This study investigated the sulfate resistance and expansive behavior of binary binders incorporating low-grade calcined kaolinite clay (CC) and ternary binders as limestone calcined clay cement (LC3), considering both external and internal sulfate attack. Hydration products and microstructural changes were analyzed and compared with conventional binders using fly ash and slag. The optimal sulfate resistance was observed in binders with 40% CC, which outperformed ordinary Portland cement (OPC), fly ash, and slag mixtures under drying-wetting cycles, achieving a sulfate resistance coefficient 30% higher than OPC. While LC3 displayed higher mechanical strengths, CC binders showed greater sulfate resistance due to the absence of limestone and a higher proportion of pozzolanic reactants. Ettringite formation during hydration in the CC system contributed to beneficial micro-expansion without compromising strength, even with internal gypsum addition. Notably, both CC and LC3 binders exhibited improved internal sulfate tolerance when evaluating the potential sulfate resistance performance.

Conventional computer vision methods for full-field structural displacement monitoring face significant challenges in nighttime applications due to (i) the unstable geometry and weak texture of luminous targets and (ii) the loss of phase interpretability in texture-less luminous regions, which undermines phase-based motion magnification. To address these limitations, this study proposes a two-stage, two-mechanism framework termed the Convolutional Bokeh (ConBo) method for nighttime full-field vibration monitoring using existing luminous targets. The first stage, ConBo-Track, performs spatiotemporal shape normalization by isolating self-emitting targets via a minimum-value Gamma correction and regularizing their morphology through circular convolution, enabling lightweight centroid detection and real-time region-of-interest (ROI) tracking. The second stage, ConBo-Mag, conditions the local intensity field within each ROI using Gaussian convolution, improving the displacement consistency of phase estimates and enabling physically meaningful, ROI-confined motion magnification under low-light and non-periodic conditions, without multi-scale decomposition or frequency tuning. In laboratory tests, ConBo-Track achieves real-time tracking performance for 1080p videos at 60 fps on a CPU-based platform, while ConBo-Mag resolves sub-pixel motions with a precision of approximately 0.092 pixels. The method is further validated through nighttime field monitoring of a 1377 m main-span suspension bridge over distances exceeding 1 km, exhibiting displacement agreement with GPS measurements within 0.02-0.04 m RMSE and 12 vibration frequencies with deviations smaller than 2 % from the reference result. The proposed ConBo framework provides a practical, texture-independent solution for nighttime full-field bridge monitoring using consumer-grade cameras and existing illumination.

Abstract Steel corrosion in marine concrete structures is critically exacerbated by solar heating and seawater penetration, accelerating chloride ingress and electrochemical degradation. Existing strategies often fail to synergize efficient thermal regulation and anti-wetting functionality for costal structures protection. To address this limitation, we develop a double-effect protective bi-coating, consisting of a carbonated dicalcium silicate (C2S)/BaSO4 composite gel overlaid with a layer of hydrophobic SiO2 nanoparticles, designed to passively suppress thermal and chemical corrosion drivers. The carbonation-activated C2S forms a chemically bonded calcium-modified silicate gel matrix, ensuring robust concrete adhesion, while BaSO4 nanoparticles enhance solar reflectance (94.6%) and mid-infrared emittance (92.8%), enabling efficient passive cooling. Integrated with the hydrophobic overlayer for waterproofing, this protective bi-coating achieves a sub-ambient cooling (4.13 °C) under direct sunlight and excellent anti-wetting property (water contact angle of 151.3°), effectively mitigating solar thermal loading and chloride penetration. Furthermore, after 30 days of cyclic solar illumination-salt spray exposure, the protective layer can significantly reduce corrosion initiation time and current density, demonstrating double-effect protection for reinforced concrete through ion-blocking and cooling-enabled corrosion buffering. This work pioneers a passive strategy that synergizes radiative cooling, chemical compatibility, and ion-blocking functionality to extend the service life of marine infrastructure under coupled thermo-chemo degradation.

Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) polymers are extensively used in technological fields spanning industrial applications to the construction industry. However, it was revealed recently that graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets could mitigate their known drawbacks of hydrophobicity and surface concentrations that generate foam and a porous structure and severely restrict both the functionality and performance of composites. Nevertheless, the antifoaming mechanism of GO remains insufficiently understood and requires an in-depth investigation to be established. This study presents a novel and comprehensive investigation by applying a combination of experimental techniques, complemented by theoretical approaches, to elucidate the underpinning antifoaming mechanism of GO sheets in GO-polymer (GOP) nanocomposites. The microscopy and spectroscopy results disclosed that surface-active GO sheets modified the polymer's inherent morphology and characteristic carbon and oxygen states through oxidative reactions. Further confirmation of GO sheets altering the closely packed EVA polymer assembly to the loosely packed GOP nanostructure, distinctly during foaming, was obtained by angleresolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The observed 32 % lower water contact angles of the GOP nanocomposites are consistent with Laplace's theory confirming modified EVA polymer orientation, redistribution at the interface and altered interfacial concentrations. The GO sheets adsorption at the air-water interface enabled modifying the polymer's particle packing orientation as the primary mechanism to deliver antifoaming behaviour and provides novel insights into controlling the material-scale properties of GOP composites.

Heat accumulation in the underground soil poses a great risk to the geotechnical integrity, resulting in severe ground settlement and foundation deformation, especially in permafrost region. Current passive geothermal control technologies provide an energy-free pathway for cooling the underground soil. However, their cooling mechanism relies solely on heat convection, where the fluctuation of weather conditions can significantly degrade their cooling capacity and even lead to operation failure. Here, we integrate passive daytime radiative cooling technologies (PDRC) for underground thermal control, providing additional heat dissipation through heat radiation to the ultracold outer space (∼3 K) apart from convection, which significantly improves the cooling capacity and presents an environment-tolerant operation. Using thermosyphons as examples, our simulations validated by experiments indicate the integration of PDRC enhanced the cooling power by at least 65.9% in all investigated weather conditions. Moreover, under summer condition, the PDRC thermosyphon sustained heat extraction even when the soil surrounding the evaporator was approximately 6 K colder than the ambient air, extending the allowable soil-to-ambient temperature range by up to approximately 8 K compared with conventional thermosyphons. Furthermore, we also estimated the capacity of PDRC thermosyphons in stabilizing the permafrost that subjected to seasonal weather change. Under representative winter conditions, the PDRC thermosyphon deepens the 272.15 K critical isotherm by 1.20–1.30 m relative to conventional thermosyphons and by 2.38 m relative to the case without a thermosyphon, and maintains the efficient operation even in warm seasons. This study has realized the potential of PDRC in designing high-efficiency and stable geothermal control strategies and offers a pathway for the long-term stabilization of the permafrost.

The deployment of new artificial intelligence (AI) methods is pivotal in driving innovative automation systems within the construction sector, with growing relevance for improving material sustainability assessment and decision-making. Among different methods, transfer learning (TL) has recently emerged as a key enabler of deep learning success in construction engineering, especially in computer vision applications using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Recognizing the central role of concrete materials in construction and their significant life-cycle environmental impacts, this review examines the transformative potential of combining TL and CNN to automate assessment and optimization in different areas of concrete technology. It begins by introducing the concept of TL, highlighting prominent off-the-shelf image datasets and CNN models employed in concrete research. The review then showcases the potential of TL-enabled CNN computer vision systems across different stages of the concrete life-cycle, including material selection, construction, quality control, and maintenance, supporting data-driven and resource-efficient practices. Lastly, the review proposes future research directions to foster the integration of these AI-based automation systems into the concrete industry, contributing to more cost-effective and sustainable life-cycle performance of concrete infrastructure.

Building indoor cooling and heating contributes significantly to global energy demand and carbon emissions. Passive radiant thermal regulation materials, particularly those that combine both passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) and solar heating (SH), offer a sustainable solution by responding dynamically to environmental conditions. However, while the potential of dual-mode PDRC/SH has been demonstrated in coatings and glazings, its integration into the most widely used building materials, cement-based materials, remains largely unexplored. Here, we present a temperature-adaptive radiative cooling/heating cement (TARCHC) composite, developed by strategically integrating a cement-based honeycomb architecture with microstructured PDRC/SH polymers to achieve a cement-based composite that exhibits not only thermal regulation functions but also adequate mechanical strength. Bio-inspired by the chameleon, the developed TARCHC composite exhibits adaptive solar reflectance (ranging from 75.8% to 93.4%) while maintaining excellent longwave-infrared emissivity (similar to 95.0%) across varying thermal conditions. Under daytime outdoor testing, the optimal TARCHC composite achieves effective average subambient cooling of up to similar to 3.8 degrees C and heat gain of similar to 1.7 degrees C, while being lightweight (similar to 899 kg/m(3)) and presenting adequate mechanical strength (0.0062 MPa & centerdot;m(3)/kg) and water-repellent properties. These findings address the need for adaptable thermal regulation systems and pave the way for the development of energy-efficient, climate-responsive green roof technologies.

