Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145335
Abdulgafar Sulaiman , Imad L. Al-Qadi
Asphalt binder modification has been increased to minimize cracking potential and extend pavement service life. This would reduce maintenance costs, and hence total emissions over the pavement life-cycle. Two categories of modifiers are commonly used: Polymers and softeners. This study modified two Superpave PG 64–22 binders using four softeners and one styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) polymer to produce blends with PG 58–28, 70–28, and 76–28, and included two unmodified PG 58–28 binders for comparison. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, and cigar-tube test were used to evaluate oxidation, softener thermal stability, and storage-stability, respectively Cracking potential was assessed using binder parameters, including: ΔTc parameter for low-temperature cracking, fatigue damage tolerance parameter Δ|G*| peak τ, and stiffness at m = 0.3, S(at m=0.3), as a potential surrogate for ΔTc. Results show that selected polymer–softener-modified binders exhibited synergistic improvements, simultaneously increasing Δ|G*| peak τ and S(at m=0.3) relative to base and softened binders, while FTIR suggested softeners slowed SBS degradation. The study demonstrates that polymer–softener modification can be tailored to reduce potential fatigue and thermal cracking. This allows establishing a practical framework linking Δ|G*| peak τ and S (at m=0.3) to ranking modified binders, thereby supporting performance-oriented binder selection for flexible pavements.
{"title":"Polymer-softener modified binder to control potential fatigue and thermal cracking in flexible pavements","authors":"Abdulgafar Sulaiman , Imad L. Al-Qadi","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145335","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145335","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Asphalt binder modification has been increased to minimize cracking potential and extend pavement service life. This would reduce maintenance costs, and hence total emissions over the pavement life-cycle. Two categories of modifiers are commonly used: Polymers and softeners. This study modified two Superpave PG 64–22 binders using four softeners and one styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS) polymer to produce blends with PG 58–28, 70–28, and 76–28, and included two unmodified PG 58–28 binders for comparison. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, and cigar-tube test were used to evaluate oxidation, softener thermal stability, and storage-stability, respectively Cracking potential was assessed using binder parameters, including: ΔT<sub>c</sub> parameter for low-temperature cracking, fatigue damage tolerance parameter Δ|G*| <sub>peak τ</sub>, and stiffness at m = 0.3, S(at m=0.3), as a potential surrogate for ΔT<sub>c</sub>. Results show that selected polymer–softener-modified binders exhibited synergistic improvements, simultaneously increasing Δ|G*| <sub>peak τ</sub> and S(at m=0.3) relative to base and softened binders, while FTIR suggested softeners slowed SBS degradation. The study demonstrates that polymer–softener modification can be tailored to reduce potential fatigue and thermal cracking. This allows establishing a practical framework linking Δ|G*| <sub>peak τ</sub> and S (at m=0.3) to ranking modified binders, thereby supporting performance-oriented binder selection for flexible pavements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145335"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145418
Xiang Zhang , Yue Yuan , Yu Wang , Bin Zeng , Lichu Zhou , Chun-Lin Wang
Corrosion reduces the fatigue resistance of steel structural components. Although laser cladding can be used to repair damaged surfaces, the high-cycle fatigue performance of the repaired components remains unclear. In this study, simulated localized corroded specimens of Q345 steel plates were repaired via laser cladding. Microstructural analysis and high-cycle fatigue tests were conducted to compare the fatigue life and failure modes at different stress ratios. The experimental results revealed that the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the substrate consists of coarse-grained and fine-grained regions, with an average width of 1.42 mm. Compared to specimens subjected to tensioncompression fatigue, the repaired specimens demonstrated more stable performance under tensiontension fatigue, resulting in higher safety margins. The stress ratio significantly affected the failure modes of the repaired specimens. Both the Goodman criterion curve and the Gerber criterion curve, along with the high-cycle fatigue design curve for ground butt weld joints specified in the standards, proved applicable for evaluating the fatigue performance of the repaired components.
