@article{GrimmThielKraenkeletal., author = {Grimm, Benedikt and Thiel, Charlotte and Kr{\"a}nkel, Thomas and Gehlen, Christoph}, title = {Einfluss der Permeation auf die Carbonatisierung von Beton}, series = {ce/papers: Proceedings in Civil Engineering}, volume = {6}, journal = {ce/papers: Proceedings in Civil Engineering}, number = {6}, publisher = {Ernst \& Sohn}, address = {Berlin}, issn = {2509-7075}, doi = {10.1002/cepa.3005}, pages = {1348 -- 1357}, abstract = {Die Carbonatisierung von Beton kann einerseits zu Sch{\"a}den bei Stahlbetonbauwerken f{\"u}hren, andererseits kann der Beton so CO2 speichern und damit seinen CO2-Fußabdruck verringern. In diesem Beitrag wird dargestellt, wie eine effiziente Beschleunigung der Carbonatisierung durch Anlegen eines geringen {\"a}ußeren Drucks erreicht werden kann. Damit wird neben der Diffusion der wesentlich schneller ablaufende Transportmechanismus der Permeation ausgenutzt, der das CO2 tiefer in das Probeninnere transportiert und damit in kurzer Zeit die Bestimmung des Carbonatisierungswiderstand zementgebundener Materialien erm{\"o}glicht. Hierzu wurde eine Pr{\"u}feinrichtung entwickelt, die es erm{\"o}glicht, die CO2-Konzentration und in gewissen Grenzen auch relative Luftfeuchte sowie die Temperatur gezielt einzustellen und zu steuern, um so M{\"o}rtel- und Betonproben schnell und pr{\"a}zise zu carbonatisieren. Der Einfluss verschiedener Druckstufen und Wechselzyklen wird dargelegt und die resultierenden chemischen und physikalischen Ver{\"a}nderungen der Proben bestimmt. Als besonders effizient und gleichzeitig realit{\"a}tsnah erwies sich die konstante CO2-Beaufschlagung mit 3 Vol.-\% CO2 mit zus{\"a}tzlichem, moderatem Gasdruck. Das hier entwickelte Verfahren kann daher genutzt werden, um Betone schnell und effizient in zeitraffenden Materialtests hinsichtlich Carbonatisierungswiderstand zu charakterisieren.}, language = {en} } @article{VonGreveDierfeldLothenbachVollprachtetal., author = {Von Greve-Dierfeld, Stefanie and Lothenbach, Barbara and Vollpracht, Anya and Wu, Bei and Huet, Bruno and Andrade, Carmen and Medina, C{\´e}sar and Thiel, Charlotte and Gruyaert, Elke and Vanoutrive, Hanne and Del Sa{\´e}z Bosque, Isabel F. and Ignjatovic, Ivan and Elsen, Jan and Provis, John L. and Scrivener, Karen and Thienel, Karl-Christian and Sideris, Kosmas and Zajac, Maciej and Alderete, Natalia and Cizer, {\"O}zlem and Van den Heede, Philip and Hooton, Robert Douglas and Kamali-Bernard, Siham and Bernal, Susan A. and Zhao, Zengfeng and Shi, Zhenguo and De Belie, Nele}, title = {Understanding the carbonation of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials}, series = {Materials and Structures}, volume = {53}, journal = {Materials and Structures}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1617/s11527-020-01558-w}, pages = {1 -- 34}, abstract = {Blended cements, where Portland cement clinker is partially replaced by supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), provide the most feasible route for reducing carbon dioxide emissions associated with concrete production. However, lowering the clinker content can lead to an increasing risk of neutralisation of the concrete pore solution and potential reinforcement corrosion due to carbonation. carbonation of concrete with SCMs differs from carbonation of concrete solely based on Portland cement (PC). This is a consequence of the differences in the hydrate phase assemblage and pore solution chemistry, as well as the pore structure and transport properties, when varying the binder composition, age and curing conditions of the concretes. The carbonation mechanism and kinetics also depend on the saturation degree of the concrete and CO2 partial pressure which in turn depends on exposure conditions (e.g. relative humidity, volume, and duration of water in contact with the concrete surface and temperature conditions). This in turn influence the microstructural changes identified upon carbonation. This literature review, prepared by members of RILEM technical committee 281-CCC carbonation of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials, working groups 1 and 2, elucidates the effect of numerous SCM characteristics, exposure environments and curing conditions on the carbonation mechanism, kinetics and structural alterations in cementitious systems containing SCMs.