Yu Yang , Jiakai Lin , Shuao Zhang , Tianhao Zhang , Zhenyan Zhou , Bing Li , Tao Ji
{"title":"Influence of microenvironment on photocatalytic purification performance of alkali-activated slag paste incorporating polymeric carbon nitride","authors":"Yu Yang , Jiakai Lin , Shuao Zhang , Tianhao Zhang , Zhenyan Zhou , Bing Li , Tao Ji","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143937","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143937","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A prevalent strategy to augment the photocatalytic performance of cement-based materials involves the enhancement of photocatalyst dosage within the cement matrix. However, this often results in diminished mechanical properties and elevated costs. This study proposes a novel strategy to enhance the purification efficiency of photocatalytic cement-based materials by modulating the microenvironment surrounding the photocatalyst in the matrix. An alkali-activated slag cementitious system was selected for this study, where the type of activator (sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, calcium oxide–sodium carbonate) and alkali equivalent (3–6 wt%) were varied to control the matrix microenvironment. The objective was to investigate its influence on the photocatalytic purification performance of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) and the underlying mechanisms. The findings suggest that the presence of a sufficient quantity of highly crystalline hydrotalcite-like phases and calcium carbonate, in conjunction with an optimal pore solution pH, can augment the photocatalytic efficiency of PCN. Specifically, when the alkali equivalent was 4 wt%, the PCN-added alkali-activated slag cement paste exhibited the highest photocatalytic nitrogen oxide removal efficiency (23.8 %), which was 6.5 % higher than that of the sample with a 3 % alkali equivalent. This modified photocatalytic cementitious material has the potential for wide application as a paving overlay on building enclosures and road surfaces, thereby facilitating the sustainable degradation of atmospheric pollutants and rainwater runoff contaminants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143937"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264416","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}
Qianzhi Huang , Zhiqiang Wang , Ye He , Yi Du , Meng Gong
{"title":"Influence of release grooves, edge gaps and aspect ratios of transverse layer on shear performance of CLT made from fast-growing Chinese fir","authors":"Qianzhi Huang , Zhiqiang Wang , Ye He , Yi Du , Meng Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143955","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143955","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To promote the utilization of local species in cross-laminated timber (CLT), fast-growing Chinese fir, an important wood specie in southern China, has recently been developed for CLT production. The short-span four-point bending tests were conducted to evaluate the shear performance of Chinese fir CLT. An orthogonal experiment was employed to investigate the influences of manufacturing parameters of the transverse layer, such as the aspect ratio, width of edge gaps, and depth of stress release grooves, on the ultimate load-bearing capacity of CLT in shear test. Shear strength of CLT was calculated using three theoretical methods, and the results were compared to assess the differences among them. It was found that rolling shear failure was the main failure mode among the four failure modes of specimens under short-span four-point bending test. For specimens with edge gaps or release grooves, rolling shear cracks were observed around these features. Aspect ratio of transverse layer had slight positive influence on the CLT shear performance. However, both stress release grooves and edge gaps of transverse layer showed significant negative influence. Furthermore, the shear strength calculated by the GB 50005–2017 method is relatively close to that calculated by shear analogy method, whereas the shear strength calculated by the gamma method is lower than the theoretical values calculated by the other two methods. The findings here provide practical guidance for the engineering design and application of fast-growing Chinese fir CLT.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143955"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264475","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}
