Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhenming Li, Xuhui Liang, Yun Chen, Guang Ye
Summary: The addition of metakaolin can significantly reduce the autogenous shrinkage of alkali-activated slag-fly ash paste, lower the compressive and flexural strength of the paste.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Saloni, Parveen, Yee Yan Lim, Thong M. Pham, Jatin, Jatin Kumar
Summary: This study demonstrates that waste marble aggregates can effectively replace natural aggregates to produce sustainable alkali activated concrete, enhancing the strength and durability of the concrete, saving energy and costs, and reducing environmental impacts.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jozef Vlcek, Michaela Topinkova, Miroslava Klarova, Petra Maierova, Hana Ovcacikova, Vlastimil Matejka, Alexandr Martaus, Veronika Blahuskova
Summary: Unfired ceramic bonding systems were prepared via the alkali activation process using metakaolin and fly ash. Long-term stability of mechanical properties was observed, with FA samples activated with water glass reaching compressive strengths of 16 and 24 MPa after 28 days. Metakaolin activated in NaOH solution above 5 M achieved a compressive strength of 11.2 MPa after hydration at laboratory conditions.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Luis U. D. Tambara Junior, Madeleing Taborda-Barraza, Malik Cheriaf, Philippe J. P. Gleize, Janaide C. Rocha
Summary: The study evaluated the performance of alkali activated bottom ash in external structures, finding that supplementation is needed to improve mechanical and durability properties, while mixtures of sodium silicate and bottom ash showed the best performance.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Sarah Fernando, Chamila Gunasekara, David W. Law, M. C. M. Nasvi, Sujeeva Setunge, Ranjith Dissanayake
Summary: This study evaluates the long-term durability of a blended fly ash-rice husk ash (RHA) AAC and compares it with 100% fly ash AAC. The addition of RHA negatively affects the durability properties due to crack propagation and formation of efflorescence products. The degree of crack propagation and microstructure homogeneity are the main factors influencing long-term durability. However, the blended AAC shows improved resistance to chloride ingress over time.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Sarah Fernando, Chamila Gunasekara, David W. Law, M. C. M. Nasvi, Sujeeva Setunge, Ranjith Dissanayake
Summary: 20RHA bricks demonstrate superior compressive strength and tensile strength, with stronger interfacial bond strength. Additionally, the lower water absorption rate and stronger bond at the interface make the bricks more likely to fracture through aggregates rather than at the interface.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Muralidhar Kamath, Shreelaxmi Prashant, Mithesh Kumar
Summary: The study investigates the properties and performance of a ternary binder matrix composed of Fly Ash, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, and alkali activators. Fresh properties, mechanical properties, and microstructural properties of the ternary binder were studied, showing a homogeneous and denser microstructure with various gels developed.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Osama Ahmed Mohamed, Rania Al Khattab
Summary: This study evaluates the properties of mortars using alkali-activated GGBS and fly ash binders, including sorptivity, setting time, resistance to sulfuric acid, and compressive strength. The experimental results show that these mortars exhibit good water absorption, sulfuric acid resistance, and compressive strength. The best compressive strength is achieved with a binder consisting of 75%GGBS + 25% fly ash.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xiaogang Sun, Yingliang Zhao, Yansheng Tian, Pinqi Wu, Zhenbang Guo, Jingping Qiu, Jun Xing, Gu Xiaowei
Summary: The study found that adding 5 wt% of super-fine metakaolin can significantly promote binder hydration, increase early compressive strength, and improve the microstructure of CPB samples. The modified binder also exhibits good environmental friendliness and cost performance.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Mohammad Rezaei, Vivek Bindiganavile
Summary: This report investigates eight mixtures using Fly Ash as the alumino-silicate precursor to prepare alkali-activated foams, with densities between 600 and 1100 kg/m3. The mechanical performance, dimensional stability, and bond with asphalt substrate were evaluated. The results show that mixtures at the median density of 800 kg/m3 show the most promise, with substantial benefits from fiber reinforcement.
