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Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 30941

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fausto Minelli

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: FRC and HPC materials; shear behaviour of members without transverse reinforcement; structural applications of FRC; structural retrofitting; masonry; RC; buildings and bridges; innovative materials; finite element analysis; construction engineering; civil engineering materials; alkali activated materials

Prof. Dr. Enzo Martinelli

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Interests: structural analysis and design; structural concrete; seismic assessment and retrofitting; sustainable cementitious composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Luca Facconi

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Guest Editor

DICATAM—Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
Interests: Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC); structural rehabilitation; geopolymers; alkali activated materials; structural analysis and modelling

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is recognised nowadays as an essential requirement for any human activity. Making it achievable in energy- and material-intensive sectors, like the construction industry, still needs dedicated research efforts on building material technology. The present Special Issue is comprised of the application of sustainable materials, technologies, and strategies to new and existing structures.

For existing structures, structural and energy retrofitting are of paramount significance in the modern society; an integrated approach needs to be followed with the aim to achieve both retrofitting objectives in a synergistic way.

Moreover, advanced and innovative design solutions, analytical models, material investigations in terms of short and long-term behaviour, with their influence at structural level, have to be provided for new constructions.

The need for developing innovative, sustainable and cost-effective solutions are therefore rather significant.

The use of high-performance cementitious (or similar, such as alkali-activated) materials seems to be rather promising in this context, as it implies, among other things,

Limited consumption of raw materials,
Smaller cross sections in new construction,
Reduced thicknesses in overlays for the strengthening of existing reinforced concrete/masonry structures (columns, masonry walls, floors),
Reduction of the seismic demand in retrofitting interventions, etc.

The use of recycled materials, if well designed, could also lead to innovative high performance sustainable solutions.

Contributions on the following topics to this SI are welcome:

Innovative high-performance materials for new and existing structures
Innovative sustainable techniques for new and existing structures
Structural applications of high- and ultra-high-performance fibre reinforced concrete (HPFRC and UHPFRC)
Structural applications of alkali-activated materials (AAM)
Analytical studies for the optimization of effectiveness, costs, and impact of innovative materials in new and existing structures
Analytical models of innovative materials at structural level
Code provisions and adaptation of current available models to new materials
Evaluation of combined solutions of innovative and sustainable materials/techniques for structural and energy retrofit
Case studies

Prof. Dr. Fausto Minelli
Prof. Dr. Enzo Martinelli
Prof. Dr. Luca Facconi
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

FRC (Fibre Reinforced Concrete)
UHPFRC (Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete)
AAM (Alkali Activated Materials)
RC (Reinforced Concrete)
Retrofitting
Energy efficiency
Sustainability
Low-impact interventions

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 152 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction

by Fausto Minelli, Enzo Martinelli and Luca Facconi

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12491; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su132212491 - 12 Nov 2021

Viewed by 1392

Abstract

It is well-known that concrete is the most widely utilised construction material in the world [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

26 pages, 11070 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Design Concept of Cooling Water Tanks/Basins in Geothermal Power Plants Using Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Enhanced Durability

by Salam Al-Obaidi, Patrick Bamonte, Francesco Animato, Francesco Lo Monte, Iacopo Mazzantini, Massimo Luchini, Sandra Scalari and Liberato Ferrara

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9826; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13179826 - 01 Sep 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3250

Abstract

The structure presented in this paper is intended to be used as a prototype reservoir for collecting water coming from the cooling tower of a geothermal plant, and is primarily designed to compare the performance of different materials (traditional reinforced concrete and Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC)) as well to assess the performance of different structural solutions (wall with constant thickness versus wall provided with stiffening buttresses). In the absence of specific code provisions, given the novelty of the UHPFRC used, the main properties used for the design were determined through a dedicated experimental campaign (tensile/flexural properties and shrinkage). The main focus of the design was on the Serviceability Limit States, more specifically the requirements regarding water tightness. Given the rather simple structural layout, especially in the compartments where no stiffening buttresses are present, linear elastic analysis was used to determine the internal actions. The nonlinear behavior ensuing from the peculiar tensile constitutive response of the material was taken into account locally, in order to determine the stress level, the depth of the compression zone and the crack width. The performance was finally compared with the reference compartment (made with ordinary reinforced concrete), through on-site observations and measurements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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16 pages, 1718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of a Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash as a Candidate Pozzolanic Material: Comparison of Test Methods

by Flora Faleschini, Klajdi Toska, Mariano Angelo Zanini, Filippo Andreose, Alessio Giorgio Settimi, Katya Brunelli and Carlo Pellegrino

Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 8998; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13168998 - 11 Aug 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2693

Abstract

New generations of green concretes are often consuming large amounts of industrial waste, as recycled or manufactured aggregates and alternative binders substituting ordinary Portland cement. Among the recycled materials that may be used in civil engineering works, construction and demolition waste (C&DW), fly ashes, slags and municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ashes (MSWI BA) are those most diffused, but at the same, they suffer due to a large variability of their properties. However, the market increasingly asks for new materials capable of adding some specific features to construction materials, and one of the most interesting is the pozzolanic activity. Hence, this work deals with an experimental study aimed at assessing the technical feasibility of using an industrial waste comprised largely of MSWI BA, with small quantities of C&DW and electric arc furnace slag (EAFS), in green cement-based mixtures (cement paste and mortars). The aim of the work is to achieve the goal of upcycling such waste and avoiding its disposal and landfilling. Particularly, the test methods for assessing the pozzolanic activity of this waste are discussed, analyzing the efficacy of indirect methods such as the strength activity index (SAI), the conductivity test and the efficiency factor (k), together with a direct method based on lime consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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19 pages, 11097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Shear Bond between Ultra-High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete Overlays and Normal Strength Concrete Substrates

by Sara Javidmehr and Martin Empelmann

Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8229; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13158229 - 23 Jul 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1865

Abstract

Strengthening or retrofitting of existing structures is a more sustainable and resource-efficient solution than replacing them with new constructions. To enhance the performance and effectiveness of strengthening works the use of high-performance materials is a promising method. Using ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) as supplementary concrete is one of such solutions leading to high structural resistance and better durability. For such UHPFRC overlays the shear bond resistance of the interface between the existing substrate, usually normal strength concrete (NSC), and the UHPFRC is a significant design aspect. This paper presents the results of push-off tests conducted on NSC-UHPFRC specimens, which were produced with different substrate treatment methods. Using different surface measurement techniques including the sand patch method and digital microscopy, the effects of substrate roughness and treatment method on shear bond behaviour and failure mechanisms are investigated, and the results are analysed with design approaches and further calculation models in the technical literature. Based on the results, the significance of considering roughness parameters and failure mode for the design of high-performance overlays is highlighted. Furthermore, the effectiveness of different substrate treatment methods is discussed and an effective treatment method is suggested. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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17 pages, 6905 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Evaluation of a Prestressed Belitic Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement (BCSA) Concrete Bridge Girder

by Nick Markosian, Raed Tawadrous, Mohammad Mastali, Robert J. Thomas and Marc Maguire

Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7875; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13147875 - 14 Jul 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2231

Abstract

Belitic calcium sulfoaluminate (BCSA) cement is a sustainable alternative to Portland cement that offers rapid setting characteristics that could accelerate throughput in precast concrete operations. BCSA cements have lower carbon footprint, embodied energy, and natural resource consumption than Portland cement. However, these benefits are not often utilized in structural members due to lack of specifications and perceived logistical challenges. This paper evaluates the performance of a full-scale precast, prestressed voided deck slab bridge girder made with BCSA cement concrete. The rapid-set properties of BCSA cement allowed the initial concrete compressive strength to reach the required 4300 psi release strength at 6.5 h after casting. Prestress losses were monitored long-term using vibrating wire strain gages cast into the concrete at the level of the prestressing strands and the data were compared to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) predicted prestress losses. AASHTO methods for prestress loss calculation were overestimated compared to the vibrating wire strain gage data. Material testing was performed to quantify material properties including compressive strength, tensile strength, static and dynamic elastic modulus, creep, and drying and autogenous shrinkage. The material testing results were compared to AASHTO predictions for creep and shrinkage losses. The bridge girder was tested at mid-span and at a distance of 1.25 times the depth of the beam (1.25d) from the face of the support until failure. Mid-span testing consisted of a crack reopening test to solve for the effective prestress in the girder and a flexural test until failure. The crack reopen effective prestress was compared to the AASHTO prediction and AASHTO appeared to be effective in predicting losses based on the crack reopen data. The mid-span failure was a shear failure, well predicted by AASHTO LRFD. The 1.25d test resulted in a bond failure, but nearly developed based on a moment curvature estimate indicating the AASHTO bond model was conservative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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21 pages, 16103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Method for Seismic and Energy Retrofitting of Masonry Buildings