}, language = {en} } @article{SakoparnigGalanSteindletal., author = {Sakoparnig, Marlene and Galan, Isabel and Steindl, Florian Roman and Kusterle, Wolfgang and Juhart, Joachim and Grengg, Cyrill and Briendl, Lukas G. and Saxer, Andreas and Thumann, Maria and Mittermayr, Florian}, title = {Durability of clinker reduced shotcrete: Ca2+ leaching, sintering, carbonation and chloride penetration}, series = {Materials and structures}, volume = {54}, journal = {Materials and structures}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1617/s11527-021-01644-7}, pages = {1 -- 23}, abstract = {The reduction of clinker use is mandatory to lower the negative environmental impact of concrete. In shotcrete mixes, similarly to the case of conventional concrete, the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and proper mix design allow for the substitution of clinker without compromising the mechanical properties. However, the impact of the substitution on the durability of shotcrete needs to be further assessed and understood. The results from the present study, obtained from real-scale sprayed concrete applications, show a reduction of the Ca2+ leaching and sintering potential of clinker-reduced shotcrete mixes due to the presence of SCMs. This positive effect, crucial for low maintenance costs of tunnels, is mainly related to a reduced portlandite content, which on the other hand negatively affects the carbonation resistance of shotcrete. Additionally, the hydration of SCMs positively influences the chloride penetration resistance presumably due to a combination of microstructural changes and changes in the chloride binding capacity. Differences found in the pore size distribution of the various mixes have low impact on the determined durability parameters, in particular compared to the effect of inhomogeneities produced during shotcrete application.}, language = {en} } @article{SteindlGalanBaldermannetal., author = {Steindl, Florian Roman and Galan, Isabel and Baldermann, Andre and Sakoparnig, Marlene and Briendl, Lukas G. and Juhart, Joachim and Thumann, Maria and Dietzel, Martin and R{\"o}ck, Rudolf and Kusterle, Wolfgang and Mittermayr, Florian}, title = {Sulfate durability and leaching behaviour of dry- and wet-mix shotcrete mixes}, series = {Cement and Concrete Research}, volume = {137}, journal = {Cement and Concrete Research}, number = {November}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106180}, pages = {1 -- 19}, abstract = {Shotcrete is a material frequently used in underground constructions such as tunnels, where Ca leaching and sulfate attack are important durability issues. In this study, two test methods were employed to investigate the sulfate resistance and leaching behaviour of dry- and wet-mix shotcretes in sulfate solutions on a time-resolved basis. Tests on powdered samples showed the dissolution of AFm, portlandite and C-A-S-H, subsequently followed by the precipitation of calcite and ettringite. The extent of sulfate expansion of drill cores corresponded to the chemical response of the powder materials, particularly on the reactivity of Ca- and Al-containing hydrated cement phases. The use of high-purity metakaolin (7-10 wt\%) in the shotcrete binder significantly decreased the sulfate durability, while high amounts of other SCMs such as blast-furnace slag and silica fume (> 20 wt\%) had a positive effect on the durability of shotcrete.}, language = {en} } @article{SakoparnigGalanKusterleetal., author = {Sakoparnig, Marlene and Galan, Isabel and Kusterle, Wolfgang and Lindlar, Benedikt and Koraimann, G{\"u}nther and Angerer, Thomas and Steindl, Florian Roman and Briendl, Lukas G. and Jehle, Sebastian and Flotzinger, Johannes and Juhart, Joachim and Mittermayr, Florian}, title = {On the significance of accelerator enriched layers in wet-mix shotcrete}, series = {Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology}, volume = {131}, journal = {Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.tust.2022.104764}, pages = {1 -- 10}, abstract = {The application process, which gives shotcrete its name is a robust and established method, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, the spraying process has been significantly enhanced. However, during the last decades no major technical changes have been made. In this study the wet - mix shotcrete process including the dosing of accelerator was investigated. For this, we monitored the concrete and accelerator pressure with 5 sensors in the pumps and pipes, and analysed the accelerator distribution in the hardened shotcrete matrix. The recorded pressure fluctuations clearly indicated that the pumping of the concrete with a double-piston pump led to flow pulsations. The pressure along the accelerator pipes, controlled by a peristaltic pump, was not steady either. However, the accelerator flow pulsation had a higher frequency than that of the concrete flow. This misalignment led to changes in the accelerator to concrete ratio during the spraying process. The impact of these incongruent concrete and accelerator flows on the resulting hardened shotcrete was visually analysed with the use of 0.02 \% uranin as fluorescent tracer added to the accelerator. The tracer distribution showed that changes in the accelerator/concrete ratio led to the formation of 'accelerator layers', layers with higher accelerator concentrations in the hardened shotcrete. These layers show differences in chemistry, mineralogy and open porosity compared to the rest of the shotcrete matrix. The presence of accelerator enriched layers can have detrimental effects on the shotcrete properties, especially affecting the durability and mechanical performance. In consequence, we recommend a revision of the shotcrete process to eliminate these inhomogeneities.