Energies

Special Issue "Offshore Wind Support Structure Design"

Dear Colleagues,

The offshore wind industry is growing quickly, but the cost of wind energy is still high. There is a need for improvement in several areas. One of them is support structure cost. This cost can be reduced if support structures are designed to be tailored to their local environment. Support structures for offshore wind turbines are highly dynamic, having to cope with combined wind and hydrodynamic loading and complex dynamic behaviour from the wind turbine. It is vital to capture the integrated effect of the wind and wave loads as well as the wind turbine control system, as this is a situation where the total loading is likely to be significantly less than the sum of the constituent loads. This Special Issue focuses on various topics related to the offshore wind support structure design including: hydrodynamics; CFD; vortex induced vibrations; fluid–structure interaction; hydroelasticity; linear and non-linear wave mechanics; buoyancy and stability; mooring systems and controls; radiated noise; structural mechanics; FEM; materials; limit state prediction; fatigue; fracture; structural health monitoring; collision and crash worthiness, degradation; standards and specifications; stochastic calculations; stochastic processes; safety and reliability; risk and limit state design; experimental approaches; instrumentation; full-scale measurements; model tests.

We look forward to receiving your contributions. It is recommended to send a tentative title and a short summary of the manuscript to Energies Editor Ms. Carly Liu <carly.liu@mdpi.com>.

Dr. Mehdi Shokouhian
Guest Editor

Recent Progress in Materials

Special Issue "Sustainable Construction Materials and Structures"

Sustainable design is a method to design the built environment by balancing social, environmental, and economic goals. Today, sustainability is recognized as an essential requirement for any human activity. The requirement to build more sustainable and affordable maintenance infrastructures has become very important due to the expected increase in building and infrastructure projects around the world and its impact on environment. To achieve the goals of sustainability in construction industry, materials and structures play a vital role and the need for developing innovative, sustainable and cost-effective solutions are therefore very significant. This Special Issue focuses on the performance of sustainable materials and their applications in buildings and infrastructure systems. Particular attention will be paid to the advanced and innovative design solutions, analytical models, material investigations in terms of short and long-term behavior, with their influence at structural level for new and existing constructions. recent years, the interest in new materials for applications in dentistry has increased significantly. However, the progress made so far in this area is often not satisfactory for both patients and clinicians. The properties of these materials are not always (or rather not in all respects) as good as their biological counterparts. The fact that the world's population lives longer is also important, increasing expectations as to the durability of biomaterials and the reliability of structures used in the oral cavity. The above is a significant incentive to look for new solutions in terms of the structure, properties and technology of dental biomaterials. One example is the work on active materials that have a significant role to play in relation to regenerative processes. The materials that are currently being intensively worked on include: resin composite, polymers, glassio-nomers, ceramics, endodontics materials, graft materials, bioactive glasses, graphen, titanium, zirconium and silicate cement. New possibilities of dental treatment are also brought about by additive techniques, nanomaterial technologies; and also biomimetic coatings.

Buildings

Special Issue "The Durability of Innovative Construction Materials and Structures"

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore the latest advancements, challenges, and research in the field of durable and sustainable construction materials and structures. With the increasing focus on environmental sustainability and the need for resilient infrastructure, this Special Issue presents a comprehensive collection of studies addressing the durability aspects of innovative materials and their impact on the long-term performance of structures. This Special Issue brings together experts from academia, industry, and research institutions to share their knowledge, insights, and practical experiences related to the durability of construction materials and structures. It covers a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, the following:

Novel construction materials: This section delves into the exploration and evaluation of new materials such as fiber-reinforced polymers, high-performance concrete, self-healing materials, green composites, and sustainable construction alternatives. It examines their durability characteristics, structural performance, and environmental impact.

Durability assessment and modelling: Researchers present advanced methods for evaluating the durability of materials and structures through accelerated aging tests, corrosion resistance analysis, service life prediction models, and non-destructive testing techniques. This section focuses on developing accurate and efficient tools to assess the long-term performance of innovative materials.

Maintenance and repair strategies: Addressing the challenges of preserving and extending the lifespan of structures, this section investigates innovative maintenance and repair techniques for durable construction materials. The topics covered include protective coatings, corrosion inhibitors, rehabilitation methods, and strategies for enhancing durability under harsh environmental conditions.

Case studies and real-world applications: This section showcases practical examples and case studies of the implementation of innovative construction materials and structures in real-world projects. It highlights successful applications, lessons learned, and the overall impact of these materials on the durability and sustainability of infrastructure.

Overall, this Special Issue serves as a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, architects, and policymakers seeking to understand and enhance the durability of construction materials and structures. By fostering the exchange of knowledge and promoting the adoption of innovative and sustainable solutions, it contributes to the development of resilient infrastructure that can withstand the challenges of the future while minimizing environmental impact.

Dr. Mehdi Shokouhian
Dr. Farzaneh Soflaei
Guest Editors