Lianjuan Miao, Chujie Jiao, Songsong He, Ming Wen, Xinchun Guan
{"title":"Laboratory experiment and theoretical analysis to determine the oxygen slippage factor in concrete materials","authors":"Lianjuan Miao, Chujie Jiao, Songsong He, Ming Wen, Xinchun Guan","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02741-7","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02741-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The gas penetration characteristics of concrete materials are important indicators that reflect their durability. The relationship between the slippage factor and intrinsic permeability is distinctly defined in theory and experiments for concrete materials. Oxygen permeability is tested by Cembureau method and concreate pore structure is gained by MIP measurement and SEM image. The pore tortuosity through a multi-diameter bundle capillary model was derived. As a result, a simplified equation between the slippage factor and intrinsic permeability was obtained through theory analysis and the relation is validated through gas penetration testing. And there is no direct correlation between pore size and slippage factor analyzed through provided equation. Aperture size gained by MIP method and slippage factor gained by Cembureau test method also shows no obvious regular relationship due to diversity of pore shapes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144853588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Compatibility mechanism and fracture behavior of recycling polyurethane foam as asphalt extender: a molecular scale interpretation","authors":"Jiao Lin, Junfu Liu, Lihao Song, Zepeng Fan, Dong Liang, Guoyang Lu, Dawei Wang","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02745-3","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02745-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A substantial proportion of waste polyurethane (PU) contributes significantly to solid waste accumulation. Alcoholysis technology can degrade waste PU into polyols for recycling, and the by-product (BPF) can be used as asphalt extender to produce BPF-asphalt while maintaining good performance. Based on the previous research, this study focuses on the interaction between BPF and asphalt at a molecular scale. Two types of BPF (BPF-A and BPF-B) were selected, and the molecular models were established based on their chemical compositions analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance, which revealed their primary constituents as propylene oxide (PO), ethylene oxide (EO), and diamino diphenylmethane (MDA). The interaction energy between each component of BPF with each component of asphalt is negative, with polyether (EO/PO) showing the strongest interaction due to hydrogen bonding, followed by aromatic amine through hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking, proving that there is good compatibility between BPF and asphalt molecules. In addition, the tensile model was established to simulate the cracking behavior at different loading rates and verify the results of tensile ductility tests. The results show that the rapid tensile of molecular chains at high loading rates inhibits viscous relaxation, thereby improving the instantaneous load capacity. The excessively low loading rates may lead to the loss of energy dissipation efficiency due to excessive relaxation of the molecular structure. BPF-A, which is richer in polar EO groups, forms stronger hydrogen bonds with asphalt, yielding higher peak traction under rapid loading. Conversely, BPF-B’s rigid PO-dominated structure enables superior energy absorption and peak traction at low loading rates due to delayed molecular relaxation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jean-Claude Carret, Kevin Bilodeau, Morteza Rezaeizadeh Herozi, Lucas Babadopulos
{"title":"Effects of air void content and back‑calculation techniques on bituminous mixture modulus via impact resonance","authors":"Jean-Claude Carret, Kevin Bilodeau, Morteza Rezaeizadeh Herozi, Lucas Babadopulos","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02734-6","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02734-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study evaluates the effect of back-calculation methods and air void content on the complex modulus of bituminous mixtures using impact resonance tests (IRT). Non-destructive IRT were performed on disk-shaped specimens of hot mix asphalt (HMA) at − 20 °C and + 23 °C to determine their resonance frequencies, which are critical for their viscoelastic characterization. Both an analytical method and a numerical back-calculation method were utilized to determine the complex modulus (dynamic modulus and phase angle) of the specimens based on IRT data. Both analytical and numerical methods yielded consistent dynamic modulus values. At − 20 °C, they ranged from 25,000 to 40,000 MPa. At room temperature, values were between 10,000 and 20,000 MPa. However, the two methods differed in their phase angle estimates, especially at higher temperatures, with discrepancies ranging from − 6° to + 3°. The study identifies limitations in current numerical back-calculation techniques, particularly regarding damping estimation, and suggests improvements in optimization procedures. The results also highlight that air void content significantly affects HMA stiffness (about 1000 MPa per % air void content), with higher air voids reducing the dynamic modulus, particularly at lower temperatures. This research advances the knowledge on application of IRT for characterizing bituminous mixtures, highlighting its potential for cost-effective characterization of HMA properties and fostering future standardization.