{"title":"Experimental investigation of high-cycle fatigue in corroded steel plates repaired by laser cladding","authors":"Xiang Zhang , Yue Yuan , Yu Wang , Bin Zeng , Lichu Zhou , Chun-Lin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Corrosion reduces the fatigue resistance of steel structural components. Although laser cladding can be used to repair damaged surfaces, the high-cycle fatigue performance of the repaired components remains unclear. In this study, simulated localized corroded specimens of Q345 steel plates were repaired via laser cladding. Microstructural analysis and high-cycle fatigue tests were conducted to compare the fatigue life and failure modes at different stress ratios. The experimental results revealed that the heat-affected zone (HAZ) of the substrate consists of coarse-grained and fine-grained regions, with an average width of 1.42 mm. Compared to specimens subjected to tension<img>compression fatigue, the repaired specimens demonstrated more stable performance under tension<img>tension fatigue, resulting in higher safety margins. The stress ratio significantly affected the failure modes of the repaired specimens. Both the Goodman criterion curve and the Gerber criterion curve, along with the high-cycle fatigue design curve for ground butt weld joints specified in the standards, proved applicable for evaluating the fatigue performance of the repaired components.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145418"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145195
Junyu Chen , Jianhui Liu , Jinlang Yu , Hengrui Jia , Wufeng Wei , Lurun Wu , Bao Lu , Zheng Chen , Caijun Shi
To achieve CO2 sequestration and promote the resource utilization of steel slag, this study proposes a novel approach that integrates a CO2 injection mixing process into the preparation of steel slag-cement foam concrete. The individual and interactive effects of three key process parameters (CO2 mixing time, steel slag content, and water-to-binder (W/B) ratio) on the fluidity, dry density, and compressive strength of foam concrete were investigated, and the corresponding predictive models were established. Furthermore, multi-scale characterization techniques, such as X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were employed to investigate the mechanisms by which process parameters influence the phase evolution of hydration-carbonation products and pore structure characteristics. The results indicate that the W/B ratio is the most influential factor controlling macroscopic properties, as it determines the phase composition and pore structure characteristics of the material by regulating the competition between hydration and carbonation. Extending the CO2 mixing time not only significantly promotes the crystallization of calcite and optimizes the pore structure but also exhibits a synergistic effect under a low W/B ratio. Notably, under multi-factor interactions, the relationship between steel slag content and performance is nonlinear; a significant decline in performance due to the dilution effect only occurs with excessive incorporation (>30 %). This study provides new insights into the design of high-performance foam concrete and demonstrates a strategy for the simultaneous valorization of steel slag and carbon sequestration during the mixing stage, offering valuable references for advancing the low-carbon and high-value utilization of industrial solid wastes.
{"title":"Synergistic enhancement mechanism of hydration and carbonation and performance optimization for steel slag-cement foam concrete: Regulatory role of CO2 injection mixing process","authors":"Junyu Chen , Jianhui Liu , Jinlang Yu , Hengrui Jia , Wufeng Wei , Lurun Wu , Bao Lu , Zheng Chen , Caijun Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145195","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To achieve CO<sub>2</sub> sequestration and promote the resource utilization of steel slag, this study proposes a novel approach that integrates a CO<sub>2</sub> injection mixing process into the preparation of steel slag-cement foam concrete. The individual and interactive effects of three key process parameters (CO<sub>2</sub> mixing time, steel slag content, and water-to-binder (W/B) ratio) on the fluidity, dry density, and compressive strength of foam concrete were investigated, and the corresponding predictive models were established. Furthermore, multi-scale characterization techniques, such as X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), were employed to investigate the mechanisms by which process parameters influence the phase evolution of hydration-carbonation products and pore structure characteristics. The results indicate that the W/B ratio is the most influential factor controlling macroscopic properties, as it determines the phase composition and pore structure characteristics of the material by regulating the competition between hydration and carbonation. Extending the CO<sub>2</sub> mixing time not only significantly promotes the crystallization of calcite and optimizes the pore structure but also exhibits a synergistic effect under a low W/B ratio. Notably, under multi-factor interactions, the relationship between steel slag content and performance is nonlinear; a significant decline in performance due to the dilution effect only occurs with excessive incorporation (>30 %). This study provides new insights into the design of high-performance foam concrete and demonstrates a strategy for the simultaneous valorization of steel slag and carbon sequestration during the mixing stage, offering valuable references for advancing the low-carbon and high-value utilization of industrial solid wastes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145195"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145449
Kailong Lu , Jiaming Chen , Hao Shi , Zhenwei Liu , Dan-Dan Shi
Accurate prediction of compressive strength, a key performance indicator, is critical for assessing the durability of coral concrete. This study proposes the CNN-CAM-LSTM hybrid neural network model to predict compressive strength by integrating convolutional neural networks (CNN), a channel attention mechanism (CAM), and long short-term memory networks (LSTM). An experimental dataset was compiled to validate the model's performance by capturing the evolution of coral concrete compressive strength under laboratory-simulated, multi-factor coupling conditions. Results show that crested porcupine optimizer (CPO) exhibits superior global optimization capability for hyperparameter tuning compared to traditional algorithms. The CPO-optimized CNN-CAM-LSTM model significantly outperforms five benchmark models, achieving an R² value of 0.986. Interpretability analysis reveals that the model accurately captures the complex nonlinear relationships between compressive strength and various factors, ensuring physically meaningful predictions. This study provides a reliable data-driven tool for assessing coral concrete durability and offers methodological advancements in deep learning architecture, optimization algorithms, and model interpretability.
