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Innovative Solutions in Cement-Based Materials and Concrete Structures

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 1856

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 24 Warszawska Str, 31-155 Cracow, Poland
Interests: construction engineering; cementitious materials; sustainable development; civil engineering materials; concrete technologies; FRP composites; bridge structures; tunneling; waste materials, innovation materials in civil engineering
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last few years, there has been an increasing demand for cement-based materials. These materials are dynamically used as both structural (load-bearing structures) and non-structural elements, which have their origin in the intensive, global development of societies. Recent advancements in cementitious materials and concrete structures have resulted in better quality, and durability of objects and building elements.

Countries around the world have a face significant waste-related issues and the majority of waste is not reused.  For instance, in the EU, the construction and mining industries are responsible for more than half of the generated waste. In addition, for several years, an increasing amount of composite waste requiring processing has been observed globally. However, there exists a common tendency to develop new research areas that can deal with this problem. Some materials and solutions can be used both to design a new material, to strengthen load-bearing elements, or to protect the structure against corrosion.

In today's world, we can see attempts to achieve climate neutrality. To bring us closer to this goal, it is extremely valuable to strive for full use, innovative techniques and methods, as well as the usage of various wastes in the design of cement-based materials and structures.

Therefore, this SI of Materials aims to provide insights into the recent advancements in the development of cement-based materials, concrete structures and building materials, while emphasising modern solutions. Contributions addressing innovative research in this domain are welcomed, as well as review articles and case studies.

Dr. Krzysztof Adam Ostrowski
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • civil engineering
  • construction
  • reinforced concrete
  • cementitious materials
  • waste application in civil engineering
  • recycled materials
  • design
  • innovations
  • manufacturing
  • applications
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 3875 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Effect of Layer Height on the Interlayer Bond in Self-Compacting Concrete Mix in Slab Elements
by Piotr Dybeł and Milena Kucharska
Materials 2024, 17(16), 4005; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17164005 - 12 Aug 2024
Viewed by 804
Abstract
This paper presents a study on the influence of the layered casting technology of self-compacting concrete (SCC) on the load-bearing capacity of interlayer bond in slab elements. The research was conducted on slab elements with dimensions of 750 × 750 × 150 mm, [...] Read more.
This paper presents a study on the influence of the layered casting technology of self-compacting concrete (SCC) on the load-bearing capacity of interlayer bond in slab elements. The research was conducted on slab elements with dimensions of 750 × 750 × 150 mm, concreted from a single point of concrete delivery. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of the height of the concreting top layer on the bond strength between the layers. The study utilised top layer heights of 50, 75, and 100 mm, which, according to the authors’ experience, are the most common cases when making slab elements. The interlayer bond was determined by investigating the splitting tensile strength of cubic specimens cut from the concrete slabs. Computed tomography (CT) was employed to image the contact zone between the concrete layers. Based on the analysis of the CT imaging and the results of the strength tests, it was shown that the interlayer bond is influenced by both the height of the top layer and its free-spread distance from the casting point. A reduction in the interlayer bond strength was observed with decreasing the height of the top layer and increasing distance from the mixture supply point. The relationships obtained were linear and had a clearly negative slope. It was concluded that the valid recommendations and standards for the multilayer casting of SCC are too general. Therefore, we propose to detail the recommendations to reduce the risk of cold joints, which diminish the bond strength of the interlayer joints Full article
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16 pages, 9007 KiB  
Article
Impact of Element Size on Rebar–Concrete Interface Microstructure Using X-ray Computed Tomography
by Milena Kucharska and Piotr Dybeł
Materials 2024, 17(15), 3873; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17153873 - 5 Aug 2024
Viewed by 602
Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of element size on the microstructure of the steel–concrete interface in self-compacting concrete (SCC). Experiments were conducted on two types of test elements: a deep beam measuring 1440 × 640 × 160 mm and a wall element measuring [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the impact of element size on the microstructure of the steel–concrete interface in self-compacting concrete (SCC). Experiments were conducted on two types of test elements: a deep beam measuring 1440 × 640 × 160 mm and a wall element measuring 2240 × 1600 × 160 mm. The SCC mix was consistently pumped from the top, using a single casting point located near the formwork’s edge. Horizontal steel ribbed rebars with a diameter of 16 mm were embedded in these elements. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was employed to provide three-dimensional insights into the microstructure of the rebar-to-concrete interface. An analysis of X-ray CT images from core samples revealed that the microstructure of this interface is influenced by the distance of the specimen from the mix casting point and its vertical position within the element. The combined effects of bleeding, air-pore entrapment, and plastic settlement within the SCI were observed under the top rebars. Their extent was independent of the type of element analyzed, suggesting that the deterioration of the SCI is related to the distance from the top surface of the element. These results elucidate phenomena occurring during the fresh state of concrete near reinforcing bars and their implications for bond properties. To date, some of the standards differentiate between bond conditions according to the depth of concrete beneath the rebar. In the view of the studies, this approach may be unduly rigorous. The findings offer valuable guidance for reinforced concrete execution and design. Full article
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