CEMENT & CONCRETE COMPOSITES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jun Liu, Lu Hu, Luping Tang, Jun Ren
Summary: The application of alkali-activation technology to prepare alkali-activated MSWIFA material holds potential to immobilize heavy metals and enhance its pozzolanic property for manufacturing building material. Adding metakaolin in AAFA significantly improves compressive strength, with the addition of sodium silicate increasing strength further. AAFA and AAFM successfully suppress leaching behaviors of certain metals to meet Chinese standards.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Timothy A. Aiken, Jacek Kwasny, Wei Sha, Kien T. Tong
Summary: The study found that the resistance of alkali-activated concrete against chloride, freeze-thaw, and acid attack improves with increased slag content and activator, but it is not as good as Portland cement concrete in terms of chloride and freeze-thaw resistance. Acid resistance appears to be a more promising characteristic of alkali-activated concrete compared to Portland cement concrete.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Artith Wongpaun, Weerachart Tangchirapat, Teewara Suwan, Mizi Fan
Summary: This study investigates the factors influencing compressive strength and expansion due to alkali-silica reaction in environmentally friendly alkaline-activated materials (AAMs). The findings show that higher concentrations of NaOH solution, heat curing conditions, and finer fly ash particles contribute to increased compressive strength. The presence of calcium minerals enhances the strength of hardened products but also induces later-stage expansion. Furthermore, finely milled fly ash significantly reduces alkali-silica reaction expansion in AAMs.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sohaib Nazar, Jian Yang, Muhammad Ashraf, Fahid Aslam, Muhammad Faisal Javed, Sayed M. Eldin, Jianhe Xie
Summary: The study investigates the influence of hydrated lime content and activator dosage on the fresh and hardened properties of one-part alkali-activated mortar based on fly ash and hydrated lime. The results show that the addition of FA/LM-based AAM enhances the reactivity and increases the compressive strength. Furthermore, the lime content affects the rheological properties, and the activator dosage affects the setting time and durability of AAM.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY-JMR&T
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Maryam Hojati, Farshad Rajabipour, Aleksandra Radlinska
Summary: Alkali activated Cement (AAC) is an environmentally friendly alternative to ordinary portland cement (OPC) for construction. This study investigated the long-term durability of AAC, particularly in relation to shrinkage and creep under constant load. The results showed that AAC with a high slag content had a larger time-dependent response and drying shrinkage. Additionally, high curing temperature affected the creep response and reduced the viscous behavior of AAC.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alessandra Mobili, Gloria Cosoli, Nicola Giulietti, Paolo Chiariotti, Giuseppe Pandarese, Tiziano Bellezze, Gian Marco Revel, Francesca Tittarelli
Summary: This paper evaluates the effect of carbon-based conductive recycled additions on the properties of concretes. The results show that the compressive strength is not affected, but the electrical impedance is significantly reduced, leading to improved self-sensing properties. In terms of durability, the additions slightly increase water absorption and decrease chloride ingress, while having no significant effect on carbonation resistance.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Pietro Forcellese, Tommaso Mancia, Michela Simoncini, Tiziano Bellezze
Summary: It is found in the study that the localized corrosion resistance properties of BMD samples manufactured by additive manufacturing technology are lower than those of traditionally manufactured 17-4 PH samples. Among the different build-up orientations, the 45-degree orientation showed the best corrosion resistance properties, despite the presence of defects and porosities.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Alessandra Mobili, Gloria Cosoli, Tiziano Bellezze, Gian Marco Revel, Francesca Tittarelli
Summary: In this study, a newly developed cement along with gasification char and recycled carbon fibers were used to produce sustainable and low-resistivity cement-based composites. The addition of these materials significantly reduced the electrical resistivity of the composites without compromising their mechanical properties, and also improved their durability.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Electrochemistry
