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Life-Cycle Performance of Green Cementitious Composites under Complex Environmental Conditions

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2023) | Viewed by 29044

Special Issue Editors

School of Civil Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
Interests: composite structures; green materials; BIM
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
Interests: progressive collapse; reinforced concrete structures; fibre-reinforced concrete

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Green composites aiming to identify ecofriendly ingredients and protect natural resources have been widely investigated for years using agricultural and industrial wastes and byproducts, natural biomaterials, etc. In addition to the basic mechanical performance of green composites, the life-cycle performance of green composites under single/multiple environmental conditions is also worthy of attention, since green ingredients sometimes reduce the durability performance of green composites, especially under fire/high-temperature, freeze–thaw cycling, dry–wet cycling, and salt corrosion.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish papers that advance the life-cycle performance of green composites under complex environmental conditions.

The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Effects of single/multiple environmental conditions;
  • Performance of structural members with green composites;
  • New materials against single/multiple environmental conditions;
  • Environmental impact and LCA of green composites;
  • Industrial and commercial applications of green composites;
  • Properties and constitutive model of green composites;
  • Design method of engineering structure with green composites.

Reviews, full papers, and short communications covering the many aspects of current research are all welcome.

Dr. Shan Gao
Dr. Shao-Bo Kang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • life cycle
  • green composites
  • environmental conditions
  • structural application
  • durability
  • extreme loading

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 11722 KiB  
Article
Uniaxial Compressive Stress–Strain Model of Jujube Nucleus Concrete following Exposure to Elevated Temperatures
by Jieqi Li, Mingming Jia, Shan Gao and Jian Yuan
Materials 2023, 16(3), 1037; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16031037 - 24 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1096
Abstract
Aiming to provide a solution for natural resource consumption and agricultural waste pollution, jujube nucleus is utilized as a substitute for coarse aggregate in the preparation of lightweight aggregate concrete. The effect of the jujube nucleus (JN) replacement ratio and the elevated temperature [...] Read more.
Aiming to provide a solution for natural resource consumption and agricultural waste pollution, jujube nucleus is utilized as a substitute for coarse aggregate in the preparation of lightweight aggregate concrete. The effect of the jujube nucleus (JN) replacement ratio and the elevated temperature on the uniaxial compressive stress–strain curves of jujube nucleus concrete (JNC) are experimentally studied. The results show that the failure of the JNC prisms became more serious with the increase in the JN replacement ratio. The linear proportion in ascending branch and the descending slope of the stress–strain curves for JNC increased gradually with the increase in the JN replacement ratio and elevated temperature, which is probably owing to the higher porosity and lower stiffness of the jujube nucleus, compared to natural aggregate. Moreover, as the JN replacement ratio and the elevated temperature increase, the peak stress and elastic modulus in the stress–strain curves of JNC decrease gradually, whilst an increase in the peak strain shows up, which is possibly due to the growth of hydrate calcium silicate and calcium hydroxide hampered by sucrose molecules. Based on the test results, a series of theoretical formulas are proposed to predict the compressive performance of JNC. A material constitutive model is developed for describing the stress–strain relationship of JNC by considering the JN replacement ratio and elevated temperature. Full article
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17 pages, 9133 KiB  
Article
Rheological Characterization and Accumulation Tests for Strong Thixotropic Engineering Slurry
by Kekuo Yuan, Yating Lu, Wanlu Li, Hongdan Yu and Shan Gao
Materials 2022, 15(19), 6891; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15196891 - 04 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1595
Abstract
Underground void subsidence hazards, especially mine goaf, have now become one of the major social problems affecting the well-being of civilians and development in China. The objective of this study was to propose a kind of strong thixotropic engineering slurry and filling treatment [...] Read more.
