Over recent years, steel fibres have been widely recognised as an effective means of enhancing the ductility of concrete structures. However, the dosage of steel fibres in concrete is typically limited to avoid placement challenges and potential mechanical issues. Current steel fibre modification methods often lack scalability or compromise durability. This study introduces a novel, eco-friendly, scalable, and durable bioinspired coating technology for steel fibres. To validate the effectiveness of this coating, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to analyse the microscale surface morphology of the coated fibres. Single-fibre pull-out tests were also conducted to compare the pull-out energy, bond strength, and interfacial shear strength of coated versus uncoated fibres across varying matrix strengths. The results showed a 22.6 % improvement in fibre/matrix bonding, a 33.4 % increase in pull-out energy, and a 21.4 % enhancement in interfacial shear strength. This cost-effective coating technology not only improves performance but also offers potential reductions in cement demand for high-strength concrete applications, presenting promising advancements in both sustainability and concrete performance.
{"title":"Bioinspired eco-friendly coating technology for enhanced steel fibre bonding and sustainability in cementitious materials","authors":"Abdulmalik Ismail , Abdullah Alshahrani , Abdulmaliq Alawode , Sivakumar Kulasegaram","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140408","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140408","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over recent years, steel fibres have been widely recognised as an effective means of enhancing the ductility of concrete structures. However, the dosage of steel fibres in concrete is typically limited to avoid placement challenges and potential mechanical issues. Current steel fibre modification methods often lack scalability or compromise durability. This study introduces a novel, eco-friendly, scalable, and durable bioinspired coating technology for steel fibres. To validate the effectiveness of this coating, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to analyse the microscale surface morphology of the coated fibres. Single-fibre pull-out tests were also conducted to compare the pull-out energy, bond strength, and interfacial shear strength of coated versus uncoated fibres across varying matrix strengths. The results showed a 22.6 % improvement in fibre/matrix bonding, a 33.4 % increase in pull-out energy, and a 21.4 % enhancement in interfacial shear strength. This cost-effective coating technology not only improves performance but also offers potential reductions in cement demand for high-strength concrete applications, presenting promising advancements in both sustainability and concrete performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140408"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421632","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140282
Depeng Chen , Linling Cui , Hui Rong , De’e Liu , Yuan Fang , Thumelo Jonathan Sithole , Yaling Wang , Yajun Lv , Zhong Lv , Tengfei Xiang
The deterioration of cement-based materials is frequently associated with water infiltration. This work introduces hydrophobic nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized from silicon dioxide with varying particle sizes, which significantly enhance the water repellency when incorporated into mortar. The results indicate a clear negative correlation between the water contact angle (WCA) of the mortar and the size of the hydrophobic NPs; when 20 nm hydrophobic NPs are incorporated, the WCA can reach 153.16 °, exhibiting three-dimensional superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, the water absorption rate of the superhydrophobic mortar after 120 hours immersion is only 42.16 % of that of ordinary mortar. In electrochemical corrosion experiments, the corrosion current density of the superhydrophobic mortar is two orders of magnitude lower than that of ordinary mortar, effectively preventing corrosive liquids from penetrating the steel reinforcement within the concrete. This work provides a solid scientific and theoretical foundation for the widespread application of superhydrophobic cement-based materials in harsh, high-humidity, and corrosive environments.