High energy consumption in buildings is increasingly driven by the demand for electrical cooling, particularly in urban areas affected by the urban heat island (UHI) effect. This phenomenon, exacerbated by conventional construction materials like concrete that absorb and retain heat, increases cooling loads and strains energy systems. Energy-free passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) technology presents an appealing solution by reflecting solar radiation and emitting heat into the cold universe, with recent polymer composite designs demonstrating potential for achieving high PDRC performances. However, the integration of high-performance PDRC polymer materials in building applications is challenging, primarily due to inadequate mechanical strength and compatibility with construction materials. Here, we combine a cement-based honeycomb architecture with nano-engineered porous polymer to obtain lightweight PDRC-cement composites that deliver both efficient energy-free cooling performance and high mechanical strength. Specifically, the innovative material design achieves excellent solar reflectance (94.9 %) and high longwave infrared emission (97.0 %), enabling sub-ambient temperature reduction of similar to 9.6 degrees C and a measured net cooling power of similar to 196.8 W/m(2) at midday under an ambient air temperature of similar to 65 degrees C, significantly outperforming state-of-the-art radiative cooling construction materials while maintaining high specific compressive strength (0.013 MPa m(3)/kg). With potential for incorporation into energy-efficient building envelopes, this design approach presents a promising strategy for effective building energy savings and heat island mitigation.

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) technology provides an energy-free pathway for building cooling, offering a sustainable solution to the energy crisis and global warming. Inorganic structural materials, such as porous ceramics, show promise for practical PDRC application owing to their scalability and long-term stability. However, existing PDRC ceramics are often designed as spectrally selective emitters, which may become inferior in above-ambient temperature cooling scenarios (e.g., building cooling). We have developed a broadband PDRC ceramic with an optimized microporous structure, achieving high solar reflectivity (0.98) and excellent wide-ranging mid-infrared emissivity (0.94). Due to the enhanced heat exchange with both surroundings and sky, the ceramic exhibited strong daytime cooling while suppressing nighttime overcooling, demonstrating a self-adaptive cooling effect that is appealing for building applications. The ceramic showed a maximum temperature drop of similar to 19.5 degrees C and similar to 3.3 degrees C for daytime and nighttime respectively, significantly narrowing the diurnal temperature difference. This self-adaptive cooling capacity was well maintained even in unfavorable conditions (e.g., cloud coverage and heavy smog conditions). Moreover, the PDRC ceramic is also light weight, water resistant, mechanically robust, thermally isolated and comes in optional colors, which demonstrates its robust applicability. This study has realized the potential of a microporous structure in the design of broadband PDRC materials and offers a practical, eco-friendly approach to building cooling across diverse scenarios.

In this study, alkali-activated granulated blast furnace slag (AAS) was selected as a low-carbon precursor for fabricating an inorganic radiative cooler via accelerated carbonation and BaSO4 nanoparticles (NPs) modification. The influence of the accelerated carbonation and BaSO4 dosages on the solar reflectance and thermal emittance were experimentally investigated, along with multiple analytical characterizations that provide insights into the correlation between phase/microstructure transformation and optical properties. Additionally, small-scale field tests were conducted to validate the cooling performance of the as-fabricated sample in outdoor environments. An energy balance analysis was subsequently performed to calculate the corresponding net cooling power. The results revealed that the synergy of carbonation and BaSO4 NPs significantly improved the solar reflectance from 10.3 to 83.9% while having negligible impact on the thermal emittance. Mechanism analysis indicated that the whitening effect of BaSO4 NPs and its capability to promote the formation of calcite and capillary pore were responsible for the improved solar reflectance. Outdoor measurements demonstrated an excellent passive cooling performance compared to the plain sample, with an average temperature drop of similar to 10 degrees C in the midday, corresponding to a net cooling power of 59 W/m2. This work paves the way for upcycling waste slag into a high-performance passive cooling material while also capturing CO2 for energy-efficient buildings.

The carbonation of cementitious calcium silicates, specifically tricalcium silicate (C3S) and dicalcium silicate (C2S), is crucial for Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) in reducing CO2 emissions in the cement and concrete industry. Controlling these reactions, including the rate and phase evolution necessary for producing desirable carbonated products, poses significant challenges. A lack of continuous kinetic data has impeded the understanding of the mechanisms behind carbonation and its optimization to enhance efficiency. This study explores the effects of four amino acids-glycine, L-arginine, sarcosine, and L-serine-on the carbonation of calcium silicate using in-situ XRD for real-time data collection. It identified a three-stage carbonation process starting with an induction period. The presence of specific amino acids encouraged the formation of stable vaterite and denser microstructures, indicating their potential to enhance the mechanical properties and durability of cementitious materials.