Underground void subsidence hazards, especially mine goaf, have now become one of the major social problems affecting the well-being of civilians and development in China. The objective of this study was to propose a kind of strong thixotropic engineering slurry and filling treatment for use in underground void subsidence hazards. The optimal agent ratio for thixotropic cement slurry/mortar was obtained by indoor tests, where the rheological agent is 7.5% compared to the weight of cement, the water–solid ratio is in the range of 0.7~0.8, and the aeolian sand ratio can be 0~1.5 times that of cement. The rheological properties of slurry and mortar were tested using a Brookfield RST-SST rheometer. The results show that aeolian sand can be used as thixotropic cement mortar for a backfilling treatment for underground voids (mine goaf). The static yield stress increases non-linearly compared to existing thixotropic models. The stress decays sharply with shearing (the shear rate is more or less 10 s−1) and then the stress increases with the increase in shear rate (the shear rate is more than 10 s−1). The increase in the stress of the slurry is greater than in the mortar. A natural logarithmic function between yield stress and rest time (only 1 parameter), an exponential function with two parts for stress–shear rate (a rheology model, with only 3 parameters), and an exponential function for the accumulation law (only 2 parameters) were proposed in turn. Full article
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17 pages, 7975 KiB  
Article
Research on the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Pervious Concrete
by Jian Wu, Qian Pang, Yuanyuan Lv, Jinpeng Zhang and Shan Gao
Materials 2022, 15(19), 6527; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15196527 - 20 Sep 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1582
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of fiber-reinforced pervious concrete. Ordinary cement, silica fume, coarse aggregate, and basalt fibers were used to produce the concrete mix. The fibers were mixed with pervious concrete at the levels of 0 kg/m [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of fiber-reinforced pervious concrete. Ordinary cement, silica fume, coarse aggregate, and basalt fibers were used to produce the concrete mix. The fibers were mixed with pervious concrete at the levels of 0 kg/m3, 2 kg/m3, 4 kg/m3, 6 kg/m3, and 8 kg/m3 to the investigate their influence on the mechanical and physical properties of pervious concrete. It could be observed that the cubic compressive strength, axial compressive strength, and flexural strength increased and then decreased as the content of basalt fiber increased, while the permeability and porosity of the pervious concrete decreased with the increase in the basalt fiber content. The mesostructure of pervious concrete was also studied through industrial computed tomography (ICT); the testing phenomenon showed that the fibers had a significant influence on the arrangement of the aggregate, cement paste, and the interfacial transition zone, and excessive basalt fiber resulted in poor characteristics of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and inferior strength properties. It was found that incorporating a basalt fiber content of 4 kg/m3 could achieve a balance between the mechanical and physical properties of pervious concrete, which was suitable for structural applications. Full article
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17 pages, 4845 KiB  
Article
A Mesoscale Study on the Dilation of Actively Confined Concrete under Axial Compression
by Peng Chen, Xiaomeng Cui, Huijun Zheng and Shengpu Si
Materials 2022, 15(18), 6490; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15186490 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1415
Abstract
The confinement of concrete enhances its strength and ductility by restraining lateral dilation. The accuracy of a confinement model depends on how well it captures the dilation of concrete. In the current paper, a mesoscale model is established to study the dilation properties [...] Read more.
The confinement of concrete enhances its strength and ductility by restraining lateral dilation. The accuracy of a confinement model depends on how well it captures the dilation of concrete. In the current paper, a mesoscale model is established to study the dilation properties of concrete in active confinement, where the heterogeneity of concrete is considered. The stress–strain and lateral–axial strain curves of concrete in active confinement were used to demonstrate the validity of the mesoscale model. Subsequently, the distribution of lateral strain and the influences of the strength grade and confinement ratio on the dilation of concrete were investigated in a simulation. The results show that the distribution of the lateral strain along the radial or longitudinal directions is not uniform on the specimen when compressive failure occurs. The confinement ratio has a more significant influence on the concrete’s transverse dilation than the strength grade. Finally, an expression of the lateral–axial strain relationship of concrete in active confinement is proposed. The proposed formula can reflect the simulation results of the mesoscale model and is in good agreement with the prediction of existing formulas. Full article
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19 pages, 6661 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on Long-Term Mechanical Properties of Prestressed Glulam Continuous Beams
by Nan Guo, Shouting Zhou, Yan Zhao, Lidan Mei and Yunan Zhang
Materials 2022, 15(12), 4182; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15124182 - 13 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1924
Abstract
To study the effect of wood creep on the long-term performance of prestressed glulam continuous beams, a 180-day test was carried out on beams configured with different numbers of steel wires (2, 4, 6) and with different prestress values (0, 7, 14 kN). [...] Read more.