{"title":"Effect of hydrophobic nanoparticle size on corrosion resistance of superhydrophobic mortar","authors":"Depeng Chen , Linling Cui , Hui Rong , De’e Liu , Yuan Fang , Thumelo Jonathan Sithole , Yaling Wang , Yajun Lv , Zhong Lv , Tengfei Xiang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deterioration of cement-based materials is frequently associated with water infiltration. This work introduces hydrophobic nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized from silicon dioxide with varying particle sizes, which significantly enhance the water repellency when incorporated into mortar. The results indicate a clear negative correlation between the water contact angle (WCA) of the mortar and the size of the hydrophobic NPs; when 20 nm hydrophobic NPs are incorporated, the WCA can reach 153.16 °, exhibiting three-dimensional superhydrophobicity. Furthermore, the water absorption rate of the superhydrophobic mortar after 120 hours immersion is only 42.16 % of that of ordinary mortar. In electrochemical corrosion experiments, the corrosion current density of the superhydrophobic mortar is two orders of magnitude lower than that of ordinary mortar, effectively preventing corrosive liquids from penetrating the steel reinforcement within the concrete. This work provides a solid scientific and theoretical foundation for the widespread application of superhydrophobic cement-based materials in harsh, high-humidity, and corrosive environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140282"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403580","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140421
N. Ramli , Raizal S.M. Rashid , N.A.M. Nasir , Y.L. Voo , N.M. Azreen , J.A. Karim
Four Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) modified mixes were studied with 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % of boron carbide as aggregates replacement for silica sand denoted as UREF, UBC5, UBC10, UBC15, and UBC20, respectively. Overall, as the boron carbide content increases, workability decreases while density improves. The UBC20 mix showed a 14.77 % reduction in compressive strength compared to the UREF. Nonetheless, the compressive strength still exceeded 140 MPa at 28 days. Boron carbide demonstrated better radiation shielding where the shielding capability for the UBC20 mix shielded gamma and neutron was 16.89 % with 60Co source, 5.23 % with 137Cs source, as well as 37.48 % with neutron source, respectively, better than the UREF specimen. These findings demonstrate that increasing boron carbide content progressively enhances the shielding properties of the concrete. However, caution is advised with higher boron carbide inclusion, as it may significantly reduce strength.
{"title":"Modified ultra-high-performance concrete with boron carbide for neutron and gamma radiation shielding","authors":"N. Ramli , Raizal S.M. Rashid , N.A.M. Nasir , Y.L. Voo , N.M. Azreen , J.A. Karim","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Four Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) modified mixes were studied with 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % of boron carbide as aggregates replacement for silica sand denoted as UREF, UBC5, UBC10, UBC15, and UBC20, respectively. Overall, as the boron carbide content increases, workability decreases while density improves. The UBC20 mix showed a 14.77 % reduction in compressive strength compared to the UREF. Nonetheless, the compressive strength still exceeded 140 MPa at 28 days. Boron carbide demonstrated better radiation shielding where the shielding capability for the UBC20 mix shielded gamma and neutron was 16.89 % with <sup>60</sup>Co source, 5.23 % with <sup>137</sup>Cs source, as well as 37.48 % with neutron source, respectively, better than the UREF specimen. These findings demonstrate that increasing boron carbide content progressively enhances the shielding properties of the concrete. However, caution is advised with higher boron carbide inclusion, as it may significantly reduce strength.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140421"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403117","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140384
Feifan Song , Xiaonan Xu , Peng Jiang , Zhilin Chen , Hongyu Jia , Wenji Yu , Lihua Wang
Wood scrimber, known for its structural stability, strength, and efficient material utilization, faces significant flammability challenges that limit its application in construction and outdoor environments. To enhance fire safety in construction and meet building codes requirements, flame retardant treatment of wood scrimber is essential. Inspired by the honeycomb structure formed by propolis, beeswax, and intricate arrangements, flame-retardant wood scrimber materials were fabricated using phenolic resin adhesive, a flame retardant agent composed of a 1:1 mixture of sodium silicate (9-hydrate) and sodium tetraborate decahydrate, along with defibrated wood scrimber units. The treated wood scrimber exhibited self-extinguishing properties upon flame removal, with a 31 % reduction in peak heat release rate (pk-HRR2), a 14.9 % reduction in total heat release (THR), a 38 % reduction in peak smoke production rate (pk-SPR), and a 43.7 % reduction in total smoke release (TSR), demonstrating a synergistic fire retardant effect between the silicon and boron compounds. Characterization through infrared spectral analysis (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the cross-linked structure formed by sodium silicate and boric acid with the wood creates a dense char layer in the porous voids of the wood. The release of crystalline water at high temperatures further enhanced fire retardancy and reduced smoke production. This method holds promise for large-scale applications in construction and interior decoration, offering both fire resistance and low smoke emission.
