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Innovative Materials in Sustainable Construction
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Innovative Materials in Sustainable Construction

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (16 November 2023) | Viewed by 6389

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alexander Sturm

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
Interests: ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHPFRC); analysis and design of masonry structures; properties of concrete and advanced cement-based composites; mechanics and failure of quasi-brittle materials
Dr. Tianyu Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Interests: sustainable concrete materials and structures; life-cycled assessment; structural durability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

“Innovative Materials in Sustainable Construction” aims to compile articles related to the use of innovative construction materials in sustainable construction. Possible topics include the use of ultra-high performance concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete (including alternative fibers), fiber-reinforced polymer materials and recycled aggregate materials in sustainable construction. Other innovative materials are also welcomed, for example in the context of wood or steel construction. Discussion of how existing structures can be adapted and reused may also be discussed as this also furthers sustainability in construction.

The scope of this topic ranges from the development of innovative materials and materials testing to the structural design and lifecycle assessment of sustainable structures. Discussion of innovative structures which these new materials permit is also welcomed. The purpose of this issue is to highlight the use of innovative materials in sustainable construction at all stages of development from the development of new materials and ascertaining their properties to the use of structural design and the assessment of the overall sustainability in construction. It is important to highlight that the overall sustainability of a structure can only be assessed on the basis of the whole structure as the per unit sustainability of a material interacts with the mechanical performance.

This will supplement the existing literature by highlighting the various ways that innovative construction materials may further sustainable construction. This may include a discussion of the development of innovative construction materials, assessment of their mechanical properties, use in structural design and assessments of the overall sustainability of these structures.

Regards,

Dr. Alexander Sturm
Dr. Tianyu Xie
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

  • sustainable construction
  • structural design
  • innovative materials
  • ultra high performance concrete
  • fiber-reinforced concrete
  • fiber-reinforced polymers
  • recycled aggregate concrete
  • steel fibers

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 7199 KiB  
Article
Manufacturing of Clay Bricks Using Hybrid Waste Marble Powder and Sugarcane Bagasse Ash: A Sustainable Building Unit
by Safeer Abbas, Arslan Baig, Rashid Hameed, Syed Minhaj Saleem Kazmi, Muhammad Junaid Munir and Sbahat Shaukat
Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 14692; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152014692 - 10 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2548
Abstract
In masonry construction, the most commonly used building unit all over the world is the burnt clay brick. Adding waste materials in certain percentages to these bricks helps in eliminating the environmental burden occurring in the form of excessive waste accumulation on open [...] Read more.
In masonry construction, the most commonly used building unit all over the world is the burnt clay brick. Adding waste materials in certain percentages to these bricks helps in eliminating the environmental burden occurring in the form of excessive waste accumulation on open land sites, leading to sustainable and economical construction. This research program aimed to examine the feasibility of using waste marble powder (WMP) and sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) in the manufacturing of clay bricks. WMP was collected from local marble cutting workshops, whereas SBA was prepared by burning the waste sugarcane obtained from various sugar mills in the local area. Brick specimens incorporating 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of hybrid WMP and SBA were prepared at a local brick kiln. Burnt clay bricks were transported to the laboratory, and their mechanical and durability properties were evaluated. A reduction in weight per unit area of brick specimens incorporating waste materials was observed, allowing them to be easily handled and transported. Decreased compressive strength was due to the addition of waste materials in comparison with conventional clay bricks. However, waste percentages up to 15% satisfied the criteria for the minimum compressive strength as per the Building Code of Pakistan (BCP). All tested samples showed flexural strength greater than 0.65 MPa. Tested bricks incorporating 10% and 20% of waste materials had water absorption values of 18% and 21%, respectively, which are higher than that of conventional clay bricks. Moreover, bricks incorporating waste materials exhibited a higher initial rate of absorption than conventional clay brick; therefore, such bricks need to be wet well before use in masonry construction. Brick specimens showed less than 1% weight loss, and bricks exhibited no signs of distress and cracking after 50 freeze-thaw cycles. A decrease in compressive strength was observed due to sulphate exposure. However, specimens with 10% waste materials still satisfied the minimum compressive strength requirement of BCP. Based on this study, it can be concluded that bricks with up to 10% hybrid waste materials (WMP and SBA) will assist in the environmental issues of these wastes, leading to more sustainable and economical masonry construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Materials in Sustainable Construction)
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21 pages, 6570 KiB  
Article
Optimization of PET Particle-Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composite for Eco-Brick Application Using the Response Surface Methodology
by Okka Adiyanto, Effendi Mohamad, Irianto, Rosidah Jaafar, Muhammad Faishal and Muhammad Izzudin Rasyid
Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4271; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054271 - 27 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3283
Abstract
Brick is a common building material that is used in society for constructing buildings. A viable environmental strategy to lessen the amount of plastic waste involves the inclusion of plastic trash in building materials. Globally, there is a severe issue with the disposal [...] Read more.
Brick is a common building material that is used in society for constructing buildings. A viable environmental strategy to lessen the amount of plastic waste involves the inclusion of plastic trash in building materials. Globally, there is a severe issue with the disposal of plastic garbage in landfills. The primary and secondary carbon bonds that are formed in plastic packaging wastes can severely contaminate the environment. Hence, managing plastic waste to generate new and useful items is essential. One of the most practical ways to safeguard the environment is to manufacture eco-bricks from PET waste and epoxy resin. Additionally, as there is no combustion involved in the production of this eco-brick; it does not harm the environment. Eco-brick can be defined as a novel concept and approach to waste management and recycling. Eco-bricks have many advantages, such as easy availability and being environmentally friendly. This study aimed to improve the composition of the eco-brick using a mixture of epoxy resin and PET particles. In this study, a mathematical modelling technique called the Response Surface Method (RSM) was designed using the Central Composite Design (CCD). Variable input factors were used to develop eco-bricks such as mixture ratio (10–90%), particle size (1–5 mm), and drying time (1–7 days), whereas the variable response included the compressive strength. The complete experimental design was developed using Design Expert 11 software, and simulation experiments with 17 sets of parameters were generated. The microstructural characteristics of the eco-brick were examined using SEM. The results of the experiments indicated that the most optimised parameters that could be used for eco-brick application were: a PET particle size of 1.1 mm, a mixing ratio of 89.9%, and a curing time of 6.9 days. Earlier research that was conducted regarding the production of eco-bricks using a PET particle and epoxy resin mixture showed that these materials had a high potential to boost compressive strength. The quadratic model was used as the basis for the regression analysis for generating the response equations. Since the difference between the experimental and anticipated values was less than 5%, it was concluded that the results of the experimental and predictive tests showed good agreement. The model used in this study yielded noteworthy outcomes. As a result, the suggested statistical model can offer a clear understanding of designing experiments and variables that affect the production of eco-brick using a blend of PET particles and epoxy resin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Materials in Sustainable Construction)
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