To study the effect of wood creep on the long-term performance of prestressed glulam continuous beams, a 180-day test was carried out on beams configured with different numbers of steel wires (2, 4, 6) and with different prestress values (0, 7, 14 kN). By investigating the stress loss of the steel wires in the beam and the change in the mid-span deflection over time, the factors influencing the creep of the continuous beam were analyzed. Three models were selected to fit the creep process of the test beams. Moreover, the creep deformation coefficient θ was introduced to reflect the influence of glulam creep on the deflection change in the test beams and to predict the total deflection of the beam within 50 years. The results showed that with increasing the number of steel wires and the prestress value on the beams, the total stress of the steel wires declined more and faster. Increasing the number of steel wires or decreasing the prestress force value could effectively restrain the change speed of the mid-span long-term deflection of the beam. Three models were compared, and the power-law equation was the most accurate. At familiar steel wire quantities and force levels, the θ value of the test beams within the design service life of 50 years was determined to be 1.28–2.29. Full article
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21 pages, 9049 KiB  
Article
Effect of Microstructure on the Mechanical Properties of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Recycled Concretes
by Hanquan Yuan, Lihua Zhu, Xiaopeng Wang and Hongtao Yang
Materials 2022, 15(11), 4018; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15114018 - 06 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1753
Abstract
A steel fiber-reinforced recycled concrete (SFRRC) is a porous material, and its macromechanical properties are affected by its microstructure. To elucidate the change rules and internal mechanisms of the mechanical properties of SFRRCs, the mechanical properties and failure modes of SFRRCs were studied [...] Read more.
A steel fiber-reinforced recycled concrete (SFRRC) is a porous material, and its macromechanical properties are affected by its microstructure. To elucidate the change rules and internal mechanisms of the mechanical properties of SFRRCs, the mechanical properties and failure modes of SFRRCs were studied at different water–cement ratio, replacement rate of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), and steel fiber content. Moreover, the microstructures of the interface transition zones (ITZ) of the SFRRC specimens were tested by scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion, and the effect of the microscopic pore structure on the macromechanical properties of SFRRC was analyzed. The research results showed that an appropriate amount of steel fibers could reduce the size and number of cracks in the ITZ and improve the pore structure of an SFRRC. Based on the fractal dimension, porosity and other factors, the quantitative relationship between the macromechanical properties and microscopic pore structure parameters of SFRRCs was established. Full article
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27 pages, 13520 KiB  
Article
Analytical Hysteretic Behavior of Square Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Pier Columns under Alternate Sulfate Corrosion and Freeze-Thaw Cycles
by Tong Zhang, Qianxin Wen, Lei Gao, Qian Xu and Jupeng Tang
Materials 2022, 15(9), 3099; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15093099 - 25 Apr 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1393
Abstract
The hysteretic behavior of square concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) stub columns subjected to sulfate corrosion and freeze-thaw cycle is examined by numerical investigation. The constitutive model of steel considered the Bauschinger effect, and compression (tension) damage coefficient was also adopted for the constitutive [...] Read more.
