Extinction of natural resources builds up pressure on governments to invest in research to find more sustainable resources for construction sector. Earlier studies on mortar and concrete show that bottom ash and basalt fiber are independently alternative binder in the concrete sector. This study aims to use bottom ash and basalt fiber blends as alternative novel-based composites in pure cement paste. Strength and durability properties of two different percentages of bottom ash (40% and 50%) and three volume fractions of basalt fiber (0.3%, 0.75%, and 1.5%) were used at three curing periods (7, 28, and 56 days). In order to measure physical properties of the basalt-reinforced bottom ash cement paste composites flowability, dry unit weight, porosity and water absorption measurements at 7, 28, and 56 days of curing were performed. Furthermore, mechanical properties of composites determined by unconfined compressive strength and flexural strength tests. Finally, to assess the durability sulfate-resistance and seawater-resistance tests have been performed on composites at 28 and 56 days of curing. Results showed that addition of basalt fiber improves physical, mechanical and chemical stability properties of paste up to a limiting basalt fiber addition (0.3% volume fraction) where above an adverse effect have been monitored. It is clear that observed results can lead to development of sustainability strategies in the concrete industry by utilizing bottom ash and basalt fiber as an alternative binder.

One of society’s greatest challenges is sequestering vast amounts of carbon to avoid dangerous climate change without driving competition for land and resources. Here we assess the potential of an integrated approach based on enhancement of natural biogeochemical cycles in agro-ecosystems that stimulate carbon capture and storage while increasing resilience and long-term productivity. The method integrates plant photosynthesis in the form of (cover) crops and agroforestry which drives carbon capture. Belowground plant-carbon is efficiently stored as stable soil organic carbon (SOC). Aboveground crop and tree residues are pyrolyzed into biochar, which is applied to the soil reducing carbon release through decomposition. Enhanced weathering of basalt powder worked into the soil further captures and stores carbon, while releasing nutrients and alkalinity. The integrated system is regenerative, through enhanced virtuous cycles that lead to improved plant capture, biomass storage and crop yield, the prerequisites for large-scale carbon sequestration along with food security.

Magnesium is one of the lightest structural metal used in different industrial sector and many works are present in literature about the study of its reinforcement by fillers addition. Basalt fibres are natural fillers with good mechanical properties, excellent resistance to high temperature and lower cost than carbon fibres. For these aspects, in the last years they are increasingly used in the production of composite materials with polymeric matrices. However, very few information are presents in literature about the use of basalt fibres as reinforcement in metal matrix composite materials. It is well known that the impregnation of fibres reinforcement affects the mechanical behavior of composites materials. The aim of this study is to investigate the impregnation and the behavior of basalt fibres in a magnesium alloy composite material manufactured by a centrifugal casting technique.

The bending performance of a basalt-polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (HBPFRC) was characterized by testing 24 400×100×100 mm3 prismatic specimens in a four-point bending test JSCE-SF4 configuration. The type and content of both fibers was varied in order to guarantee different target levels of post-cracking flexural performance. The results evidenced that mono-micro basalt fiber reinforced concrete (BFRC) allows the increase of the flexural strength (pre-cracking stage), while macro polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete can effectively improve both bearing capacity and ductility of the composite for a wide crack width range. Compared with the plain concrete specimens, flexural toughness and equivalent flexural strength of macro polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (PPFRC) and the hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (HFRC) increased by 3.7~7.1 times and 10%~42.5%, respectively. From both technical and economic points of view, the optimal mass ratio of basalt fiber to polypropylene fiber resulted to be 1:2, with a total content of 6 kg/m3. This HFRC is seen as a suitable material to be used in sewerage pipes where cracking control (crack formation and crack width control) is of paramount importance to guarantee the durability and functionality of the pipeline as well as the ductility of the system in case of local failures.

The plant-microbe-soil nexus is critical in maintaining biogeochemical balance of the biosphere. However, soil loss and land degradation are occurring at alarmingly high rates, with soil loss exceeding soil formation rates. This necessitates evaluating marginal soils for their capacity to support and sustain plant growth. In a greenhouse study, we evaluated the capacity of marginal incipient basaltic parent material to support native plant growth, and the associated variation in soil microbial community dynamics. Three plant species, native to the Southwestern Arizona-Sonora region were tested with three soil treatments including basaltic parent material, parent material amended with 20% compost, and potting soil. The parent material with and without compost supported germination and growth of all the plant species, though germination was lower than the potting soil. A 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing approach showed Proteobacteria to be the most abundant phyla in both parent material and potting soil, followed by Actinobacteria. Microbial community composition had strong correlations with soil characteristics but not plant attributes within a given soil material. Predictive functional potential capacity of the communities revealed chemoheterotrophy as the most abundant metabolism within the parent material, while photoheterotrophy and anoxygenic photoautotrophy were prevalent in the potting soil. These results show that marginal incipient basaltic soil has the ability to support native plant species growth, and non-linear associations may exist between plant-marginal soil-microbial interactions.