Mattia Pierpaoli, Pawel Jakobczyk, Bartlomiej Dec, Chiara Giosue, Natalia Czerwinska, Aneta Lewkowicz, Maria Letizia Ruello, Robert Bogdanowicz
Summary: A novel composite electrode material consisting of tangled fibrous polyacrylonitrile-based hierarchically structured nanocomposites has been developed for enhanced electrochemical detection of acetaminophen. The hierarchical fiber architecture is formed through the combined action of plasma etching and nanostructure formation, which significantly influences the material's porosity and electrochemical performance. Simultaneous fiber carbonization and surface functionalization greatly reduce manufacturing time and improve acetaminophen detection sensitivity by 18 times.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Qaisar Maqbool, Natalia Czerwinska, Chiara Giosue, Simona Sabbatini, Maria Letizia Ruello, Francesca Tittarelli
Summary: Green-synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles, produced using secondary metabolites from organic waste, showed excellent photocatalytic performance for the degradation of pollutants. When added to indoor finishing materials, these nanoparticles enhanced their photocatalytic properties, even at low concentrations.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dominique Serrani, Stefania Cocco, Valeria Cardelli, Paride D'Ottavio, Rogerio Borguete Alves Rafael, Domingos Feniasse, Alcidio Vilanculos, Maria Luisa Fernandez-Marcos, Chiara Giosue, Francesca Tittarelli, Giuseppe Corti
Summary: Slash and burn is a widely used land use practice, but its sustainability has been questioned due to soil degradation. This study investigated rural areas in Mozambique to assess soil quality in agricultural and forest soils at different ages of the forest-fallow period.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Mattia Coccia, Emanuele Farotti, Gianluca Chiappini, Tiziano Bellezze, Marco Sasso
Summary: This study focuses on a Shape Memory Thermoplastic Polyurethane (SMPU) with a one-way shape memory effect activated by temperature. The material showed excellent memory capability under various conditions, and the shape recovery was significantly influenced by the strain rate.
JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT MATERIAL SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
C. H. Joseph, Francesca Luzi, S. N. Afifa Azman, Pietro Forcellese, Eleonora Pavoni, Gianluca Fabi, Davide Mencarelli, Serena Gentili, Luca Pierantoni, Antonio Morini, Michela Simoncini, Tiziano Bellezze, Valeria Corinaldesi, Marco Farina
Summary: In this study, the inverted near-field scanning microwave microscopy (iSMM) is used to investigate a graphene oxide-based epoxy nanocomposite material. The high-resolution spatial mapping of local conductance provides a quantitative analysis of the sample's electrical properties.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Luigi Coppola, Tiziano Bellezze, Alberto Belli, Alessandra Bianco, Elisa Blasi, Miriam Cappello, Domenico Caputo, Mehdi Chougan, Denny Coffetti, Bartolomeo Coppola, Valeria Corinaldesi, Alberto D'Amore, Valeria Daniele, Luciano Di Maio, Luca Di Palma, Jacopo Donnini, Giuseppe Ferrara, Sara Filippi, Matteo Gastaldi, Nicola Generosi, Chiara Giosue, Loredana Incarnato, Francesca Lamastra, Barbara Liguori, Ludovico Macera, Qaisar Maqbool, Maria Cristina Mascolo, Letterio Mavilia, Alida Mazzoli, Franco Medici, Alessandra Mobili, Giampiero Montesperelli, Giorgio Pia, Elena Redaelli, Maria Letizia Ruello, Paola Scarfato, Giuliana Taglieri, Francesca Tittarelli, Jean-Marc Tulliani, Antonino Valenza
Summary: The improvement of concrete structures' durability is crucial for enhancing the sustainability of buildings and infrastructures. Monitoring systems are necessary to detect material deterioration, including the penetration of aggressive substances into concrete and the corrosion of carbon-steel reinforcement, in order to ensure a prolonged service life. Proper data collection enables the planning of suitable restoration works using traditional or innovative techniques and materials. This study focuses on building heritage and presents the latest findings for the conservation and restoration of reinforced concrete structures and masonry buildings.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
A. Mobili, G. Cosoli, N. Giulietti, P. Chiariotti, T. Bellezze, G. Pandarese, G. M. Revel, F. Tittarelli
Summary: Biochar and recycled carbon fibres were added to low-resistive mortars/concretes and their effects on mechanical, electrical, and durability properties were investigated. The combined use of these additives improved the mechanical performance and decreased the electrical impedance of the cement-based matrices. Moreover, they increased carbonation and capillary water absorption but acted as a barrier against water and chloride penetration.
CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Alberto Belli, Alessandra Mobili, Tiziano Bellezze, Paulo B. Cachim, Francesca Tittarelli
Summary: The possible use of industrial by-products as carbon-based fillers and/or fibers for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) was investigated. Used Foundry Sand (UFS) and Gasification Char (GCH) showed better performance than Graphene Nanoplatelets (GNP) in terms of electrical resistivity, porosity, water absorption, and compressive strength. The combination of UFS with recycled carbon fibers (RCF) resulted in the best overall performance in terms of fluidity, strength, water absorption, and piezoresistive behavior.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Environmental Sciences
Adriano Mancini, Gloria Cosoli, Alessandra Mobili, Luca Violini, Giuseppe Pandarese, Alessandro Galdelli, Elisa Blasi, Francesca Tittarelli, Gian Marco Revel
Summary: The paper introduces a monitoring system for the built environment using electrical impedance sensors and develops an early warning system for decision-making in a seismic context. Preliminary data on mortar specimens were collected to predict the electrical impedance module using a Neural Prophet-based deep learning model. The results can be used to support decision-making strategies for building management with acceptable accuracy.
2023 IEEE INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON METROLOGY FOR LIVING ENVIRONMENT, METROLIVENV
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Qi Zheng, Chengyao Liang, Jinyang Jiang, Haiyan Mao, Karen C. Bustillo, Chengyu Song, Jeffrey A. Reimer, Paulo J. M. Monteiro, Haimei Zheng, Shaofan Li
Summary: This study used scanning transmission electron microscopy to examine defects in cement particles at the single-atom level. The researchers identified different types of defects and found that they play a crucial role in cement hydration, facilitating dissolution and providing nucleation sites for hydration products.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Anuj Parashar, Shashank Bishnoi
Summary: This study investigated the hydration of siliceous fly ash, slag, and metakaolin with calcium hydroxide, and found that the rate of hydration and phase assemblage is influenced by the alkali and sulphate content, while siliceous fly ash is less affected by alkalis and sulphates.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Peimin Zhan, Juan Wang, Hanbing Zhao, Wengui Li, Surendra P. Shah, Jing Xu
Summary: This study investigates the influence of hydrothermal synthetic conditions on the properties of C-S-H seeds and reveals the correlations between C-S-H seeds properties, hydration kinetics, and paste performances. It is found that low reactant concentrations and calcium-to-silicon ratios facilitate the production of C-S-H seeds with small size and high purity. Using C-S-H seeds with high effective surface area accelerates the hydration process of cement, resulting in refined pore structure and enhanced strength.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Zhaozheng Meng, Qing-feng Liu, Neven Ukrainczyk, Song Mu, Yufei Zhang, Geert De Schutter
Summary: This study developed a numerical framework to investigate the combined attack of sulfate and chloride ions on cementitious materials in marine and saline environments. The study quantified various chemical reactions and solved the electrostatic potential caused by multi-ion coupling. The results showed that neglecting the multi-ions coupling effect could result in an underestimated chemical coupling strength in competitive chloride-sulfate binding.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Ning Li, Cise Unluer
Summary: This study aimed to improve the carbonation efficiency and reduce processing time of recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs). Wet carbonation with seawater was found to be more efficient than dry carbonation, leading to significant reduction in water absorption and increase in density of RCAs. The compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) prepared with 1-hour seawater carbonated RCAs was also improved. The formation of ettringite and calcite under wet carbonation contributed to the increased density and strength, as well as improved bond strength in the interfacial transition zone of RAC. Seawater presents several advantages as a medium for wet carbonation, including its abundant availability, CO2 capture capacity, and accelerated hydration and carbonation.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yong Tao, Yining Gao, Yanjie Sun, Roland J. -M. Pellenq, Chi Sun Poon
Summary: Decalcification of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) is an important issue for the long-term safety of cement-based infrastructures. Using molecular simulations, this study reveals an important mechanism of accelerated C-S-H decalcification in seawater, which involves ion exchange between surface Ca and electrical double layers, resulting in a decrease in Ca dissolution free energy. This finding enhances the understanding and prediction of cementitious materials' degradation.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Kumaran Coopamootoo, Enrico Masoero
