Multi-Scale Damage Evolution and Performance Management of Engineered Geomaterials in Construction

Engineered geomaterials and cementitious composites play an essential role in modern construction, underground engineering, transportation infrastructure, mining backfill, and sustainable built environments. Their long-term performance is strongly governed by multi-scale mechanisms, including particle interaction, hydration products, pore structure, fiber- or additive-induced reinforcement, and microcrack initiation and propagation. Recent advances in imaging, numerical simulation, artificial intelligence, and experimental characterization have created new opportunities to understand the relationship between microstructure evolution and macroscopic mechanical behavior. However, challenges remain in linking material-level damage mechanisms with construction performance, durability assessment, and engineering decision-making.This Research Topic aims to bring together recent advances in the multi-scale characterization, modeling, and performance management of engineered granular and cementitious materials used in construction. The central question is how micro-mechanical behavior, damage evolution, and material modification strategies can be better understood and translated into improved construction quality, durability, sustainability, and resilience. Contributions are expected to address experimental, numerical, and theoretical approaches that reveal the mechanisms governing strength development, deformation, cracking, permeability, durability, and failure processes. The Research Topic also welcomes studies that connect material performance with construction management, lifecycle assessment, monitoring, and sustainable engineering practices.This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, and perspective articles related to engineered geomaterials and cementitious composites in construction. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: microcrack initiation and propagation; fiber-reinforced concrete and cemented backfill; granular material behavior; multi-scale experimental characterization; X-ray CT, SEM, acoustic emission, and digital image correlation techniques; constitutive modeling and numerical simulation; durability and water resistance; sustainable binders and recycled materials; construction quality control; lifecycle performance assessment; and intelligent monitoring or data-driven evaluation of material behavior. Interdisciplinary contributions linking material mechanics with construction management and sustainable infrastructure development are particularly encouraged. Topic editors: Zizheng Zhang, Xuepeng Song, Shuaigang Liu, Jianxiong Yang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83269/multi-scale-damage-evolution-and-performance-management-of-engineered-geomaterials-in-construction