The hysteretic behavior of square concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) stub columns subjected to sulfate corrosion and freeze-thaw cycle is examined by numerical investigation. The constitutive model of steel considered the Bauschinger effect, and compression (tension) damage coefficient was also adopted for the constitutive model of core concrete. The experimental results are used to verify the finite element (FE) model, which could accurately predict the hysteretic behaviors of the CFST piers. Then, the effects of the yield strength of steel, compressive strength of concrete, steel ratio, axial compression ratio, and alternation time on ultimate horizontal load are evaluated by a parametric study. The results showed that the yield strength of steel and the steel ratio have a positive effect of hysteretic behavior. The compressive strength of concrete and alternation time significantly decreased the unloading stiffness which causes the pinching phenomenon. The yield strength of steel, compressive strength of concrete, and alternation time of environmental factors (corrosion-freeze-thaw cycles) has no obvious effect on the initial stiffness, while the steel ratio has a remarkable effect. The ultimate horizontal load increases with the increasing steel ratio, yield strength of steel and compressive strength of concrete. Meanwhile, the decrement of alternation time led to the increase of ultimate horizontal load. This suggests that the confinement coefficient and alternation time are the two main factors that impact the ultimate horizontal load. A formula which considers the reduction coefficient for the ultimate horizontal load of the CFST columns subjected to sulfate corrosion and freeze-thaw cycles is proposed. The formulae can accurately predict the ultimate horizontal load with mean value of 1.022 and standard deviation of 0.003. Full article
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11 pages, 4379 KiB  
Article
Study on Compression Deformation and Damage Characteristics of Pine Needle Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Using DIC
by Yonggang Wang, Shan Gao and Wei Li
Materials 2022, 15(5), 1654; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15051654 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2038
Abstract
Natural fiber-reinforced concrete (NFRC) has the advantages of environmental protection, energy conservation and regeneration. However, studies conducted to improve the macro mechanical properties of concrete by pine needle fiber have achieved good results. In this paper, the deformation and compression damage of pine [...] Read more.
Natural fiber-reinforced concrete (NFRC) has the advantages of environmental protection, energy conservation and regeneration. However, studies conducted to improve the macro mechanical properties of concrete by pine needle fiber have achieved good results. In this paper, the deformation and compression damage of pine needle fiber-reinforced concrete (PNFRC) are analyzed by digital image correlation; a fractal dimension is used to quantify the shape of PNFRC after compression damage; and the results of scanning electron microscopy confirm the effect of fiber treatment on deformation and damage of concrete. The results showed that the horizontal strain field of PNFRC has strain concentration zones in the elastic deformation stage, indicating that the fiber enhances the deformation ability of concrete. The defined damage factor can reflect the damage of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC). The damage curve of natural fiber concrete increases evenly and slowly compared to ordinary concrete. Full article
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19 pages, 7493 KiB  
Article
An Investigation of the Properties of Expanded Polystyrene Concrete with Fibers Based on an Orthogonal Experimental Design
by Yi Sun, Chenxi Li, Junjie You, Changming Bu, Linwen Yu, Zhitao Yan, Xinpeng Liu, Yi Zhang and Xianrui Chen
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1228; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15031228 - 07 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2706
Abstract
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is commonly used as the core material of commercial sandwich panels (CSPs). It is environmentally friendly and lightweight but has poor strength. Adding fibers can improve the microstructure of EPS concrete and reduce the weakening effect of EPS beads [...] Read more.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) concrete is commonly used as the core material of commercial sandwich panels (CSPs). It is environmentally friendly and lightweight but has poor strength. Adding fibers can improve the microstructure of EPS concrete and reduce the weakening effect of EPS beads on the mechanical properties of concrete. An orthogonal experimental design (OED) was used in this paper to analyze the influence of length and content of polypropylene fiber (PF), glass fiber (GF), and carbon fiber (CF) on the physical and mechanical properties and micromorphology of EPS concrete. Among them, CFs have the most apparent impact on concrete and produce the most significant improvements in all properties. According to the requirements of the flexural performance of CSPs, the splitting tensile strength was taken as the optimization index, and the predicted optimal combination (OC) of EPS concrete with fibers was selected. The variations in the material properties, mechanical properties, and microstructure with age were analyzed. The results show that with increasing age, the dry density, compressive strength, and splitting tensile strength of concrete are markedly improved relative to those of the CSP core material and the control case (CC), and even the degree of hydration is improved. Full article
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15 pages, 10354 KiB  
Article
Quantification of Ceramsite Granules in Lightweight Concrete Panels through an Image Analysis Technique
by Changming Bu, Haiyan Yang, Lei Liu, Dongxu Zhu, Yi Sun, Linwen Yu, Yuhui Ouyang, Xuemei Cao and Qike Wei
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1063; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15031063 - 29 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1982
Abstract
Ceramsite particles are an important component of lightweight ceramsite concrete wall panels, and the density of the aggregate is much lower than the density of the slurry. It is generally accepted that there are inhomogeneities in the distribution of ceramsite particles in wall [...] Read more.