The dissolution kinetics of tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5, or C3S), the primary component of ordinary Portland cement, are critical to cement hydration, which governs key properties, such as setting, hardening, long-term mechanical performance, and durability. Despite its importance, the lack of dissolution kinetic data for single C3S particle hinders the development of accurate hydration models and a comprehensive understanding of hydration mechanisms. In this study, we employed a novel lab-on-a-chip technology integrated with confocal laser scanning microscopy to investigate the dissolution behavior of individual C3S particles and obtain statistical insights under varying degrees of undersaturation and hydrodynamic influence. By examining each particle's dissolution behavior, we observed key phenomena, including the simultaneous occurrence of dissolution and fragmentation, and demonstrated that dissolution rates are independent of particle size. Furthermore, we found that single-particle dissolution evolves over time, closely tied to changes in surface defects under different undersaturation levels. Our findings provide a new statistical and mechanistic understanding of C3S dissolution at the particle scale, offering critical data to refine cement hydration models. This work sheds light on the role of particle-level factors such as fragmentation, size, and surface defects in dissolution and hydration processes, enabling the design of more effective additives to optimize cement performance.

Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) through carbonation curing is deemed a potential strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of Portland cement materials. However, the high energy consumption associated with the carbonation process and losses in mechanical strength in cement-based products limit the CCU efficiency. This study unveils glycine, a widely available amino acid, as a promising additive to enhance the production of CCU cement-based materials. It was found that a small addition of glycine (<1 % wt of cement) to a cement mix could shorten the carbonation curing time by a factor of four. Additionally, glycine densified the pore structure and enhanced the mechanical properties of the cement-based products. The observed CO2 capture enhancement was attributed to an acceleration in cement dissolution and optimisation in pore connectivity during the pre-carbonation stage, which created optimal conditions for the carbonation process. These findings underscore glycine's potential to advance CCU in cement and concrete production, offering a pathway to reduce cement's carbon footprint while improving material performance.

Long-range computer vision (CV) based structural dynamic monitoring of bridges during nighttime ensures continuous and convenient data collection, avoids disruption to construction and traffic flows, and takes advantage of the more stable temperature environment. However, the low-light conditions during nighttime pose challenges for conventional CV-based methods due to the reduced visibility of non-luminous target objects and the interference from the deforming lens flares for luminous ones. In addition, the long-range nature of the monitoring tasks raises further difficulties due to the reduced detectability of target objects and the signal's susceptibility to noise caused by camera movements. This study proposes an enhanced CV-based object tracking method that utilizes the Bokeh effect, incorporating a morphological image enhancement operation to increase the detectability of Bokeh circles. Additionally, it employs an LSTM-based algorithm for peak/trough prediction to reduce the influence of camera movements, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of on-site bridge dynamic monitoring. Applied to a long-span cable-stayed bridge under construction using consumer-grade cameras, the method achieved nighttime monitoring over a range of 400 m. Results were validated against displacement meter measurements recorded simultaneously, demonstrating the method as a light-weight, costeffective, unsupervised, and quick-response alternative for structural dynamic monitoring in low-light conditions.

Electricity consumption for building cooling accounts for a significant portion of global energy usage and carbon emissions. To address this challenge, passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) has emerged as a promising technique for cooling buildings without electricity input. However, existing radiative coolers face material mismatch issues, particularly on cementitious composites like concrete, limiting their practical application. Here, we propose a cementitious radiative cooling armor based on a particle-solid transition architecture (PSTA) to overcome these challenges. The PSTA design features an asymmetric yet monolithic morphology and an all-inorganic nature, decoupling radiative cooling from building compatibility while ensuring UV resistance. In the PSTA design, nanoparticles on the surface serve as sunlight scatterers and thermal emitters, while those embedded within a cementitious substrate provide build compatibility and cohesiveness. This configuration results in enhanced interfacial bonding strength, high solar reflectance, and strong mid-infrared emittance. Specifically, the PSTA delivers an enhanced interfacial shear strength (0.93 MPa), several-fold higher than that in control groups (metal, glass, plastic) along with a cooling performance (a subambient temperature drop of similar to 6.6 degrees C and a cooling power of similar to 92.8 W under a direct solar irradiance of similar to 680 W/m(2)) that rivals or outperforms previous reports. Importantly, the design concept of the PSTA is applicable to various particles and solids, facilitating the practical application of PDRC technology in building scenarios.