{"title":"Stabilization of demolished road materials for pavement base applications: Utilization of bagasse ash and fly ash geopolymer composite","authors":"Sattawat Chatchawan , Ratamanee Nuntasarn , Prinya Chindaprasirt","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143848","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143848","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates the enhancement of recycled crushed rock and recycled asphalt pavement aggregates with bagasse ash (BA) and fly ash (FA) geopolymers, as pavement base materials, aiming to conserve natural resources and minimize waste. The mechanical performance and compaction workability are evaluated. BA geopolymer with 5 % BA activated with NaOH–Na<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub> at 10 and 12 M NaOH improves strength, achieving an unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of 2613–5980 kPa, whereas mixes with 8 M NaOH at low liquid contents do not meet the UCS requirement standards (≥ 2413 kPa) [1]. Partial replacement of BA with FA in the geopolymer increases the material density and enhances the geopolymer reactivity by adjusting the SiO<sub>2</sub>/Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> ratio and CaO content. FA contents up to 60 % of the total ash improves the UCS and reduces the alkali liquid content and NaOH concentration. Excessive FA, however, reduces the workability and strength because of insufficient alkali solution. The optimal mixes—40 % FA with 8 M NaOH and 60 % FA with 5 M NaOH—achieve UCSs of 2557 and 2667 kPa, respectively, balanced strength, energy absorption, workability time, and improved residual California Bearing Ratio index under soaked conditions ranging from 82.0 % (0 % FA) to 99.6 %. The two mixes reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 37.8 % and 44.8 %, respectively, compared to that of the cement-stabilized virgin aggregates, while maintaining comparable costs. This demonstrates that BA–FA geopolymer-stabilized recycled aggregates are sustainable alternatives for pavement base layers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143848"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264526","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}
M. Chiquito , A. Pérez-Caldentey , L.M. López , A.P. Santos , R. Castedo , L. Iglesias
{"title":"Period-based anti-explosion protective wall: From concept to reality","authors":"M. Chiquito , A. Pérez-Caldentey , L.M. López , A.P. Santos , R. Castedo , L. Iglesias","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper focuses on the development of a period-based anti-explosion protective wall, from conceptual design to experimental demonstration. The solution is based on changing the period of the structure by attaching to it a steel plate supported on rollers and connected to the protected structure by means of a series of linear elastic springs. The study firstly presents a simplified analysis based on a single degree of freedom system to evaluate the response of the protective structure under blast loading. Then, a full-scale testing campaign, including up to 12 successive explosions on the same specimen, was conducted to verify the theoretical model and assess the performance of the proposed design. The system was tested with decreasing scaled distances ranging from 1.392 m/kg<sup>1/3</sup> to 0.485 m/kg<sup>1/3</sup>, using up to 70 kg of TNT equivalent, without any significant damage to the protected structure. The pressure, acceleration, displacement and strain data of the system were recorded and analysed. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the system in mitigating blast effects, offering a novel approach to enhancing infrastructure resilience. The findings highlight the potential application of this technology for the protection of critical infrastructures, contributing to the advancement of blast-resistant designs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143929"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264530","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}
Yifan Liu , Yan Lin , Jian Wang , Daquan Shi , Yansong Wang , Hanyu Wang , Xueying Li
{"title":"Charge-directed polymer engineering of carbonate crystallization and microstructure for enhanced transport resistance in cementitious materials","authors":"Yifan Liu , Yan Lin , Jian Wang , Daquan Shi , Yansong Wang , Hanyu Wang , Xueying Li","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143825","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143825","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Early hydration studies are often interpreted to suggest that cationic polymers, which impose weaker hydration inhibition, should outperform anionic polymers in reducing permeability. We test this premise by comparing anionic and cationic latexes at 3, 6, and 9 % by binder mass, evaluating transport via non-steady chloride migration and intrinsic gas permeability using Klinkenberg extrapolation, and linking outcomes to MIP-derived pore fractions and tortuosity together with FTIR, XRD, and TGA. At about 6 %, the anionic system delivers larger permeability improvements than the cationic counterpart, with chloride decreasing from 1.15 × 10⁻¹ ² to 0.43 × 10⁻¹ ² m²/s (62.6 % reduction) and gas permeability from 4.86 × 10⁻¹ ⁷ to 1.18 × 10⁻¹ ⁷ m² (75.7 % reduction), while the cationic system shows 49.6 % and 68.1 % reductions at the same dosage. Higher dosages are associated with pronounced early-age strength penalties. Mechanistically, charge-driven interfacial complexation refines pore connectivity and increases tortuosity, with evidence of local carbonate densification, thereby decoupling early-hydration suppression from permeability gains. The contribution of this work is a directly actionable selection guideline: when permeability improvement is the primary objective, prioritize an anionic latex. Finally, a streamlined life-cycle assessment indicates that the optimized anionic system improves durability while lowering global warming potential (GWP).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143825"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264540","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}
