Innovation of Materials and Technologies in Built Environment

In recent years, underground construction technologies have seen rapid advancements due to the growing demand for urban development, transportation networks, and large-scale infrastructure projects in increasingly complex and challenging environments. The construction of underground structures—whether in urban areas, underwater, or soft soil formations—requires the use of high-performance materials and innovative construction techniques. These advancements are essential for overcoming a variety of geological conditions, such as those encountered in cross-sea shield tunneling, deep tunnels, and expansive underground infrastructure systems. As cities expand and infrastructure needs become more intricate, cutting-edge technologies in tunneling, excavation, and material science have become key to ensuring safety, cost-efficiency, and sustainability. These innovations help to address environmental concerns, improve construction speed, and minimize the impact of such projects on surrounding areas, making them indispensable for modern urbanization and infrastructure development.



The primary objective of this research is to address the challenges associated with underground construction in extreme environments, particularly in soft geological formations, densely populated areas, and sensitive ecosystems. Traditional methods like open-cut excavation and drilling-blasting are inadequate for such complex conditions, and innovative solutions are needed to overcome these limitations. Key problems include ultra-large diameter tunnel construction in soft soil, efficient mud treatment and waste soil recovery in shield tunneling, and the development of techniques for constructing large-diameter tunnels for high-speed rail systems in urban settings. Furthermore, the increasing demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable tunnel construction methods calls for new technologies and materials, such as ultra-shallow buried tunnels and low-impact construction processes. Recent advancements in tunnel boring machines (TBMs), as well as improvements in geotechnical monitoring, material durability, and waste management, have laid a foundation for solving these issues. By integrating these innovations, the research aims to develop practical solutions that enhance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of underground construction in challenging environments.



Given these challenges, there is a pressing need for further research to address these technological gaps and to develop new materials and construction methods that can improve the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of underground construction, including tunnel building. This research topic aims to foster the development and application of innovative materials for underground structures, particularly tunnels. Key areas of interest include high water-tightness materials, ductile concrete, joint sealing systems, and other specialized products, as well as the corresponding construction technologies that enable their effective use in challenging environments. This special collection welcomes and invites original research and commentary articles on the application and construction of new underground building materials. We welcome theoretical, experimental, and numerical Original Research and Review articles to address the following themes that include, but are not limited to:

• Soil and Building Materials Improvement

• Waterproofing and Sealing Materials

• Environmentally Friendly Construction Technologies

• Durability and Longevity of Underground Structures

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: Soil and Building Materials Improvement. Sustainable Soil Stabilization. Waterproofing and Sealing Materials. Environmentally Friendly Construction Technologies. Durability and Longevity of Underground Structures.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.