{"title":"Preparation of wood scrimber with low hygroscopicity and high flame retardancy through impregnation of silicon-boron inorganic salt","authors":"Feifan Song , Xiaonan Xu , Peng Jiang , Zhilin Chen , Hongyu Jia , Wenji Yu , Lihua Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wood scrimber, known for its structural stability, strength, and efficient material utilization, faces significant flammability challenges that limit its application in construction and outdoor environments. To enhance fire safety in construction and meet building codes requirements, flame retardant treatment of wood scrimber is essential. Inspired by the honeycomb structure formed by propolis, beeswax, and intricate arrangements, flame-retardant wood scrimber materials were fabricated using phenolic resin adhesive, a flame retardant agent composed of a 1:1 mixture of sodium silicate (9-hydrate) and sodium tetraborate decahydrate, along with defibrated wood scrimber units. The treated wood scrimber exhibited self-extinguishing properties upon flame removal, with a 31 % reduction in peak heat release rate (pk-HRR<sub>2</sub>), a 14.9 % reduction in total heat release (THR), a 38 % reduction in peak smoke production rate (pk-SPR), and a 43.7 % reduction in total smoke release (TSR), demonstrating a synergistic fire retardant effect between the silicon and boron compounds. Characterization through infrared spectral analysis (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed that the cross-linked structure formed by sodium silicate and boric acid with the wood creates a dense char layer in the porous voids of the wood. The release of crystalline water at high temperatures further enhanced fire retardancy and reduced smoke production. This method holds promise for large-scale applications in construction and interior decoration, offering both fire resistance and low smoke emission.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140384"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403572","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140407
Pietra Moraes Borges , Lucas Anthony Rother , Sérgio Roberto da Silva , Edna Possan , Jairo José de Oliveira Andrade
Circular economy technologies are entering several fields, especially engineering, without stopping. Recycled materials application, dematerialization, and carbon capture improvement can help achieve a more sustainable construction material and method. In this scenario, the present paper aims to evaluate the environmental and technical aspects of mortars produced with various replacement levels (25, 50, 75, and 100 %) of fine recycled aggregate from recycled aggregate (RA) from mixed construction and demolition waste (CDW). Physical (absorption by immersion, water absorption by capillarity, porosity, and pore size distribution) and mechanical properties tests (compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, and adhesive strength) were performed. The mortars were submitted to four carbonation environments for environmental analysis: accelerated in an open-circuit chamber with 3 % CO2 and natural carbonation (internal, external-protected, and external unprotected). The carbon capture analysis was performed with TGA tests for carbonated and non-carbonated samples. The results were applied for mortar carbon index (MCI) calculations. The primary energy and water demand for these mortars were also analyzed. Results showed that mortars with 50 % RA had a better MCI (91.80 t.CO2/MPa) for the externally protected environment, considering tensile adhesion strength as the main property. This happened due to better mechanical performance and higher carbon capture related to cement and limestone content in the mortar since these two are responsible for hydroxide presence. However, results showed more considerable primary energy demand and water consumption with the increase in replacement levels. With these results, the research allows the possibility to better plan the working schedule in building constructions and materials decision-making to help improve carbon capture and natural resources application in coating materials.