Tingjie Huang , Jionghuang He , Kai Zhang , Kaigui Kang , Qiang Yuan
{"title":"Unravelling the role of lithium ions in reaction kinetics and properties of magnesium oxychloride cement","authors":"Tingjie Huang , Jionghuang He , Kai Zhang , Kaigui Kang , Qiang Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143881","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143881","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although lithium salts are recognized as important accelerators in modern cementitious systems, their specific effects and underlying mechanisms in magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) remain unclear. This study investigates the influence of LiCl on the phase evolution, interparticle interactions, and microstructure of MOC, with the aim of elucidating the mechanisms by which LiCl regulates the fresh and hardened properties of MOC. The results demonstrate that LiCl profoundly alters MOC hydration by accelerating MgO dissolution and modulating the crystallization dynamics of Phase 5. While LiCl addition exerts minimal impact on flow behaviors, it significantly enhances the development of elasticity by suppressing interparticle repulsion and rapidly forming a cohesive hydrates network, thereby shortening setting times. The enhanced hydration kinetics promote the early-age compressive and flexural strengths. Moreover, LiCl facilitates the growth of densely interlocking needle-like Phase 5 crystals, generating a low-porosity matrix that further enhances both the mechanical properties and short-term water resistance of MOC. However, prolonged water exposure still induces considerable strength degradation of LiCl-modified MOC due to phase instability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143881"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264268","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}
{"title":"Interlayer strength loss in 3D printed concrete due to time-gap-induced macroporosity","authors":"Rui Luo , Bin Sun , Xiangpeng Fei , Hongjian Du","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interlayer bond integrity governs the structural reliability of 3D printed concrete and is degraded by pauses between layers. This study used X-ray computed tomography to quantify interlayer pore morphology and conducted mechanical tests in splitting, shear, and flexure to measure interlayer strength. Pore statistics were used to parameterize a random pore reconstruction model that resolves stress fields and predicts strength, and its predictions agreed with measurements within 15%. The results showed that a 10 min gap transformed isolated pores into a 3 mm thick interlayer macro void band, which accelerated crack initiation and coalescence and caused pronounced strength loss. Longer gaps from 30 to 120 min promoted lateral proliferation and clustering of macro voids, after which shear and flexural strengths decreased approximately linearly with interlayer porosity, while splitting strength approached a plateau. For this concrete system, maintaining the time gap below 10 min or the interlayer macroporosity below 2% is advisable to preserve interlayer strength. Simulations also indicate a size effect driven by dense macro void clustering, with a fourfold increase in specimen size reducing predicted flexural strength by up to 14.2%.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143924"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264414","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}
{"title":"Heavy metal encapsulation and performance assessment of novel binary blended geopolymer concrete incorporating blast furnace slag sand for safe and sustainable construction practices","authors":"Siba Sankar Chanda, Shyamal Guchhait, Suman Roy","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of industrial waste in construction materials leads to the release of harmful heavy metals, posing risks to health and the environment. This study aims to create a safe and eco-friendly binary blended geopolymer concrete (GPC) by using fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as binders, along with replacing natural fine aggregates (NFA) with blast furnace slag sand (BFS). A 50:50 ratio of FA to GGBS was used in all mixes, with BFS replacing NFA at levels from 0 % to 100 %. Among all mixes, the 50 % BFS mix (G50S50) showed the best performance. It reduced the leaching of arsenic, chromium, and selenium by over 90 %, keeping all values below the limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This mix achieved the highest compressive strength of 46.26 MPa, which is better than traditional concrete. It showed excellent durability with low water absorption (3.59 %), lesser voids (3.29 %), and high density (2489 kg/m³). To ensure statistical reliability, Shapiro-Wilk, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and Anderson-Darling normality tests were conducted, supported by sensitivity analysis and principal component analysis (PCA), which confirmed robust correlations between leaching, durability, and strength. Microstructural analyses using FESEM, EDS, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, water contact angle, and surface roughness revealed refined pore structure and effective immobilization of heavy metals. Collectively, the findings provide the first comprehensive evaluation of FA–GGBS binary blended GPC with BFS sand, demonstrating its potential as a safe, durable, and environmentally sustainable construction material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143865"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264415","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}
{"title":"Performance of self compacting concrete modified with wollastonite fibre and silica fume","authors":"Amol Sharma , Siddharth Garia , R.C. Kale","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143932","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143932","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Self-Compacting concrete (SCC) offers excellent workability without vibration but often suffers from high shrinkage and durability concerns due to elevated powder content and low water to powder ratio. This study investigates the synergistic effect of wollastonite powder (WP) and silica fume (SF) as partial replacements for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) to enhance SCC’s performance and sustainability. Seven SCC mixes were developed with 6 % SF fixed by weight of cement, while WP, exhibiting fibrous morphology, was used as a partial cement replacement at 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, 20 %, 25 % and 30 % by weight of OPC. A constant water to powder ratio of 0.368 was maintained. Fresh properties were evaluated via slump flow, L-box, V-funnel and J-ring tests following EFNARC limits. The optimal mix, with 20 % WP and 6 % SF, achieved a 90-day compressive strength of 45.11 MPa, representing an 18.4 % increase over the control. Flexural and split tensile strengths also improved significantly due to matrix densification and crack bridging by acicular wollastonite particles. SEM analysis confirmed reduced porosity and stronger interfacial transition zones. Beyond 20 %, higher WP content led to agglomeration and strength reduction. The combination of WP and SF enhances mechanical properties while reducing OPC consumption, contributing to sustainable concrete production. This optimised SCC mix is suitable for applications involving congested reinforcement and pre-cast elements. Future work should explore long term durability and pore structure quantification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143932"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264531","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}
Chengchong Hu , Lianyong Xu , Lei Zhao , Yongdian Han , Kai Song , Bojun Zhang
{"title":"Modelling the creep damage via irreversible entropy increase: Experiment and simulation","authors":"Chengchong Hu , Lianyong Xu , Lei Zhao , Yongdian Han , Kai Song , Bojun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.143904","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To evaluate the structural integrity of sodium-cooled fast reactor components under sustained creep loading, high-temperature creep tests were conducted at 525 °C on 316 H stainless steel base metal, welded joints, and associated regions (heat-affected zone and welded metal). And the stress effect on the creep properties of different regions in the welded joints were investigated in detail. During the long-term creep exposition, δ-ferrite gradually transformed into carbides and intermetallic phases, which diminished the resistance to the creep cavities formation at the interface of the δ-ferrite and austenite in the welded metal, making it the weakest region in the welded joint. To capture the creep deformation and damage evolution behaviors of 316 H steel, a creep rate model in the framework of micromechanics and a novel creep damage model grounded in the concept of the accumulation of irreversible entropy increase were established. The results predicted by the constitutive model were closely aligned with the experimental results. Additionally, the proposed damage model provided a novel continuum damage mechanics-based method of long-term creep rupture life prediction under different creep damage mechanisms. The creep damage model developed in this work provides a novel framework for reliability assessment of high-temperature service infrastructures, particularly enabling reliable extrapolation of short-term laboratory data to long-term service life predictions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":288,"journal":{"name":"Construction and Building Materials","volume":"497 ","pages":"Article 143904"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145263785","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}