}, language = {en} } @article{SteindlMittermayrSakoparnigetal., author = {Steindl, Florian R. and Mittermayr, Florian and Sakoparnig, Marlene and Juhart, Joachim and Briendl, Lukas G. and Lindlar, Benedikt and Ukrainczyk, Neven and Dietzel, Martin and Kusterle, Wolfgang and Galan, Isabel}, title = {On the porosity of low-clinker shotcrete and accelerated pastes}, series = {Construction and Building Materials}, volume = {368}, journal = {Construction and Building Materials}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {14}, issn = {0950-0618}, doi = {10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.130461}, abstract = {Although the number and size of interconnected pores have been identified as the most important aspects of concrete microstructure, comprehensive datasets on shotcrete porosity and pore size distributions are still scarce and their key controls are poorly investigated. In this study we investigate the effects of the spraying process, setting accelerator addition and mix design on the microstructure of real-scale dry- and wet-mix shotcrete and hand-mixed and sprayed accelerated pastes. A newly proposed deconvolution analysis of the pore size distributions, measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry, offers increased precision in determining the critical and median pore diameter parameters. In total >50 samples were analysed. Results show that the dry-mix shotcrete exhibits a shift towards coarser pore sizes (∼100-1 μm) than wet-mix shotcrete. Combinations of different supplementary cementitious materials are favourable for producing wet-mix shotcretes with refined pore structures. The addition of setting accelerators, up to 10 wt-\% of binder mass, and the spraying process cause systematic variations in the pore volume and pore structure of (sprayed) paste and shotcrete.}, language = {en} } @article{VollprachtGluthRogiersetal., author = {Vollpracht, A. and Gluth, Gregor J. G. and Rogiers, Bart and Uwanuakwa, I. D. and Phung, Quoc Tri and Villagran Zaccardi, Y. and Thiel, Charlotte and Vanoutrive, H. and Etcheverry, Juan Manuel and Gruyaert, Elke and Kamali-Bernard, Siham and Kanellopoulos, Antonios and Zhao, Zengfeng and Milagre Martins, Isabel and Rathnarajan, Sundar and De Belie, Nele}, title = {Report of RILEM TC 281-CCC: insights into factors affecting the carbonation rate of concrete with SCMs revealed from data mining and machine learning approaches}, series = {Materials and Structures}, volume = {57}, journal = {Materials and Structures}, number = {9}, publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media}, issn = {1359-5997}, doi = {10.1617/s11527-024-02465-0}, abstract = {The RILEM TC 281-CCC ''Carbonation of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials'' conducted a study on the effects of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) on the carbonation rate of blended cement concretes and mortars. In this context, a comprehensive database has been established, consisting of 1044 concrete and mortar mixes with their associated carbonation depth data over time. The dataset comprises mix designs with a large variety of binders with up to 94\% SCMs, collected from the literature as well as unpublished testing reports. The data includes chemical composition and physical properties of the raw materials, mix-designs, compressive strengths, curing and carbonation testing conditions. Natural carbonation was recorded for several years in many cases with both indoor and outdoor results. The database has been analysed to investigate the effects of binder composition and mix design, curing and preconditioning, and relative humidity on the carbonation rate. Furthermore, the accuracy of accelerated carbonation testing as well as possible correlations between compressive strength and carbonation resistance were evaluated. One approach to summerise the physical and chemical resistance in one parameter is the ratio of water content to content of carbonatable CaO (w/CaOreactive ratio). The analysis revealed that the w/CaOreactive ratio is a decisive factor for carbonation resistance, while curing and exposure conditions also influence carbonation. Under natural exposure conditions, the carbonation data exhibit significant variations. Nevertheless, probabilistic inference suggests that both accelerated and natural carbonation processes follow a square-root-of-time behavior, though accelerated and natural carbonation cannot be converted into each other without corrections. Additionally, a machine learning technique was employed to assess the influence of parameters governing the carbonation progress in concretes.