This special issue of the Journal of Advanced Concrete Technology features invited papers that originated from the International Conference on Non-destructive Evaluation of Concrete in Nuclear Applications, held in Espoo, Finland, from 25 - 27 January 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 48 accepted contributions. The event centered on the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of concrete in nuclear applications. NDE techniques are crucial in the nuclear industry as they allow for the inspection of concrete structures without causing damage, ensuring the integrity and safety of these facilities. A significant emphasis was placed on interdisciplinary approaches, bringing together experts from different fields to foster collaboration and innovation. This interdisciplinary focus is essential for developing new NDE techniques and improving existing ones, ensuring they can effectively address the unique challenges posed by nuclear applications. (Editors: Miguel Ferreira, Ernst Niederleithinger, Fahim Al-Neshawy, Vera Lay,Sylvia Keßler, Salvador Villalobos,Javier MonteroSanchez)
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. Editors: Fragkoulis Kanavaris, Miguel Azenha, Farid Benboudjema, Dirk Schlicke.
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 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. (Editors: Fragkoulis Kanavaris, Miguel Azenha, Shingo Asamoto)