In recent years, the rapid advancement of sustainable development and green technologies has driven unprecedented progress in geotechnical engineering materials and technologies. Particularly in subfields such as soil remediation, groundwater disposal, and energy storage, the treatment of contaminated soils, the resource utilization of industrial waste, deep excavation and rail and transportation construction, have gradually become research hotspots. Sustainable materials based on green energy and geopolymers not only drive the green transformation of infrastructure construction but also provide strong support for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and net-zero emission commitments. Furthermore, cutting-edge technologies related to intelligent and smart materials have significantly enhanced the efficiency and precision of geotechnical engineering.
Although the application of sustainable and green materials in geotechnical engineering has made significant progress, their long-term performance and underlying mechanisms under complex environmental conditions require further investigation. In particular, under complex enviromental conditions (e.g., high temperature, humidity, freeze-thaw cycles, and dynamic loads), the microstructural evolution, mechanical properties, and durability of these materials remain key research challenges. Moreover, the synergistic effects of different green materials and their potential applications in multifunctional environments have not been fully explored. By combining traditional methods such as mineral composition analysis, performance testing, and field experiments with intelligent technologies, it is possible to more comprehensively and accurately evaluate material performance and optimize their roles in soil remediation, geopolymer development, and energy geotechnical engineering.
The goal of this Research Topic is to spark Original Research and Review articles on advancements in sustainable and green materials in geotechnical engineering, including intelligent geomaterials, renewable energy-related geomaterials, contaminated soil remediation, and the utilization of recycled industrial waste. This Research Topic welcomes innovative contributions spanning theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, experimental research, and field applications at various scales to promote technical and scientific interaction between professionals.
Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
• Physico-chemical-mechanical characteristics of contaminated soils
• Industrial municipal waste treatment
• Migration and disposal of pollutants
• Sustainable geomaterials and durability
• Remediation of contaminated soil environment
• Development of geopolymer materials
• Geomaterials related to green energy
• Biological geotechnical materials
• Energy geotechnics and related materials
• Intelligent and smart geomaterials
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
- Editorial
- FAIR² Data
- FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
- Mini Review
- Original Research
- Perspective
- Review
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Keywords: geomaterial, municipal waste, sustainability, contaminant migration, groundwater movement, green technology, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, smart geomaterial
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.