{"title":"Environmental and technical assessment of mortars produced with recycled aggregate from construction and demolition waste","authors":"Pietra Moraes Borges , Lucas Anthony Rother , Sérgio Roberto da Silva , Edna Possan , Jairo José de Oliveira Andrade","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circular economy technologies are entering several fields, especially engineering, without stopping. Recycled materials application, dematerialization, and carbon capture improvement can help achieve a more sustainable construction material and method. In this scenario, the present paper aims to evaluate the environmental and technical aspects of mortars produced with various replacement levels (25, 50, 75, and 100 %) of fine recycled aggregate from recycled aggregate (RA) from mixed construction and demolition waste (CDW). Physical (absorption by immersion, water absorption by capillarity, porosity, and pore size distribution) and mechanical properties tests (compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, and adhesive strength) were performed. The mortars were submitted to four carbonation environments for environmental analysis: accelerated in an open-circuit chamber with 3 % CO<sub>2</sub> and natural carbonation (internal, external-protected, and external unprotected). The carbon capture analysis was performed with TGA tests for carbonated and non-carbonated samples. The results were applied for mortar carbon index (MCI) calculations. The primary energy and water demand for these mortars were also analyzed. Results showed that mortars with 50 % RA had a better MCI (91.80 t.CO<sub>2</sub>/MPa) for the externally protected environment, considering tensile adhesion strength as the main property. This happened due to better mechanical performance and higher carbon capture related to cement and limestone content in the mortar since these two are responsible for hydroxide presence. However, results showed more considerable primary energy demand and water consumption with the increase in replacement levels. With these results, the research allows the possibility to better plan the working schedule in building constructions and materials decision-making to help improve carbon capture and natural resources application in coating materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140407"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403447","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140362
Yuqiang Lin , Jun Cai , Wei Ma , Yufeng Bi , Xiaoge Ji , Fan Gu , Huanan Yu
Double-layer porous asphalt (DLPA) pavement has been gradually applied in China for its efficient water drainage and noise reduction. However, it also faced the challenge of relatively low overall performance for the large air voids. This paper proposed a method of optimizing DLPA structure into a thinner three-layer porous asphalt (TLPA) structure for achieving lower air voids. Specifically, the optimal thickness of porous asphalt (PA) was determined by analyzing the relationship between PA mixture thickness and the degree of segregation. Then the application rate of tack coat between the middle and bottom layers of the TLPA structure was determined. Thirdly, based on the principle of equal drainage speed in TLPA structure, air voids of each PA layer were confirmed by a prediction model, which considered the relationship of air voids, thickness, nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS), and drainage capacity. Finally, the feasibility of this thin-layer method was validated. Results indicated that PA mixture thickness exhibited good uniformity at 2.5 times of NMAS. It should have considered the effects of air voids, thickness, and NMAS on PA mixture permeability during functional design processes. Converting a DLPA structure to a TLPA structure was feasible, and it could greatly have reduced air voids of the top layer.
{"title":"Optimal design and validation of double-layer porous asphalt structure based on thin-layer process","authors":"Yuqiang Lin , Jun Cai , Wei Ma , Yufeng Bi , Xiaoge Ji , Fan Gu , Huanan Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140362","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Double-layer porous asphalt (DLPA) pavement has been gradually applied in China for its efficient water drainage and noise reduction. However, it also faced the challenge of relatively low overall performance for the large air voids. This paper proposed a method of optimizing DLPA structure into a thinner three-layer porous asphalt (TLPA) structure for achieving lower air voids. Specifically, the optimal thickness of porous asphalt (PA) was determined by analyzing the relationship between PA mixture thickness and the degree of segregation. Then the application rate of tack coat between the middle and bottom layers of the TLPA structure was determined. Thirdly, based on the principle of equal drainage speed in TLPA structure, air voids of each PA layer were confirmed by a prediction model, which considered the relationship of air voids, thickness, nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS), and drainage capacity. Finally, the feasibility of this thin-layer method was validated. Results indicated that PA mixture thickness exhibited good uniformity at 2.5 times of NMAS. It should have considered the effects of air voids, thickness, and NMAS on PA mixture permeability during functional design processes. Converting a DLPA structure to a TLPA structure was feasible, and it could greatly have reduced air voids of the top layer.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140362"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143421707","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140325