Ceramsite particles are an important component of lightweight ceramsite concrete wall panels, and the density of the aggregate is much lower than the density of the slurry. It is generally accepted that there are inhomogeneities in the distribution of ceramsite particles in wall panels. Ceramsite concrete wallboard material is a research hotspot in the field of fabricated building materials at home and abroad; however, there is no effective way to quantify their inhomogeneity. Based on the application of image recognition technology in concrete homogeneity, a method to quantitatively evaluate the distribution of light aggregates in wall panels was developed. Three commercial lightweight vitrified concrete wall panels were cut into 324 cubes. The four cut surfaces of each specimen were photographed to analyze the proportion of ceramsite particle area, while the density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and compressive strength of the specimens were tested. The results demonstrated that the image analysis method could effectively describe the homogeneity of the panels. The proportion of particle area of aggregate in the section of the cube had a strong correlation with the compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and density, and there was an obvious linear relationship with the height of the plate where the cube was located. Based on this, the correlation equations of the proportion of particle area of aggregate, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, compressive strength, and the height where the specimen was located were proposed. The quantitative parameters of the relevant properties of the wall panels were also obtained: the maximum difference between the proportion of particle area of the aggregate was 24%, the maximum difference between the density at the top and bottom of the wall panels was 115 kg/m3, and the maximum difference in the strength reached 5 MPa. Full article
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20 pages, 57042 KiB  
Article
Study on Collapse Resistance of RC Frame under the Corner Column Removal Scenario
by Jin Xu, Sheliang Wang, Kangning Liu, Xiaoyi Quan and Fangfei Dong
Materials 2021, 14(23), 7157; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14237157 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2149
Abstract
The progressive collapse of buildings induces a variety of catastrophic consequences, such as casualties and property loss over the past few decades. The corner column is more prone to abnormal load events compared to the inner column and outer column; thus, it is [...] Read more.
The progressive collapse of buildings induces a variety of catastrophic consequences, such as casualties and property loss over the past few decades. The corner column is more prone to abnormal load events compared to the inner column and outer column; thus, it is easier to trigger progressive collapse. By considering the effects of floor slabs and adjacent bays on progressive collapse behavior, the pseudo-static loading method was used to study the progressive collapse test of a 1/3 scaled, one story, 2 × 2-bay cast-in-place reinforced concrete frame substructure under the removal condition of a corner column. The test results show that the flexural deformation principally concentrates upon the components of a directly affected part (DAP), and compressive arch actions are observed in members of the indirectly affected part (IAP). Moreover, the slab adjacent to the removed column and periphery elements contributes great resistance to a progressive collapse. Full article
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19 pages, 4502 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Four Types of Anchorage Devices for Prestressed Glulam Beam and Experimental Research
by Mingfei Li, Mingtao Wu, Nan Guo, Lidan Mei and Yan Zhao
Materials 2021, 14(21), 6494; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14216494 - 29 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1367
Abstract
An anchorage device is an integral part of the prestressed Glulam beams. Therefore, its rationality and practicability have significant effects on the mechanical performance of the prestressed beams. To investigate the impact of the anchorage devices on the bearing capacity and stiffness of [...] Read more.