}, language = {en} } @article{LinnerdeSotoElMahdyetal., author = {Linner, Thomas and de Soto, Borja Garc{\´i}a and El-Mahdy, Deena and Gonzalez, Vicente A.}, title = {Topical collection: robotic solutions for digitally enabled production processes in construction}, series = {Construction Robotics}, volume = {10}, journal = {Construction Robotics}, publisher = {Springer}, issn = {2509-811X}, doi = {10.1007/s41693-025-00174-w}, pages = {1}, abstract = {Across the global construction sector, a new generation of robotic systems is rapidly entering the market. Solutions for on-site drilling, spraying, masonry, logistics, and finishing are now being piloted at an unprecedented pace. Their deployment in emerging construction robotics hubs in Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Denmark, Switzerland, and Germany demonstrates both the momentum of this technological shift and the considerable challenges that remain. In real-world testing environments, the integration of these robots into digital construction pipelines—particularly BIM-to-robot workflows, semantic task modeling, and robust digital twins—continues to be a bottleneck. These challenges position digitally enabled fabrication and robotics as a priority topic within academia, motivating research on methods, techniques, algorithms, and workflows that can accelerate adoption in construction. This Topical Collection brings together research spanning the emerging landscape of digitally enabled construction robotics. The contributions advance robotic fabrication, from flexible timber processes to innovative formwork, reinforcement, and earth-based additive methods, alongside computer vision, BIM integration, and sensing approaches that improve monitoring and quality assurance. The collection also includes mobile and aerial systems for inspection and mapping to support system autonomy in construction. Together, these works show how integrated perception, planning, and sociotechnical understanding of human-robot collaboration are becoming essential for reliable robotic performance in construction. While current construction robots still focus on simple, structured tasks, the advances in this topical collection point toward a more capable generation. Contributions outline principles for robot-compatible buildings through new fabrication logics and BIM-linked task data, while work on perception, BIM integration, and data fusion reduces interoperability gaps. Research on sensing and adaptive processes supports more consistent workflows, and mobile and aerial robotics provide insights for deployment and site logistics. Collectively, these developments show how digitally enabled production processes can help to overcome key systemic barriers and enable future, scalable construction robotics.}, language = {en} } @article{BernalAngstProvisetal., author = {Bernal, Susan A. and Angst, Ueli M. and Provis, John L. and Thiel, Charlotte and Gluth, Gregor J. G. and Villagran-Zaccardi, Yury and De Belie, Nele}, title = {Recommendation of RILEM TC 281-CCC: RILEM CPC-18R1 - guideline for measuring the carbonation depth of hardened concrete using a pH indicator solution}, series = {Materials and Structures}, volume = {59}, journal = {Materials and Structures}, publisher = {Springer}, issn = {1359-5997}, doi = {10.1617/s11527-026-02966-0}, pages = {11}, abstract = {This recommendation provides a procedure for determining the carbonation depth on the surface of concrete by applying a pH indicator. This includes definitions of carbonation, carbonation depth and carbonation front, as well as descriptions of the different pH indicator solutions that can be used. Recommendations for testing laboratory-prepared specimens and those obtained from concrete structures are also given. This involves guidelines for sample preparation and/or extraction, CO2 exposure duration, carbonation depth determination and reporting of results. A section on data interpretation is also provided, as carbonation results are used for determining durability of concrete, as well as a criterion for materials selection or for carbon uptake calculations. The new Recommendation CPC-18R1 is intended to supersede the former RILEM recommendation CPC-18, particularly when prescribed as the preferred method for evaluating and reporting carbonation depths.}, language = {en} }