Tamer I. Ahmed , Ibrahim M. El-Mehasseb , Nagi M. El-Shafai , Reda S. Salama , Dina.E. Tobbala
<div><div>Geopolymer concrete (GPC) has been developed to reduce the environmental footprint of cement production. Practical applications for GPC remain mostly limited to the production of precast concrete, and heat treatment has been identified as the leading barrier to wider adoption of this promising technology. In this research, this barrier was faced with nano-alumina produced from waste materials: recycled aluminum beverage cans and waste ceramic used in the GPC as a coarse aggregate (CC) and as fine aggregates (FC). Fifteen mixes were prepared and tested to determine the effect of replacing conventional fine and coarse aggregates with CC and FC at replacement levels up to 100 % in GPC. The effect of adding nano-silica (NS) and NA at different dosages (2 %, 3 %, and 4 % of binder content) on GPC performance was also investigated. The properties considered in this work are slump flow, initial setting time, final setting time, densities—wet, dry, and oven-dried—and mechanical strengths including compressive strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), tensile strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>t</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), bond strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>b</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), and flexural strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>). Other tests such as water absorption (WA%), residual compressive strength (<span><math><msubsup><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>′</mo></mrow></msubsup></math></span>), and residual density (<span><math><mrow><mi>D</mi><mo>′</mo></mrow></math></span>) when exposed to higher temperatures (up to 800 °C), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of GPC mixes, were also carried out. It was shown in the experimental results that alkaline activators had strong reducing effects on setting times of GPC. That is, it obtained an initial set in 45 minutes and a final set in 6 hours at room temperature. The mechanical properties of the control mix (GVC) at 28 days were: <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>38</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>t</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>4.14</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>b</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>7.1</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>5.6</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, and WA% = 1.8 %. Concrete with 25 % CC and 25 % FC replacement demonstrated enhanced mechanical and thermal properties. Still, further replacement of CC or FC beyond 50 % resulted in deterioration in both mechanical and durability properties. The addition of NS and NA improved the performance of GPC compared to
{"title":"Investigation the mechanical, durability, heating Investigation the mechanical, durability, heating struggle, thermal gravimetric examination, and microstructure of geopolymer ceramic concrete incorporating nano-silica and nano-Soda-Cans","authors":"Tamer I. Ahmed , Ibrahim M. El-Mehasseb , Nagi M. El-Shafai , Reda S. Salama , Dina.E. Tobbala","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140325","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140325","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Geopolymer concrete (GPC) has been developed to reduce the environmental footprint of cement production. Practical applications for GPC remain mostly limited to the production of precast concrete, and heat treatment has been identified as the leading barrier to wider adoption of this promising technology. In this research, this barrier was faced with nano-alumina produced from waste materials: recycled aluminum beverage cans and waste ceramic used in the GPC as a coarse aggregate (CC) and as fine aggregates (FC). Fifteen mixes were prepared and tested to determine the effect of replacing conventional fine and coarse aggregates with CC and FC at replacement levels up to 100 % in GPC. The effect of adding nano-silica (NS) and NA at different dosages (2 %, 3 %, and 4 % of binder content) on GPC performance was also investigated. The properties considered in this work are slump flow, initial setting time, final setting time, densities—wet, dry, and oven-dried—and mechanical strengths including compressive strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), tensile strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>t</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), bond strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>b</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>), and flexural strength (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>). Other tests such as water absorption (WA%), residual compressive strength (<span><math><msubsup><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>′</mo></mrow></msubsup></math></span>), and residual density (<span><math><mrow><mi>D</mi><mo>′</mo></mrow></math></span>) when exposed to higher temperatures (up to 800 °C), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of GPC mixes, were also carried out. It was shown in the experimental results that alkaline activators had strong reducing effects on setting times of GPC. That is, it obtained an initial set in 