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144832222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of matrix rheological properties on the distribution of steel fibers in concrete","authors":"Lingling Zhu, Li Hong, Qijun Yu","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02749-z","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02749-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) has emerged as a prominent construction material owing to its superior resistance to cracking and impact. The spatial distribution of steel fibers, governed by the rheological properties of the mortar, exerts a critical influence on the toughening efficiency and crack resistance of SFRC. In this study, seven types of cement mortars with various rheological properties and corresponding SFRCs were prepared and investigated to the effect of mortar rheology on fiber dispersion and spatial distribution. Quantitative correlations were established between the rheological properties and two-dimensional (2D) fiber dispersion indicators, including the fiber distribution coefficient (<i>α</i>), orientation coefficient (<i>φ</i>), and effective utilization rate (<i>η</i>). Additionally, the effect of these indicators on the mechanical performance of SFRC was quantified. The spatial distribution characteristics were subsequently analyzed using X-ray computed tomography (CT) with three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of steel fibers. The results indicated that both <i>φ</i> and <i>η</i> attained peak values when the mortar’s yield stress ranged between 40.00 and 60.00 MPa and its plastic viscosity was within 0.40 to 0.60 Pa·s. Optimal fiber orientation coefficient (<i>α</i> = 0.90–0.92) and effective utilization rate (<i>φ</i> = 0.70–0.75) can enhance the compressive strength of SFRC to 33.6 MPa. The probability distributions of fiber distance r and angle θ followed normal distributions, while the angle φ conformed to an exponential distribution. This study contributes to optimizing the SFRC mixture design and enhancing fiber utilization, while the proposed fiber spatial distribution models serve as input for mesomechanical modeling of SFRC, thereby enabling the simulation of its anisotropic behavior governed by rheological properties.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144814408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peng Ning, Yonglin Gao, Abdul Ghafar Wahab, Tao Zhong, Wenfeng Bai, Wang Yang
{"title":"Rammed earth construction for sustainable and seismic-resilient buildings: structural advances and constraints methods","authors":"Peng Ning, Yonglin Gao, Abdul Ghafar Wahab, Tao Zhong, Wenfeng Bai, Wang Yang","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02742-6","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02742-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rammed earth construction, known for its sustainability and aesthetic appeal, has traditionally faced limitations in terms of seismic performance owing to the inherent properties of the material. This study addresses these limitations by investigating the seismic behavior of rammed earth walls enhanced with different structural constraints and material compositions. Nine test models, all of the same size but produced using distinct construction techniques and material mixes (Mixes 1 and 2), were categorized into three series: unconstrained rammed earth walls (W1-1 to W1-3), reinforced concrete frame-constrained walls (W2-1 to W2-3), and steel frame-constrained walls (W3-1 to W3-3). Low-cycle repeated loading tests were conducted to evaluate the structural responses. The results showed that the reinforced concrete and steel frame constraints significantly improved the load-bearing capacity and deformation resistance of the walls. The unconstrained walls exhibited a minimum cracking load and ultimate load of 245 and 382 kN, respectively. In contrast, the reinforced concrete frame-constrained walls achieved superior performance, with a minimum cracking load and ultimate load of 400 and 597 kN, respectively. The steel frame-constrained walls displayed intermediate results, with a minimum cracking load of 338 kN and an ultimate load of 554 kN. Additionally, the specimens using Mix 2 (W1-3, W2-3, and W3-3) demonstrated the highest energy dissipation. These findings provide valuable insights for designing earthquake-resistant rammed-earth wall systems, highlighting the crucial role of structural constraints and material composition in enhancing seismic resilience.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145163734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
José Alexandre Tostes Linhares Júnior, Markssuel Teixeira Marvila, Iully da Silva Amaral Pereira, David Coverdale Rangel Velasco, Carlos Maurício Fontes Vieira, Afonso Rangel Garcez de Azevedo
{"title":"Characterization of lignocellulosic fibers from pineapple leaf with alkaline treatment for application in geopolymeric mortars","authors":"José Alexandre Tostes Linhares Júnior, Markssuel Teixeira Marvila, Iully da Silva Amaral Pereira, David Coverdale Rangel Velasco, Carlos Maurício Fontes Vieira, Afonso Rangel Garcez de Azevedo","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02735-5","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02735-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Geopolymers are binding materials with potential applications in civil construction. The use of natural lignocellulosic fibers stands out over synthetic fibers because they are renewable and offer desirable technological properties such as high tensile strength and low specific gravity. These fibers also have a lower cost than other reinforcements, such as synthetic fibers. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of fibers extracted from the pineapple leaves, a waste widely generated in producing areas. The fibers were characterized in their natural form and after treatment by immersion in a 5% alkaline solution/1 h (mercerization). Parameters such as average diameter, water absorption, density, tensile strength, deformation and modulus of elasticity were obtained. Several analyses such as XRD, FTIR, DSC and SEM were performed to compare treated and untreated fibers for a more efficient application in geopolymers. A thermal behavior study, with 28 days of exposure at 60 °C, was carried out to analyze the possibility of thermal curing in a possible application in geopolymers. The treated fibers obtained a considerably superior performance in all properties analyzed. In this context, geopolymer composites were prepared using treated fibers to evaluate the fresh and hardened state of the mortars, obtaining the consistency index, flexural strength and compression. The composites had the addition limited by the workability of 3% and reached approximately 17 MPa of mechanical resistance to compression, with the addition of fibers being beneficial to the context studied. It is concluded that the use of pineapple leaf fiber after mercerization treatment in geopolymers is a viable alternative.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145163733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arnaud Castel, Quang Dieu Nguyen, David Law, Taehwan Kim, Gabriel Samson, Martin Cyr, John L. Provis, Wengui Li