Summary: This study uses kinetic simulations to investigate the relationship between dissolution rate and saturation index in minerals in solution. Two distinct regimes are observed, with stresses at crystallographic defects controlling the transition between them. A parameterization of the interaction potentials is proposed to obtain consistent interfacial energies with water. The findings contribute to the current discussion on controlling reactivity using materials and defects.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Faping Li, Qianshi Chen, Yiyan Lu, Yunlong Zou, Shan Li
Summary: In this study, the impact of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a silane coupling agent on the performance and microstructure of alkali-activated fly ash/slag pastes was investigated. The results showed that the addition of these materials can prolong setting time, improve flowability and mechanical strength, and reduce mass loss and drying shrinkage.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yaozeng Wang, Wencui Yang, Ai Zhang, Penghuan Liu, Yong Ge
Summary: Low-temperature low-field nuclear magnetic resonance was used to analyze icing in water saturated white cement paste specimens during the freeze-thaw process at different temperatures. The experimental results were compared with classical theory, showing agreement at certain temperatures but discrepancies at others. New equations were proposed based on the analysis of specimens saturated with different solutions to relate the volume of frozen water to temperature during freezing and thawing of cementitious materials.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shengjie Yan, Yingjie Liang
Summary: This paper proposes a fractal derivative model with a non-linear distributed-order (DOFM) to describe the multi-scaling behaviors of particle diffusion in alkali-activated materials. The DOFM is tested using experimental data and is found to effectively describe the multi-scaling diffusion behaviors of particles in the materials.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Cecilia Pesce, Richard J. Ball, Marco Molinari, Shaun Reeksting, Giovanni Luca Pesce
Summary: This study evaluates the effect of ten organic additives on the microstructure of portlandite crystals during CaO hydration. It was found that the presence of carbohydrates and sulfonates can alter the structure of portlandite and the properties of lime can be controlled by adding carbohydrates. This has significant implications for the development of new binders and reducing CO2 emissions.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Daniel Jansen, Alexander German, Dominique Ectors, Frank Winnefeld
Summary: This study used X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement technique to investigate a hydrous carbonate-containing brucite and found that the 001 reflection of this phase split into different patterns at different temperatures. The presence of water and/or carbonate influenced the distance between the layers in the brucite structure.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Dylan Singh, Trinh Thao My Nguyen, Evann Bustamantes, Abdul Wahab, Ahmad Hamzah Yousaf, Ian Shortt, Frank W. Foss Jr, Maria Konsta-Gdoutos, Sang Soo Lee, Erika La Plante
Summary: This study analyzes the chemical structure and morphology of magnesium silicate hydrate (MSH) grown under different concentration ratios and temperatures. The results show that increasing the magnesium to silicon ratio reduces silicate polymerization in MSH, and at higher temperatures and longer reaction times, oriented attachment of nanoparticles and enhanced crystallinity are observed. These findings provide insights into the precise chemical synthesis of MSH and its widespread use as a binder in construction.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
J. C. O. Zepper, S. R. van der Laan, K. Schollbach, H. J. H. Brouwers
Summary: This study presents a method to calculate the main phases of BOF slag based on chemical composition and validates the proposed final model through quantitative model assessment and validation approaches.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yierfan Maierdan, Samuel J. Armistead, Rebecca A. Mikofsky, Qiqi Huang, Lola Ben-Alon, Wil V. Srubar III, Shiho Kawashima
Summary: This research investigated the effects of sodium alginate on the stability and 3D printability of kaolinite suspensions. The findings showed that sodium alginate could enhance the stability of kaolinite and improve the strength of printable mixtures, as well as shift the printability window.
CEMENT AND CONCRETE RESEARCH
(2024)