45 minutes and a final set in 6 hours at room temperature. The mechanical properties of the control mix (GVC) at 28 days were: <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>38</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>t</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>4.14</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>b</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>7.1</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>f</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>5.6</mn></mrow></math></span> MPa, and WA% = 1.8 %. Concrete with 25 % CC and 25 % FC replacement demonstrated enhanced mechanical and thermal properties. Still, further replacement of CC or FC beyond 50 % resulted in deterioration in both mechanical and durability properties. The addition of NS and NA improved the performance of GPC compared to ","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140325"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403571","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}
Compressive strength is a crucial factor in designing masonry walls to withstand various loading conditions, and it is equally significant for the designing of dry-stack masonry walls. Dry-stack masonry uses interlocking blocks, that enable a faster walling construction than the conventional mortared masonry. Widespread use of this walling system is limited due to lack of detailed design provisions in standards, as opposed to conventional mortared masonry. In this study, the compressive strength properties of un-grouted and grouted dry-stack concrete block masonry were experimentally evaluated. In total, 80 dry-stack concrete block masonry wallettes were built and tested with five different types of dry-stack blocks and three different grouts strength (20 MPa, 32 MPa and 40 MPa). The failure patterns, stress-strain curves and compressive strength characteristics obtained through the testing campaign are reported in this paper. The grouted dry-stack concrete block masonry wallettes demonstrated higher compressive capacities (ranging from 11 % to 152 %) than the corresponding un-grouted concrete block masonry wallettes, the increment was dependent on the grout and block types. The experimental data collected in this campaign was then used to assess the available formulae and tabulated values to predict the compressive strength of dry-stack concrete block masonry wallettes. The predictabilities of these formulae and tabulated values are presented and discussed.
{"title":"Compressive strength in grouted dry-stack concrete block masonry: Experimental and analytical predictions","authors":"Mathavanayakam Sathurshan , Hossein Derakhshan , Julian Thamboo , Jack Gill , Cathy Inglis , Tatheer Zahra","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140411","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140411","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Compressive strength is a crucial factor in designing masonry walls to withstand various loading conditions, and it is equally significant for the designing of dry-stack masonry walls. Dry-stack masonry uses interlocking blocks, that enable a faster walling construction than the conventional mortared masonry. Widespread use of this walling system is limited due to lack of detailed design provisions in standards, as opposed to conventional mortared masonry. In this study, the compressive strength properties of un-grouted and grouted dry-stack concrete block masonry were experimentally evaluated. In total, 80 dry-stack concrete block masonry wallettes were built and tested with five different types of dry-stack blocks and three different grouts strength (20 MPa, 32 MPa and 40 MPa). The failure patterns, stress-strain curves and compressive strength characteristics obtained through the testing campaign are reported in this paper. The grouted dry-stack concrete block masonry wallettes demonstrated higher compressive capacities (ranging from 11 % to 152 %) than the corresponding un-grouted concrete block masonry wallettes, the increment was dependent on the grout and block types. The experimental data collected in this campaign was then used to assess the available formulae and tabulated values to predict the compressive strength of dry-stack concrete block masonry wallettes. The predictabilities of these formulae and tabulated values are presented and discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140411"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140211
Li Jiang , Hong Zhang , Qingxia Tao , Xiaotian Wu , Jianting Zhou , Runchuan Xia
The non-destructive quantitative assessment of cable corrosion is a pressing issue for evaluating the condition of in-service cables. This study established a magnetic dipole model for corrosion damage under load. A prediction method for cable corrosion degree was proposed, combining multi-domain magnetic characteristic values with Whale Optimization Algorithm-Support Vector Regression (WOA-SVR). Results indicate that the combination of multi-domain and multi-dimensional magnetic characteristic values effectively enhances the accuracy of cable corrosion degree inversion. The proposed WOA-SVR model demonstrates strong performance in predicting cable corrosion degree, with a maximum absolute error of 0.66 and a maximum relative error of 5.14 %. This method improves identification accuracy by approximately sixfold compared to traditional approaches, providing theoretical support and new insights for identifying in-service cable corrosion levels.