An anchorage device is an integral part of the prestressed Glulam beams. Therefore, its rationality and practicability have significant effects on the mechanical performance of the prestressed beams. To investigate the impact of the anchorage devices on the bearing capacity and stiffness of the prestressed beams, this paper compared and analyzed four kinds of anchors in detail through the finite element software. The results showed that when the initial mid-span deflection was 5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm, the bearing capacity of prestressed beams with four anchorage devices was 80.37–177.24%, 93.56–182.51%, and 95.62–194.60% higher than that of ordinary Glulam beam, respectively. When the initial mid-span top prestresses were 1 MPa, 1.5 MPa, and 2 MPa, the bearing capacity of prestressed beams with four anchorage devices was 101.71–172.57%, 105.85–175.88%, and 109.64–180.87% higher than that of ordinary Glulam beam, respectively. In addition, based on the simulation results, the prestressed beam with the external anchorage had the highest bearing capacity and stiffness. The deformation capacity of the beam with boot anchorage was the largest. The stress distribution of the beam installed under beam anchorage was the most uniform, and the beam with slotted anchorage was easy to cause stress concentration at the notch. Finally, based on the outstanding performance of the external anchorage, it was selected to carry out one experiment, and the experimental result showed that the simulation could predict the damage model and load–deflection relationship of the prestressed beams well. Full article
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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 20124 KiB  
Review
The Durability of Recycled Fine Aggregate Concrete: A Review
by Changming Bu, Lei Liu, Xinyu Lu, Dongxu Zhu, Yi Sun, Linwen Yu, Yuhui OuYang, Xuemei Cao and Qike Wei
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1110; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15031110 - 31 Jan 2022
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4042
Abstract
With the rapid development of urbanization, many new buildings are erected, and old ones are demolished and/or recycled. Thus, the reuse of building materials and improvements in reuse efficiency have become hot research topics. In recent years, scholars around the world have worked [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of urbanization, many new buildings are erected, and old ones are demolished and/or recycled. Thus, the reuse of building materials and improvements in reuse efficiency have become hot research topics. In recent years, scholars around the world have worked on improving recycle aggregates in concrete and broadening the scope of applications of recycled concrete. This paper reviews the findings of research on the effects of recycled fine aggregates (RFAs) on the permeability, drying shrinkage, carbonation, chloride ion penetration, acid resistance, and freeze–thaw resistance of concrete. The results show that the content of old mortar and the quality of recycled concrete are closely related to the durability of prepared RFA concrete. For example, the drying shrinkage value with a 100% RFA replacement rate is twice that of normal concrete, and the depth of carbonation increases by approximately 110%. Moreover, the durability of RFA concrete decreases as the RFA replacement rate and the water–cement ratio improve. Fortunately, the use of zeolite materials such as fly ash, silica fume, and meta kaolin as surface coatings for RFAs or as external admixtures for RFA concrete had a positive effect on durability. Furthermore, the proper mixing methods and/or recycled aggregates with optimized moisture content can further improve the durability of RFA concrete. Full article
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22 pages, 44670 KiB  
Review
Application of Coal Gangue as a Coarse Aggregate in Green Concrete Production: A Review
by Shan Gao, Sumei Zhang and Lanhui Guo
Materials 2021, 14(22), 6803; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma14226803 - 11 Nov 2021
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 2871
Abstract
Among the techniques for converting stacked coal gangue to reusable material, one of the most effective ways is to use coal gangue as a coarse aggregate in green concrete productions. The physical and chemical properties of rock and spontaneous-combustion coal gangue are generally [...] Read more.
Among the techniques for converting stacked coal gangue to reusable material, one of the most effective ways is to use coal gangue as a coarse aggregate in green concrete productions. The physical and chemical properties of rock and spontaneous-combustion coal gangue are generally suitable for being used as a coarse aggregate in green concrete. Coal gangue concrete is not recommended to be used in subsurface structures, as its water absorption law would be changed under a large replacement ratio. The mechanical performance of coal gangue concrete is degraded by raising the replacement ratio. Over-low and -high concrete grades are not suggested to be used as coal gangue aggregate, unless extra admixtures or specific methods are used. The influence of coal gangue on the durability of coal gangue concrete is remarkable, resulting from the porous structure of coal gangue that provides more transmission channels for air and liquid in concrete, but is beneficial for thermal insulation. The usage of coal gangue in structural concrete members is still limited. The mechanical behavior of some structural members using coal gangue concrete has been reported. Among them, concrete filled steel tubes are a preferable configuration for using coal gangue concrete, regarding both the mechanical and durability performance. Full article
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