by Luca Facconi, Sara S. Lucchini, Fausto Minelli, Benedetta Grassi, Mariagrazia Pilotelli and Giovanni A. Plizzari

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6350; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13116350 - 03 Jun 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2514

Abstract

Masonry buildings built in Italy in the 60 s and 70 s of the last century frequently require energy and seismic renovation. To this end, the use of a retrofitting technique based on a multilayer coating may be applied on the building façades in order to improve its seismic and energy performances, leading to the partial or total fulfilment of structural and energy code provisions. The coating consists of a layer of Steel Fiber Reinforced Mortar combined with thermal insulation materials to get a composite package applied on the building façade. After a brief description of the proposed technique, the paper reports the results of seismic and thermal analyses carried out to prove the structural and energy performance of the retrofitting intervention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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22 pages, 4121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strength and Water Absorption of Sustainable Concrete Produced with Recycled Basaltic Concrete Aggregates and Powder

by Ibrahim Sharaky, Usama Issa, Mamdooh Alwetaishi, Ahmed Abdelhafiz, Amal Shamseldin, Mohammed Al-Surf, Mosleh Al-Harthi and Ashraf Balabel

Sustainability 2021, 13(11), 6277; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13116277 - 02 Jun 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3421

Abstract

In this study, the recycled concrete aggregates and powder (RCA and RCP) prepared from basaltic concrete waste were used to replace the natural aggregate (NA) and cement, respectively. The NA (coarse and fine) was replaced by the recycled aggregates with five percentages (0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%). Consequently, the cement was replaced by the RCP with four percentages (0%, 5%, 10% and 20%). Cubes with 100 mm edge length were prepared for all tests. The compressive and tensile strengths (f_cu and f_tu) and water absorption (WA) were investigated for all mixes at different ages. Partial substitution of NA with recycled aggregate reduced the compressive strength with different percentages depending on the type and source of recycled aggregate. After 28 days, the maximum reduction in f_cu value was 9.8% and 9.4% for mixtures with coarse RCA and fine RCA (FRCA), respectively. After 56 days, the mixes with 40% FRCA reached almost the same f_cu value as the control mix (M0, 99.5%). Consequently, the compressive strengths of the mixes with 10% RCA at 28 and 56 days were 99.3 and 95.2%, respectively, compared to those of M0. The mixes integrated FRCA and RCP showed higher tensile strengths than the M0 at 56 d with a very small reduction at 28 d (max = 3.4%). Moreover, the f_cu and f_tu values increased for the late test ages, while the WA decreased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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15 pages, 5274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical and Environmental Proprieties of UHP-FRCC Panels Bonded to Existing Concrete Beams

by Tomoya Nishiwaki, Oscar Mancinelli, Alessandro Pasquale Fantilli and Yuka Adachi

Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3085; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13063085 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1707

Abstract

Among the techniques used to retrofit existing reinforced concrete structures, methods involving Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (UHP-FRCC) are widely regarded. However, current practices make the use of this material for in-situ application expensive and complicated to perform. Accordingly, a new method to strengthen existing concrete beams by applying a precast UHP-FRCC layer on the bottom side are introduced and described herein. Two test campaigns are performed with the aim of defining the best conditions at the interface between the reinforcing layer and the existing beam and to reducing the environmental impact of UHP-FRCC mixtures. As a result, the eco-mechanical analysis reveals that the best performances are attained when the adhesion at interface is enhanced by means of steel nails on the upper surface of the UHP-FRCC layer, in which 20% of the cement is replaced by fly ash. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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13 pages, 4190 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Steel Slag Type on Concrete Shrinkage

by Maria Dolores Rubio-Cintas, Maria Eugenia Parron-Rubio, Francisca Perez-Garcia, António Bettencourt Ribeiro and Miguel José Oliveira