{"title":"Predicting compressive strength of coral concrete under complex environment based on CPO-optimized hybrid neural networks","authors":"Kailong Lu , Jiaming Chen , Hao Shi , Zhenwei Liu , Dan-Dan Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate prediction of compressive strength, a key performance indicator, is critical for assessing the durability of coral concrete. This study proposes the CNN-CAM-LSTM hybrid neural network model to predict compressive strength by integrating convolutional neural networks (CNN), a channel attention mechanism (CAM), and long short-term memory networks (LSTM). An experimental dataset was compiled to validate the model's performance by capturing the evolution of coral concrete compressive strength under laboratory-simulated, multi-factor coupling conditions. Results show that crested porcupine optimizer (CPO) exhibits superior global optimization capability for hyperparameter tuning compared to traditional algorithms. The CPO-optimized CNN-CAM-LSTM model significantly outperforms five benchmark models, achieving an R² value of 0.986. Interpretability analysis reveals that the model accurately captures the complex nonlinear relationships between compressive strength and various factors, ensuring physically meaningful predictions. This study provides a reliable data-driven tool for assessing coral concrete durability and offers methodological advancements in deep learning architecture, optimization algorithms, and model interpretability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145449"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145434
Yi Du , Jiahao Chen , Yu Pan , Ting Zhang
The internal microstructures of porous materials are of great importance in architecture, materials science, seepage mechanics, geomechanics, etc. Due to the scarcity of training data in practical applications—where in some cases only a single 3D volume is available—a variety of single-volume-based deep learning approaches have been widely adopted for reconstructing porous materials. These methods are typically built upon multi-scale frameworks, leveraging large-scale features to capture fine structural details and small-scale features for coarse patterns. While generally effective, they still face challenges such as limited diversity and a tendency to overfit. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a novel reconstruction method for porous materials based on single-volume diffusion in three-dimensional space, termed the 3D single-volume denoising diffusion probabilistic model (3DSinDDPM). Unlike conventional approaches that rely on pyramid-like architectures, 3DSinDDPM trains the diffusion model at a single scale, enabling coverage of patch-level receptive fields to more effectively capture microstructural characteristics of porous materials, while also mitigating quality degradation caused by error accumulation across scales. In addition, this paper redesigns the prediction objective by introducing an auxiliary loss term, allowing for controllable generation. This modification enhances reconstruction diversity while better preserving the original features of real porous structures. Reconstruction experiments conducted on three types of porous samples with different sizes confirm the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method.
