Cogent Engineering

Advanced Cementitious, Nano-engineered and Composite Materials for Next-Generation Civil Infrastructure

Cogent Engineering is pleased to welcome you to submit your research to the Article Collection "Advanced Cementitious, Nano-engineered and Composite Materials for Next-Generation Civil Infrastructure".

The construction sector is at the forefront of the global transition toward sustainable, low-carbon, and resilient infrastructure. Addressing challenges associated with climate change, resource depletion, ageing infrastructure, and increasing urbanisation requires innovative materials that deliver superior structural performance while reducing environmental impacts throughout their lifecycle. Recent advances in nanotechnology, advanced composites, and sustainable construction materials have accelerated the development of high-performance engineering solutions, including low-carbon cementitious materials, nano-engineered composites, fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) systems, sustainable pavement materials, and recycled and waste-derived construction materials. Together, these innovations are reshaping the design, construction, rehabilitation, and long-term performance of civil infrastructure. This Article Collection aims to showcase cutting-edge research that advances sustainable material technologies for resilient and resource-efficient infrastructure.

The development of advanced construction materials is essential for achieving global sustainability goals and supporting the transition toward low-carbon and circular construction practices. Innovative materials such as alkali-activated and geopolymer binders, recycled and industrial by-product-based materials, nano-engineered cementitious systems, and advanced composite technologies provide significant opportunities to reduce carbon emissions, improve durability, extend service life, and optimise the lifecycle performance of infrastructure. At the same time, advances in computational modelling, life-cycle assessment, and data-driven engineering are accelerating material development and enabling more efficient, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure solutions. By integrating materials innovation with structural performance and sustainability assessment, these technologies contribute to safer, more durable, and environmentally responsible civil infrastructure capable of meeting future societal and industrial demands.

This Article Collection welcomes original research articles, review articles, rapid communications, and software articles that advance the development and application of sustainable and high-performance materials for civil and infrastructure engineering. Contributions are particularly encouraged within four interconnected themes:

• • Sustainable and Low-Carbon Construction Materials, including innovative cementitious materials, geopolymer and alkali-activated systems, recycled and waste-derived materials, and sustainable pavement technologies;
  • Nanotechnology and Advanced Composite Materials, encompassing nano-engineered construction materials, fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, advanced bonding systems, and multifunctional materials for enhanced durability and performance;
  • Structural Performance, Durability, and Infrastructure Resilience, covering material behaviour, reinforcement technologies, long-term durability, lifecycle performance, and resilient infrastructure systems;
  • and Computational and Data-Driven Approaches for Sustainable Materials, including numerical modelling, life-cycle assessment, machine learning, and optimisation methods for material design, structural performance prediction, and sustainable infrastructure development.

Interdisciplinary studies that bridge materials engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and sustainability are particularly encouraged.

Meet the Guest Advisors

Mohammad Al-Zu'bi is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Aqaba University of Technology, Jordan. His research focuses on sustainable construction materials, nanotechnology, and advanced building materials, with particular emphasis on enhancing the mechanical performance, durability, and sustainability of civil infrastructure. His work includes developing nanotechnology-enhanced FRP retrofitting systems, polymer nanocomposites, and innovative cementitious materials to improve bonding performance, structural integrity, and long-term durability.

Mazen J. Al-Kheetan is an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at Mutah University, Jordan, and serves as an Associate Editor for the Results in Engineering and Transport Journal, as well as an Editorial Board Member of the International Journal of Pavement Research and Technology. He has been listed in the world’s top 2% scientists list (2025) issued by Stanford University & Elsevier. His research focuses on sustainable construction materials, low-carbon cementitious composites, concrete durability, and advanced materials for infrastructure applications.

Musab Rabi is an Associate Professor of Construction Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at Jerash University, Jordan. His research focuses on structural engineering, advanced construction materials, and sustainable infrastructure systems, with particular emphasis on the analysis, design, and performance evaluation of steel and reinforced concrete structures. His work includes the development and application of innovative reinforcement technologies to enhance structural performance, durability, and resilience.

Rabee Shamass is a Senior Lecturer in Structural Engineering at Brunel University of London, UK. His research focuses on structural engineering, sustainable construction materials, and advanced composite systems, with particular emphasis on fibre-reinforced polymers, low-carbon cementitious materials, structural durability, numerical modelling, and machine learning applications in civil engineering. He has led and contributed to several research projects on sustainable infrastructure, innovative construction materials, and life-cycle assessment.

Ahmed Ali is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia. His research focuses on sustainable transportation infrastructure, advanced construction materials, and pavement engineering, with particular emphasis on nanotechnology-enhanced asphalt materials, recycled and waste-derived materials, and innovative solutions for infrastructure sustainability. He actively contributes to collaborative research, international engineering projects, and peer review activities.

The Guest Advisors declare no conflict of interest regarding this work.