Davide di Summa

Ghent University | UGhent · Department of Structural Engineering and Building Materials

The ever-changing needs of the end user in the construction industry, together with the increasing awareness about the great influence of the sector on the worldwide sustainability, require some tools to be employed by the stakeholders to drive the market towards conscious and appropriate choices. An example in this regard are advanced cement-based...

Among the various possibilities to tackle the issue of concrete damage within its structural service life, the biomimetic approach has favoured the development of innovative solutions such as the use of 3D printed vascular networks suitably incorporated into concrete structural elements to inject and convey the most suitable healing agent upon crac...

Recent studies highlighted the need to investigate the sustainability of innovative cement-based composites. In this regard, some works focused their attention on the use of Super Absorbent Polymers (SAPs) blended into the concrete matrix also employed to promote the autogenous healing, which can result into extended durability. In this study the L...

This research focuses on the evaluation of the sustainability of recycled ultra-high-performance concrete (R-UHPC) in a life cycle analysis (LCA) perspective, and with reference to a case study example dealing with structures exposed to extremely aggressive environments. This involves the assessment of the self-healing capacity of R-UHPC, as guaran...

Self-healing is recognized as a promising technique for increasing the durability of concrete structures by healing cracks, thereby reducing the need for maintenance activities over the service life and decreasing the environmental impact. Various self-healing technologies have been applied to a wide range of cementitious materials, and the perform...

The problem of construction cost control, together with the availability of land, is the most important issue for the realization of affordable housing within the Mogadishu area which is therefore limited in its development. The research carries out an estimation of construction costs, overcoming information inaccuracy and ranging from building to...

Shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a critical issue in civil applications generally solved with metal screens. In recent years, the properties of many composite materials filled with carbon nanotubes or graphene or materials with a carbon-based coating have been analysed with the aim of using them for electromagnetic shielding...

Due to the increasing awareness and sensitivity towards the environmental and economic sustainability issues, the concrete industry has to deliver innovative solutions, in terms of materials, products and structural concepts, to achieve higher durability of engineering feats in real service scenarios. The inclusion of SuperAbsorbent Polymers (SAPs)...

Electromagnetic waves in the X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz frequency) are used for radar, satellite communication, and, in some countries, for wireless computer networks. Shielding allows to protect humans and electronic devices from harmful effects of these waves. Cement-based composites containing conductive material can be used for this purpose, and pyro...

Today, the main issue of providing adequate and affordable housing is to go beyond the mere offer of basic shelters, intending to create sustainable and durable settlements. Due to the fragile and uncertain nature of its social, political and economic context, characterized by the lack of common shared legislative references and business strategies...

The partial substitution of non-renewable materials in cementitious composites with eco-friendly materials is promising not only in terms of cost reduction, but also in improving the composites’ shielding properties. The water and carbon content of a commercial lignin-based biochar is analyzed with thermal gravimetric analysis. Cementitious composi...