{"title":"A 3D single-volume-based denoising diffusion probabilistic model for microstructure reconstruction of porous materials","authors":"Yi Du , Jiahao Chen , Yu Pan , Ting Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145434","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145434","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The internal microstructures of porous materials are of great importance in architecture, materials science, seepage mechanics, geomechanics, etc. Due to the scarcity of training data in practical applications—where in some cases only a single 3D volume is available—a variety of single-volume-based deep learning approaches have been widely adopted for reconstructing porous materials. These methods are typically built upon multi-scale frameworks, leveraging large-scale features to capture fine structural details and small-scale features for coarse patterns. While generally effective, they still face challenges such as limited diversity and a tendency to overfit. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a novel reconstruction method for porous materials based on single-volume diffusion in three-dimensional space, termed the 3D single-volume denoising diffusion probabilistic model (3DSinDDPM). Unlike conventional approaches that rely on pyramid-like architectures, 3DSinDDPM trains the diffusion model at a single scale, enabling coverage of patch-level receptive fields to more effectively capture microstructural characteristics of porous materials, while also mitigating quality degradation caused by error accumulation across scales. In addition, this paper redesigns the prediction objective by introducing an auxiliary loss term, allowing for controllable generation. This modification enhances reconstruction diversity while better preserving the original features of real porous structures. Reconstruction experiments conducted on three types of porous samples with different sizes confirm the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145434"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145419
Wei Sun , Yao Wen , Fanyu Ding , Chong Chen , Tong Gao , Yiming Wen , Panke Zhang , Shaoyong Wang
To address the critical issues of massive solid waste accumulation and excessive greenhouse gas emissions, Carbon Sequestration Technology based on the Multi-solid waste collaborative utilization offers a solution by enabling effective carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) while processing the waste materials. This study selects Blast Furnace Slag as the primary raw material, with cement and Ca(OH)2 and other material as activators, to develop a novel composite cementitious material based on a synergistic activation-carbonation mechanism. Employing experimental techniques including uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) testing, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an in-depth analysis was conducted to investigate its mechanical properties, microstructure, phase composition, and CO2 mineralization capacity.Research findings indicate that under curing periods of 3 and 7 days, the factors influencing the compressive strength of blast furnace slag based material solidified body rank in the following order: cement > Ca(OH)2 > Na2SO4. Under different curing ages and carbonization time conditions, the optimal ratio of the solidified body is different.The dosage of admixture, curing age and carbonization time can effectively improve the UCS of solidified body, and the improvement of early UCS is the most significant, that is, when the cement content increases from 10 % to 15 %, The solidified body exhibited a strength increase of 84.8 %. When the content continues to increase to 20 %, it is only 12.8 %. With the fixed Ca(OH)2 content at 3 %, increasing the cement content from 10 % (A-1) to 20 % (C-1) raised the 28-day CO2 absorption rate from 24.1 mg/g to 32.1 mg/g, representing a 33.2 % increase.Analysis of the solidification mechanism reveals that the synergistic effect between hydration and mineralization reactions significantly enhances the efficiency of CO2 utilization and sequestration. This study aims to provide a theoretical foundation and technical reference for employing blast furnace slag solid waste for CO2 mineralization and storage.
{"title":"Study on mechanical properties and mechanism of CO2 mineralized blast furnace slag based material","authors":"Wei Sun , Yao Wen , Fanyu Ding , Chong Chen , Tong Gao , Yiming Wen , Panke Zhang , Shaoyong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the critical issues of massive solid waste accumulation and excessive greenhouse gas emissions, Carbon Sequestration Technology based on the Multi-solid waste collaborative utilization offers a solution by enabling effective carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) while processing the waste materials. This study selects Blast Furnace Slag as the primary raw material, with cement and Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub> and other material as activators, to develop a novel composite cementitious material based on a synergistic activation-carbonation mechanism. Employing experimental techniques including uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) testing, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an in-depth analysis was conducted to investigate its mechanical properties, microstructure, phase composition, and CO<sub>2</sub> mineralization capacity.Research findings indicate that under curing periods of 3 and 7 days, the factors influencing the compressive strength of blast furnace slag based material solidified body rank in the following order: cement > Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub> > Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>. Under different curing ages and carbonization time conditions, the optimal ratio of the solidified body is different.The dosage of admixture, curing age and carbonization time can effectively improve the UCS of solidified body, and the improvement of early UCS is the most significant, that is, when the cement content increases from 10 % to 15 %, The solidified body exhibited a strength increase of 84.8 %. When the content continues to increase to 20 %, it is only 12.8 %. With the fixed Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub> content at 3 %, increasing the cement content from 10 % (A-1) to 20 % (C-1) raised the 28-day CO<sub>2</sub> absorption rate from 24.1 mg/g to 32.1 mg/g, representing a 33.2 % increase.Analysis of the solidification mechanism reveals that the synergistic effect between hydration and mineralization reactions significantly enhances the efficiency of CO<sub>2</sub> utilization and sequestration. This study aims to provide a theoretical foundation and technical reference for employing blast furnace slag solid waste for CO<sub>2</sub> mineralization and storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145419"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145337