Mineral wool made from basalt fibers is frequently used as an insulating material in construction systems. In this study, both unused mineral wool, and wool obtained from the softened roofing area, were comprehensively analyzed in a laboratory using different characterization techniques. Firstly, the amount of initial water content and compressive strength at 10% deformation were determined. Secondly, microstructure and surface chemical composition were analysed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). To study heterogeneities near the fiber surface and to examine cross-sectional composition, a Scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) was used. Finally, to verify possible reasons for resin degradation, Thermogravimetry analysis and differential scanning colometry (TGA-DSC) were simultaneously carried out. The results show that natural aging under high humidity and thermal fluctuations greatly affects the surface morphology and chemical composition of fibrous composite. Phenol-formaldehyde and other hydrophobic compounds that protect fibers against moisture and give compressive resistance were found to be degraded.

Hybrid fiber reinforced composites can be controlled by price, weight and various mechanical properties depending on fiber ratio and lamination method. Despite these excellent hybrid properties, there is a disadvantage that inter-laminar fracture due to external impact, which is the biggest weakness of fiber reinforced composite materials, is weak. The test specimens were prepared by using a vacuum bag method, which is manufactured by using an autoclave device. The pre-preg is manufactured in the form of a B-stage. In the process of fabricating the nanoparticle pre-preg, the homogeneizer using an ultrasonic wave was used to disperse the epoxy subject without the curing agent into nanoparticles. The dispersion of the nanoparticles was dispersed by the weight of the epoxy resin. This is to take into account the cohesion of HNT and to understand the range of cohesion of HNT in a matrix with viscosity and its phenomenon. According to the Comparison of the interlayer interfacial properties and mechanical properties of Aramid / Basalt fiber hybrid composites by HNT addition, the fracture toughness, ILSS and bending strength of specimens with HNT content of more than a certain level were decreased because of the aggregation of HNT.

Disparities between fold amplitude (A) and intrusion thickness (Hsill) are critical in identifying elastic or inelastic deformation in a forced fold. However, accurate measurement of these two parameters is challenging because of the limit in separability and detectability for the seismic data. In the TZ-47 exploring area from the Tarim Basin, Northwest China, we combined wireline data and 3-D seismic data, to accurately constrain the fold amplitude and total thickness of sills that inducing the roof uplift. The measurement results show that the forced fold amplitude is 155 m and the total sill thickness is 148.4 m. When using a magma density of 2.7 g/cm3, and solid rock density of 3 g/cm3, the molten magma thickness at the time of intrusion would be 153.8 m, which is almost no difference from the forced fold amplitude. Therefore, the TZ-47 fold is a pure elastic forced fold induced by emplacement of multiple sills. Measurement solely based on seismic data may not be able to detect some thin interlayers and may result in large errors.

Zircon xenocrysts from alkali basalts in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, represent a unique low-Hf zircon, within a 12,000 km long Indo-Pacific megacryst zone. Colourless, yellow, brown and red crystals ({100}, {101}, subordinate {211}, {1103}), with hopper growth and corrosion features, range up to 20 cm in size. Zircon chemistry implicates juvenile, Zr-saturated, mantle-derived alkaline melt (Hf 0.6–0.7 wt%, Y <0.2 wt%, U+Th+REE <600 ppm, Zr/Hf 66–92, Eu/Eu*_N ~ 1, positive Ce/Ce*_N, HREE enrichment). Incompatible element depletion with increasing Yb/Sm_N from core to rim at ~ constant Hf suggests single stage growth. Ti-in-zircon temperatures (~570–740 °C) are lower than predicted by crystal morphology (800–900 °C) and decrease from core to rim (D_T = 10–50 °C). The d¹⁸O values (4.88 to 5.01‰ VSMOW) are relatively low for xenocrysts from the zircon Indo-Pacific zone (ZIP). The ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf values (+ εHf 4.5–10.2) give T_{Depleted Mantle} model source ages of 260–462 Ma and T_Crustal ages of 391–754 Ma. The source magmas reflect variably depleted lithospheric mantle with little supracrustal input. Zircon U-Pb (0.88–1.56 Ma) and (U-Th)/He (0.86–1.02 Ma) ages are older than host basalt ages (~0.7 Ma), suggesting limited residence before transport. Zircon genesis suggests Zr-saturated, Al-undersaturated, carbonatitic-influenced, low-degree partial melting (<1%) of peridotitic mantle at ~60 km beneath the Indochina terrane.

The preservation of the authenticity of a building artefact is a responsible practice. On the other side, the need to save the building artefact from the natural and anthropic degradation, to ensure the structural reliability to the different actions, to define an efficient maintenance program are big challenges, that involves the cooperation of several professionals, responsible use of innovative techniques and materials that are nowadays available. This paper focuses on a specific design approach for the rehabilitation works of ancient constructions in archaeological sites. The proposed conceptual design approach implies different steps that allow the optimization of the design at an increasing level of knowledge on the existing structures and their materials. The design procedure on historical constructions generally includes the following steps: the collection of data, the structural identification, hazard, and vulnerability analysis, damage and risk analysis, a cost-benefit analysis, so only at the end of the process, the final design is achieved. In the archaeological area, some important design aspects cannot be defined before the execution work phase, since some elements could be revealed and identified during work execution, as a consequence, the final design has been often optimized after all this information has been acquired. A studied case in the archaeological site of Pompeii is herein presented to prove the efficiency of the proposed approach.