Temperature has widely been recognised as an instrumental factor which affects the development of the fresh, mechanical and durability properties of concrete. On the same time, with the recent advents in cement and concrete technology, new binders materials emerge which are affected by temperature and time differently when compared to traditional cements and this could potential induce adverse consequences during design, production, construction and service life of concrete materials and structures. In addition to the above, ongoing climate crisis and change may result in unusual temperature observations that can affect the ageing performance of materials and structures. It, therefore, is of paramount importance to encapsulate the progress in understanding, predicting and monitoring the combined effects of temperature and time on the behaviour of concrete and cementitious systems. The present special issue includes 6 pertinent articles addressing several aspects of the combined effects of temperature and time on concrete properties. Article 7295 (S2-S16) deals with influence of temperature on the hydration, setting and strength of cement pastes with the addition of Triethanolamine and Triisopropanolamine as accelerating or retarding admixture agents. Article 1038 (S17-S31) presents an experimental and numerical study using nanoparticle-based magnetic induced heating with particular applications to oil well cement slurries. Article 5589 (S32-S44) investigates the application of maturity method for estimating the mechanical and durability properties for engineered cementitious composites. Article T0209 (S45-S58) explores the potential of incorporating steel fibres towards improving the thermal resistance of engineered cementitious composites after exposure to elevated temperatures. Article 5508 is an examines that influence of temperature on the evolution of early-age elastic modulus on paste and concrete level and finally, article 6130 studies the effects of temperature on early-age hydration and setting of mixes with ground granulated blast-furnace slag. The articles within this special issue present a wide range of research advancements towards the understanding of the combined effects of temperature and time on properties of cementitious systems. The contributions range from advanced experimental methods at isothermal and non-isothermal conditions, applications of non-conventional concrete materials and measurement of physical and chemical properties of cement-based materials to insightful applications of maturity methods, numerical simulations and discussions on activation energy. It is hoped that the present special issue would provide the state-of-the-art as well as inspiration for further research on the topic.

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This special issue of the Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology features six invited papers that originated from the International RILEM Conference SynerCrete’23, held on Milos Island, Greece, from June 14-16, 2023. These papers were selected by the Scientific Committee after a careful review process, and they were chosen based on the recommendations of the session chairpersons, from a total of 236 accepted contributions. Building on the foundation laid by COST Action TU1404, "Towards the next generation of standards for service life of cement-based materials and structures," which started the SynerCrete conference series in 2018, the 2023 edition continued the mission of bringing together key stakeholders. The aim was to foster collaboration and enhance the exchange of knowledge within the global and interdisciplinary communities. By supporting new developments, this initiative sought to create more robust and sustainable solutions for cement-based materials and concrete structures. The conference offered a valuable opportunity for participants to network, share insights, and explore collaborative possibilities in the field of cement-based materials and structural concrete. The journal papers highlighted in this issue showcase the wide range of contributions from SynerCrete’23 and the intended synergy of diverse expertise.

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