Luoning Li , Shuchen Li , Chao Yuan , Xianda Feng , Kefeng Peng , Xiaotian Wang
Composite shell tunnel linings (CSL) incorporating spray-applied polymer-based waterproof membranes depend critically on membrane–substrate interface performance for load-bearing capacity and durability. This study examines mortar–membrane–mortar assemblies simulating CSL through direct shear, direct tension, and bridging-shear tests, assessing the effects of membrane thickness (3–7 mm), polymer content (70–85 %), interface roughness (Joint Roughness Coefficient, JRC = 0.4–18.7), and normal stress (0.3–0.9 MPa) on interfacial strength, stiffness, energy dissipation, and deformation coordination. Digital image correlation (DIC) captured full-field deformation and damage evolution, while scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) characterised interfacial microstructure. Increasing membrane thickness and polymer content reduced shear and tensile bond strength as well as interfacial stiffness, yet markedly enhanced energy absorption and strain coordination; likewise, higher JRC and normal stress increased strength, stiffness, and dissipation by improving mechanical interlocking and frictional resistance. Bridging-shear tests showed that greater polymer content reduced deformation-concentration factors and enhanced crack-bridging performance. SEM-EDX observations indicated that interfacial toughness is governed by the balance between flexible polymer chains and rigid inorganic fillers, with polymer-rich membranes providing greater ductility but lower stiffness. Taken together, CSL interface design should prioritise high tensile bond strength while maintaining appropriately moderate interfacial shear stiffness, thereby enhancing the lining’s composite action, as emphasised in prior studies, preserving a controlled degree of strain lag, and avoiding excessive stress concentrations, all without compromising waterproofing effectiveness.
{"title":"Experimental investigation on the interface mechanical behavior between waterproof membrane and substrate in composite tunnel lining","authors":"Luoning Li , Shuchen Li , Chao Yuan , Xianda Feng , Kefeng Peng , Xiaotian Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Composite shell tunnel linings (CSL) incorporating spray-applied polymer-based waterproof membranes depend critically on membrane–substrate interface performance for load-bearing capacity and durability. This study examines mortar–membrane–mortar assemblies simulating CSL through direct shear, direct tension, and bridging-shear tests, assessing the effects of membrane thickness (3–7 mm), polymer content (70–85 %), interface roughness (Joint Roughness Coefficient, JRC = 0.4–18.7), and normal stress (0.3–0.9 MPa) on interfacial strength, stiffness, energy dissipation, and deformation coordination. Digital image correlation (DIC) captured full-field deformation and damage evolution, while scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) characterised interfacial microstructure. Increasing membrane thickness and polymer content reduced shear and tensile bond strength as well as interfacial stiffness, yet markedly enhanced energy absorption and strain coordination; likewise, higher JRC and normal stress increased strength, stiffness, and dissipation by improving mechanical interlocking and frictional resistance. Bridging-shear tests showed that greater polymer content reduced deformation-concentration factors and enhanced crack-bridging performance. SEM-EDX observations indicated that interfacial toughness is governed by the balance between flexible polymer chains and rigid inorganic fillers, with polymer-rich membranes providing greater ductility but lower stiffness. Taken together, CSL interface design should prioritise high tensile bond strength while maintaining appropriately moderate interfacial shear stiffness, thereby enhancing the lining’s composite action, as emphasised in prior studies, preserving a controlled degree of strain lag, and avoiding excessive stress concentrations, all without compromising waterproofing effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145337"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145407
Chunxiang Qian , Yudong Xie , Shaoyun Hou
The thermal stability of AFt-rich cement, such as the Portland cement and calcium sulfoaluminate cement hybrid cement (PC-CSA) is lower than that of the Portland cement. To address this critical issue, this study aims to investigate the intrinsic mechanism and regulatory approach underlying the enhancement of thermal stability in PC-CSA composite systems by biomineralized steel slag (BSS), thus achieving the synergy between solid waste resource utilization and performance optimization of cement-based materials. An innovative chemical matching design approach was employed in this study to systematically examine the influence of the fly ash /BSS blending ratio on hydration product evolution behavior and thermal stability of the PC-CSA system. The findings demonstrate that when fly ash and BSS are compounded at a mass ratio of 1:2 to partially replace the PC-CSA hybrid cement, the formation of the monocarbonate (Mc) phase within the system is maximized. Compared to AFt, carboaluminate exhibits superior thermal stability and is less prone to decomposition in the temperature range from 20°C to 80°C. Thus, the incorporation of BSS effectively reduces the drying shrinkage of PC-CSA hybrid cement. Notably, when the PC-CSA hybrid concrete containing BSS is cured at 80°C, the difference in drying shrinkage compared with the control group under the same curing conditions reaches 32.1 %, and its 90 d compressive strength is 11.8 MPa higher.