Sustainability 2021, 13(1), 214; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13010214 - 28 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2310

Abstract

Building construction and building operations have a massive direct and indirect effect on the environment. Cement-based materials will remain essential to supply the growth of our built environment. Without preventive measures, this necessary demand in cement production will imply a substantial increase in CO₂ generation. Reductions in global CO₂ emissions due to cement consumption may be achieved by improvements on two main areas: increased use of low CO₂ supplementary cementitious materials and a more efficient use of Portland cement clinker in mortars and concretes. The use of ground granulated blast furnace slag in concrete, as cement constituent or as latent hydraulic binder, is a current practice, but information of concrete with ladle furnace slag is more limited. Specific knowledge of the behavior of mixtures with steel slag in relation to certain properties needs to be improved. This paper presents the results of the shrinkage (total and autogenous) of five concrete mixtures, produced with different percentages of two different slags in substitution of cement. The results show that shrinkage of concrete with the two different slags diverges. These different characteristics of the two materials suggest that their use in combination can be useful in optimizing the performance of concrete. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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17 pages, 2766 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Parent Concrete on the Performance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

by Luisa Pani, Lorena Francesconi, James Rombi, Fausto Mistretta, Mauro Sassu and Flavio Stochino

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9399; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12229399 - 12 Nov 2020

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 4632

Abstract

Recycling concrete construction waste is a promising way towards sustainable construction. Indeed, replacing natural aggregates with recycled aggregates obtained from concrete waste lowers the environmental impact of concrete constructions and improves natural resource conservation. This paper reports on an experimental study on mechanical and durability properties of concretes casted with recycled aggregates obtained from two different parent concretes, belonging to two structural elements of the old Cagliari stadium. The effects of parent concretes on coarse recycled aggregates and on new structural concretes produced with different replacement percentages of these recycled aggregates are investigated. Mechanical properties (compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, and splitting tensile strength) and durability properties (water absorption, freeze thaw, and chloride penetration resistance) are experimentally evaluated and analyzed as fundamental features to assess structural concrete behavior. The results show that the mechanical performance of recycled concrete is not related to the parent concrete characteristics. Furthermore, the resistance to pressured water penetration is not reduced by the presence of recycled aggregates, and instead, it happens for the chloride penetration resistance. The resistance to frost–thawing seems not related to the recycled aggregates replacement percentage, while an influence of the parent concrete has been assessed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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21 pages, 3558 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Durability of Structural Recycled Aggregate Concrete Subjected to Freeze-Thaw Cycles

by Caroline Santana Rangel, Mayara Amario, Marco Pepe, Enzo Martinelli and Romildo Dias Toledo Filho

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6475; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166475 - 11 Aug 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3100

Abstract

The increasing global demand for natural resources and the extensive production of construction and demolition waste (CDW) raise concerns for both the economic and environmental consequences that they can induce. Several efforts are being made with the aim to promote sustainable practices in the construction industry. In this context, one of the most relevant options refers to reusing CDW in new construction: specifically, the use of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is attracting a growing interest. Unfortunately, although the behavior of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) has been widely investigated in the last few years, there are still knowledge gaps to fill on various aspects of the RAC performance, such as its durability in extreme conditions. The present study deals with the freeze-thaw performance of normal- (C35) and high-strength (C60) RAC produced with RCAs derived from different sources. Specifically, ten concrete mixtures were subjected to a different number of freeze-thaw cycles (namely, 0, 150 and 300), with the aim of analyzing the degradation of key physical and mechanical properties, such density, compressive strength, elastic modulus and tensile strength. Based on the obtained experimental results, a novel degradation law for freeze-thaw cycles is proposed: it unveils a relationship between open porosity of concrete, which is directly correlated to the peculiar properties of RCAs, and the corresponding damage level determined on RAC specimens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Structural Applications of High Performance Concrete Materials in Sustainable Construction)

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