{"title":"Study on the method for identifying cable corrosion degree based on multi-domain magnetic characteristics considering load influence","authors":"Li Jiang , Hong Zhang , Qingxia Tao , Xiaotian Wu , Jianting Zhou , Runchuan Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The non-destructive quantitative assessment of cable corrosion is a pressing issue for evaluating the condition of in-service cables. This study established a magnetic dipole model for corrosion damage under load. A prediction method for cable corrosion degree was proposed, combining multi-domain magnetic characteristic values with Whale Optimization Algorithm-Support Vector Regression (WOA-SVR). Results indicate that the combination of multi-domain and multi-dimensional magnetic characteristic values effectively enhances the accuracy of cable corrosion degree inversion. The proposed WOA-SVR model demonstrates strong performance in predicting cable corrosion degree, with a maximum absolute error of 0.66 and a maximum relative error of 5.14 %. This method improves identification accuracy by approximately sixfold compared to traditional approaches, providing theoretical support and new insights for identifying in-service cable corrosion levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140211"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403570","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 : 2025-02-14DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140334
Chao Li , Weixi Zhao , Yingwen Zhang , Yashun Feng , Chenyu Zhang , Chao Liu , Yunhua Huang , Xiaogang Li
Rail steel is prone to environmentally assisted cracking (EAC), which can cause severe rail breakage and endanger railway transportation safety. In this study, the stress corrosion cracking (SCC), a typical form of EAC, of a V-microalloyed pearlitic rail steel, U66, was explored in a 0.01 M NaHSO3 solution through slow strain rate testing (SSRT) and constant load corrosion testing (CLCT). SSRT results indicate that U66 exhibits lower fracture elongation loss (15.16 %) and reduction in area (19.97 %) compared to U71Mn rail steel (28.96 % and 64.27 %, respectively). During CLCT, the SCC resistance of U66 increases approximately 32 % initially and reaches up to 41 % after 30 days. The improved performance of U66 can be attributed to the optimization of its microstructure and the incorporation of corrosion-resistant elements. These characteristics give U66 remarkable corrosion resistance impeding anodic dissolution induced cracking, as evidenced by its pore impedance of 356.40/Ω·cm2, which is significantly higher than that of U71Mn (84.39/Ω·cm2). The increased density of hydrogen traps at grain boundaries, ferrite/cementite interfaces and nano-sized precipitates contributes to better resistance against hydrogen assisted cracking. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of high-performance rail steels and the improvement of railway infrastructure durability.
{"title":"Unveiling the environmentally assisted cracking behavior of rails in industrial railway applications and the strategies for improvement via vanadium-microalloying","authors":"Chao Li , Weixi Zhao , Yingwen Zhang , Yashun Feng , Chenyu Zhang , Chao Liu , Yunhua Huang , Xiaogang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.140334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rail steel is prone to environmentally assisted cracking (EAC), which can cause severe rail breakage and endanger railway transportation safety. In this study, the stress corrosion cracking (SCC), a typical form of EAC, of a V-microalloyed pearlitic rail steel, U66, was explored in a 0.01 M NaHSO<sub>3</sub> solution through slow strain rate testing (SSRT) and constant load corrosion testing (CLCT). SSRT results indicate that U66 exhibits lower fracture elongation loss (15.16 %) and reduction in area (19.97 %) compared to U71Mn rail steel (28.96 % and 64.27 %, respectively). During CLCT, the SCC resistance of U66 increases approximately 32 % initially and reaches up to 41 % after 30 days. The improved performance of U66 can be attributed to the optimization of its microstructure and the incorporation of corrosion-resistant elements. These characteristics give U66 remarkable corrosion resistance impeding anodic dissolution induced cracking, as evidenced by its pore impedance of 356.40/Ω·cm<sup>2</sup>, which is significantly higher than that of U71Mn (84.39/Ω·cm<sup>2</sup>). The increased density of hydrogen traps at grain boundaries, ferrite/cementite interfaces and nano-sized precipitates contributes to better resistance against hydrogen assisted cracking. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of high-performance rail steels and the improvement of railway infrastructure durability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"467 ","pages":"Article 140334"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2025-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143403444","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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