{"title":"Recommendation of RILEM TC 283-CAM: performance-based assessment of alkali-activated concrete durability using the 10 V rapid chloride permeability test","authors":"Arnaud Castel, Quang Dieu Nguyen, David Law, Taehwan Kim, Gabriel Samson, Martin Cyr, John L. Provis, Wengui Li","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02738-2","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02738-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The major barriers to the widespread adoption of alkali-activated materials by the construction industry include concerns about durability and their exclusion from current standards. The chemical reactions characterizing alkali-activated binder systems differ drastically from the conventional hydration process of Portland cement. Thus, the mechanisms by which concrete achieves potential durability are different between the two types of binders. RILEM Technical Committee (TC) 283-CAM (Chloride transport in Alkali-activated Materials) aimed to address key questions related to chloride transport in alkali-activated binders and concretes, with a view toward drafting recommendations for the appropriate selection and application of testing methods, and this document represents a key output of that TC.</p><p>The standard ASTM C1202 Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT) method fails to measure the charge passed through most alkali-activated concretes due to samples overheating when applying the specified 60 V potential difference. A modified RCPT using a 10 V potential difference was used in the interlaboratory testing campaign of TC 283-CAM. The 10 V-RCPT method described in this Recommendation allowed the successful completion of tests for all alkali-activated concretes considered. Various precursors were investigated including fly ash, GGBS, calcined clay and ferronickel slag. 10 V-RCPT results are validated against ASTM C1556 bulk diffusion test results. Performance-based specifications are proposed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1617/s11527-025-02738-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145163332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sustainable magnesium oxysulfate cementitious composites from agricultural and industrial wastes: performance and optimization","authors":"Hao Huang, Qi Sun","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02737-3","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02737-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study successfully developed a novel multi-source solid waste composite based on magnesium oxysulfate cement (MOSC). It significantly enhanced mechanical properties through optimized locust wood powder particle size, component dosage regulation, and the incorporation of fly ash (FA), ground slag (GS), and sodium silicate (SS). Optimizing wood powder size to 0.160–0.315 mm boosted flexural and compressive strengths. The synergistic incorporation of FA and GS yielded mechanical properties comparable to or superior to MOSC, with 28-day flexural and compressive strengths of 11 MPa and 80 MPa, respectively. Sodium silicate further enhanced properties, particularly fracture absorption energy under flexural loading. The ordered arrangement and tight network structure of the 5·1·7 phase promoted adequate hydration, improving overall performance. The optimized composites exhibited peak mechanical properties at 60d, with flexural and compressive strengths of 12.8 MPa and 79 MPa, respectively, and achieved a 65% multi-source solid waste consumption rate, offering significant economic and environmental benefits.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145163096","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chidchanok Pleesudjai, Carlos A. S. Oliveira, Daniel L. Araujo, Devansh Patel, Moacir Alexandre Souza de Andrade, Romildo Toledo Filho, Barzin Mobasher
{"title":"Efficiency of hybrid reinforced concrete beams with low reinforcement ratios","authors":"Chidchanok Pleesudjai, Carlos A. S. Oliveira, Daniel L. Araujo, Devansh Patel, Moacir Alexandre Souza de Andrade, Romildo Toledo Filho, Barzin Mobasher","doi":"10.1617/s11527-025-02736-4","DOIUrl":"10.1617/s11527-025-02736-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This research explores the serviceability level characterization of hybrid reinforced concrete (HRC) beams with low reinforcement ratios in the range of 0.052%-0.262% under flexural test. Hybrid reinforced structural members use continuous reinforcement with randomly distributed chopped fibers in the matrix. The study focuses on the immediate post-cracking response of flexural beams to analyze parameters such as stiffness, deflection, strain transfer mechanisms, and ultimate strength response. The influence of steel fibers on flexure performance, ductility, and tensile strain, as well as the sharing of the flexural load are also studied. HRC beams are shown to have a higher first crack strength (15–24%) and stiffness in the serviceability domain compared to conventional RC beams regardless of the reinforcement ratio. The addition of up to 1.25% fibers contributes to the sharing of the flexural load such that reducing longitudinal reinforcement between 50 and 80% was associated with decreasing the ultimate load between 10 and 50% while still increasing the post-crack stiffness. Crack localization was found in both RC and HRC sections within a range of reinforcement ratios. The addition of fiber while maintaining the same reinforcement ratio confirmed the reduction in ductility. However, by adopting a lower limit of 3.0 for the deflection ductility ratio, HRC beams with up to 0.75% of steel fibers were found to be ductile, even despite presented softening behavior after the peak load.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":691,"journal":{"name":"Materials and Structures","volume":"58 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145163097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}