The application of Computer Vision (CV) techniques in Structural Dynamic Monitoring (SDM) eliminates the need for sensor installation and calibration, providing reliable monitoring results. However, conventional CV methods typically require time-intensive supervised pre-processing steps such as pattern extraction and machine learning. This paper introduces a novel Bokeh-effect-based target object tracking method for SDM that forgoes the need for such pre-processing, allowing for unsupervised, real-time, non-contact monitoring. This method, adaptable for diverse lighting conditions and employing consumer-grade cameras and computers, creates circles around target objects positioned beyond the depth of field of the camera lens, then detects and tracks the movement of these circles to facilitate structural dynamic monitoring. The proposed method is applied to a wind tunnel experiment on bridge girder sections to verify its accuracy and reliability, and the result is validated with the measurement from LASER transducers in the same wind tunnel experiment. This innovative approach advances efficient SDM by offering rapid response and real-time non-contact tracking capability with a high tolerance for target objects under regular and low-light conditions while avoiding the complexities linked with the pre-processing inherent in other supervised CV detection methods.

Rainfall-induced landslides, exacerbated by climate change, require urgent attention to identify vulnerable regions and propose effective risk mitigation measures. Extensive research underscores the significant impact of vegetation on soil properties and slope stability, emphasizing the necessity to incorporate vegetation effects into regional landslide susceptibility mapping. This review thoroughly examines research integrating vegetation into landslide susceptibility mapping, encompassing qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative forecasting methods. It highlights the importance of incorporating vegetation aspects into these methods for comprehensive and accurate landslide susceptibility assessment. This review explores the diverse roles of vegetation in slope stability, covering both aggregated impacts and individual influences, including mechanical and hydrological effects on soil properties, as well as the implications of evapotranspiration and rainwater interception on slope stability. While aggregated roles are integrated into non-deterministic methods as input layers, individual roles are considered in deterministic methods. In the application of deterministic methods, it is noteworthy that a considerable number of studies primarily concentrate on the mechanical impact, particularly the reinforcement provided by root cohesion. The review also explores limitations and highlights future research prospects. In the context of mapping landslide susceptibility amid changing climatic conditions, data-driven techniques encounter challenges, while deterministic methods present their advantages. Stressing the significance of hydrological impacts, the paper recommends incorporating vegetation influences on unsaturated soil properties, including the soil water characteristic curve and soil permeability, along with pre-wetting suction due to evapotranspiration and potential rainwater interception.

Geopolymer materials offer environmental benefits and strong mechanical properties but face limitations such as efflorescence, shrinkage, thermal stability and poor mechanical performance at high temperatures. This study introduces a novel solution using silane-functionalized graphene oxide nanocomposites (GO-APTS) to address these challenges. Experiments on metakaolin-based geopolymers demonstrate that incorporating GO-APTS improves dispersion, enhances mechanical strength, refines pore structures, and boosts resilience to high temperatures while reducing shrinkage and efflorescence, without compromising the workability of the mixes. Although the structural integrity of the material at nanoscale degrades beyond certain temperatures, the overall thermal resistance is significantly increased, with treated geopolymers displaying a 6 % improvement in porosity, 20 % higher residual compressive strength and 15 % reduction in shrinkage compared to control samples after exposure to heat. Our work reveals the promising potential of silanized graphene oxide nanocomposites in crafting cementitious materials suitable for high-temperature applications, paving the way for their broader use in innovative construction and industry solutions.

Energy-free passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) technology makes it an attractive solution to both the building energy crisis and global warming. Spectrally selective porous polymers have great potential for practical PDRC applications owing to their cooling performance and scalability. A fundamental understanding of the relationship between the cooling performance and pore properties is crucial for guiding future structural designs of high-performance PDRC materials. However, one of the key challenges is achieving uniform nanopores and tailorable pore morphologies in the PDRC coating films. Here we demonstrate a strategy to use advanced metal-organic framework (MOF) nanocrystals as a sacrificial template creating a nanoporous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) coating film with uniform-sized nanopores for highly daytime passive radiative cooling. The experimental evidence indicates that nanopores around 400 nm in size, comparable to the wavelength within the ultraviolet and visible spectra, along with an appropriate porosity of 37%, contribute to excellent solar reflectance (94.9 ± 0.8%) and high long-wave infrared emission (92.8 ± 1.4%) in the resulting porous PVDF films. This leads to subambient cooling of ≈9.5 °C and a promising net cooling power of 137 W/m2 at midday under solar intensities of ∼1275 and ∼1320 W/m2. The performance equals or exceeds that of state-of-the-art polymeric PDRC designs, and this general strategy of tailing nanostructures is expected to open a new avenue toward high-performance radiative cooling materials for PDRC applications.