{"title":"Enhancing the thermal stability of Portland cement and calcium sulfoaluminate cement composite systems by incorporating carbon-fixing steel slag powder","authors":"Chunxiang Qian , Yudong Xie , Shaoyun Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The thermal stability of AFt-rich cement, such as the Portland cement and calcium sulfoaluminate cement hybrid cement (PC-CSA) is lower than that of the Portland cement. To address this critical issue, this study aims to investigate the intrinsic mechanism and regulatory approach underlying the enhancement of thermal stability in PC-CSA composite systems by biomineralized steel slag (BSS), thus achieving the synergy between solid waste resource utilization and performance optimization of cement-based materials. An innovative chemical matching design approach was employed in this study to systematically examine the influence of the fly ash /BSS blending ratio on hydration product evolution behavior and thermal stability of the PC-CSA system. The findings demonstrate that when fly ash and BSS are compounded at a mass ratio of 1:2 to partially replace the PC-CSA hybrid cement, the formation of the monocarbonate (Mc) phase within the system is maximized. Compared to AFt, carboaluminate exhibits superior thermal stability and is less prone to decomposition in the temperature range from 20°C to 80°C. Thus, the incorporation of BSS effectively reduces the drying shrinkage of PC-CSA hybrid cement. Notably, when the PC-CSA hybrid concrete containing BSS is cured at 80°C, the difference in drying shrinkage compared with the control group under the same curing conditions reaches 32.1 %, and its 90 d compressive strength is 11.8 MPa higher.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145407"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145338
Natalia Pingaro , Mario Fagone , Tommaso Rotunno , Ernesto Grande , Gabriele Milani
This paper experimentally investigates the influence of spike anchors on the bond behavior of Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) strengthening systems applied to curved masonry specimens. Indeed, while the effect of spike anchors has been recently studied in Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) applications, their use in FRCMs remains less explored, especially for curved supports. The experimental program involved single-lap shear tests on flat and curved specimens with two curvature radii, strengthened at the intrados with PBO-FRCM and a spike positioned at mid-bond length. Two anchoring layouts were examined: fibers fanned (i) on the fabric surface and (ii) on the outer matrix layer. Results in terms of global load-displacement curves, crack propagation, and failure mechanisms triggered are presented and critically discussed. They show that spike anchors improve structural performance by delaying debonding, slightly increasing peak load (up to about 10–15 %) and significantly enhancing deformation capacity, with ultimate slip values up to several times those of unanchored configurations. Curvature plays an important role in the effectiveness of spike anchors, with failure modes mainly characterized by debonding at the inner fiber–matrix interface between the loaded edge and the spike, followed by fiber sliding in the segment between the anchor and the free edge. The study provides one of the first experimental comparisons of different spike anchorage layouts in PBO-FRCM systems applied to curved masonry substrates.
