zhi Huang, Tengfei Zhao and Mojia Huang

Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051357 - 10 May 2024

Viewed by 383

Abstract

Uneven settlement of transmission tower foundations can result in catastrophic events, such as tower collapse and line failures, disrupting power transmission operations. To address the challenging repairs caused by uneven foundation settlement of transmission towers, we propose an adjustable foundation bolt (AFB). This paper provides a detailed theoretical analysis of the AFB’s stability and load-bearing capacity, including critical buckling force formulas and maximum normal stress expressions. Finite element simulations confirm the precision of our theoretical formulations. Additionally, we introduce a method using baffles to enhance its load-bearing capacity, analyzing the impact of different numbers of baffles through numerical simulations. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of baffles in enhancing structural load-bearing capacity. The device brings convenience and efficiency to the maintenance of transmission towers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)

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14 pages, 16381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Utilization of Crushed Corn Cob as a Sand Substitute in Portland Cement Mortars for Sustainable Construction

by Ana Torre, Sorin Ramirez, Isabel Moromi, Ladislao Basurto and Carmen Reyes

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030594 - 23 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1316

Abstract

The utilization of mineralized sandy shredded corn cob (SCC) as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in Portland cement mortars (PM) presents an innovative opportunity for sustainable construction and organic waste reutilization. This study aims to assess the impact of SCC, with granulometric variations G1 and G2, on eight mortar formulations (PM, SCC-G1-5%, SCC-G1-10%; SCC-G2-5%, SCC-G2-10%, SCC-G2-15%, SCC-G2-20%, and SCC-G2-30%) with a consistent water-to-cement ratio of 0.55. Fresh-state properties (flowability, temperature, pH, unit weight, and setting time) and hardened-state characteristics (compressive strength at 4, 7, 14, and 28 days) were evaluated. Notably, flowability decreased by 90% for G2 designs with up to 15% SCC, unit weight decreased by up to 12% with SCC-G2-30%, setting time was delayed, and compressive strength for all SCC mortars up to 20% exceeded 21.9 MPa. In conclusion, the partial replacement of sand with a G2 particle-size distribution of SCC is feasible, with an optimal performance observed in SCC-G2-5%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Eco-Friendly Building Materials and Innovative Structures)

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