{"title":"Experimental study on the influence of spike anchors on the bond of FRCM systems applied to curved masonry specimens","authors":"Natalia Pingaro , Mario Fagone , Tommaso Rotunno , Ernesto Grande , Gabriele Milani","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145338","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145338","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper experimentally investigates the influence of spike anchors on the bond behavior of Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) strengthening systems applied to curved masonry specimens. Indeed, while the effect of spike anchors has been recently studied in Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) applications, their use in FRCMs remains less explored, especially for curved supports. The experimental program involved single-lap shear tests on flat and curved specimens with two curvature radii, strengthened at the intrados with PBO-FRCM and a spike positioned at mid-bond length. Two anchoring layouts were examined: fibers fanned (i) on the fabric surface and (ii) on the outer matrix layer. Results in terms of global load-displacement curves, crack propagation, and failure mechanisms triggered are presented and critically discussed. They show that spike anchors improve structural performance by delaying debonding, slightly increasing peak load (up to about 10–15 %) and significantly enhancing deformation capacity, with ultimate slip values up to several times those of unanchored configurations. Curvature plays an important role in the effectiveness of spike anchors, with failure modes mainly characterized by debonding at the inner fiber–matrix interface between the loaded edge and the spike, followed by fiber sliding in the segment between the anchor and the free edge. The study provides one of the first experimental comparisons of different spike anchorage layouts in PBO-FRCM systems applied to curved masonry substrates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145338"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-29DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145450
Lei Li , Chao Wang , Jing Chen
Coal gangue can be classified into clay rock gangue, sandstone gangue, and aluminous rock gangue. Existing research mostly focuses on the first two types of coal gangue, while the physicochemical properties and aggregate feasibility of aluminous rock white coal gangue (ACG) remain largely unreported. This study investigates the physicochemical properties of ACG and conducts a multi-scale evaluation of the mechanical performance of aluminous rock coal gangue concrete (ACGC). Physical testing was first performed to determine the particle size distribution, water absorption, apparent density, and bulk density of ACG. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were used to characterize the mineralogical and elemental composition of ACG, and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) was employed to analyze its pore-size distribution. A multi-scale investigation of ACGC was subsequently carried out, including compressive and flexural strengths at the macroscopic scale, surface morphology and functional-group evolution at the microscopic scale, and nanoscale interfacial interaction mechanisms between the major crystalline phases in ACG (quartz and kaolinite) and cement hydration products using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results indicate that ACG has superior physicochemical properties compared to ordinary coal gangue. Specifically, ACG exhibits better water absorption, density, and crushing indicators. When applied to concrete, compared with ordinary coal gangue aggregate concrete, it can increase compressive strength by 14.7∼29.5 % and flexural strength by 23.3∼26.3 %. Furthermore, some active components in ACG can undergo secondary reactions with cement to improve its microstructure. Simultaneously, the Si-O and Ca-O chemical bonds between the quartz crystals in ACG and the cement interface together constitute its stable interfacial structure.
{"title":"Physicochemical properties and aggregate feasibility of aluminous-rock coal gangue","authors":"Lei Li , Chao Wang , Jing Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145450","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.145450","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coal gangue can be classified into clay rock gangue, sandstone gangue, and aluminous rock gangue. Existing research mostly focuses on the first two types of coal gangue, while the physicochemical properties and aggregate feasibility of aluminous rock white coal gangue (ACG) remain largely unreported. This study investigates the physicochemical properties of ACG and conducts a multi-scale evaluation of the mechanical performance of aluminous rock coal gangue concrete (ACGC). Physical testing was first performed to determine the particle size distribution, water absorption, apparent density, and bulk density of ACG. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were used to characterize the mineralogical and elemental composition of ACG, and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) was employed to analyze its pore-size distribution. A multi-scale investigation of ACGC was subsequently carried out, including compressive and flexural strengths at the macroscopic scale, surface morphology and functional-group evolution at the microscopic scale, and nanoscale interfacial interaction mechanisms between the major crystalline phases in ACG (quartz and kaolinite) and cement hydration products using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results indicate that ACG has superior physicochemical properties compared to ordinary coal gangue. Specifically, ACG exhibits better water absorption, density, and crushing indicators. When applied to concrete, compared with ordinary coal gangue aggregate concrete, it can increase compressive strength by 14.7∼29.5 % and flexural strength by 23.3∼26.3 %. Furthermore, some active components in ACG can undergo secondary reactions with cement to improve its microstructure. Simultaneously, the Si-O and Ca-O chemical bonds between the quartz crystals in ACG and the cement interface together constitute its stable interfacial structure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"513 ","pages":"Article 145450"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146070963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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