Selected, peer reviewed papers from the 2013 International Conference on Civil, Materials and Environmental Sciences (CMES 2013), April 17-18, 2013, Vancouver, Canada

Sustainable Construction Materials: Sewage Sludge Ash, part of a series of five, aims to promote the use of sustainable construction materials. It is different from the norm, with its uniqueness lying in the development of a data matrix sourced from over 600 publications and contributed by 1107 authors from 442 institutions in 48 countries from 1970 to 2016, all focusing on the subject of sewage sludge ash as a construction material, and systematically analyzing, evaluating, and modeling the information for use in cement, concrete, ceramics, geotechnics, and road pavement applications. Related environmental issues, case studies, and standards are also discussed. The book helps users avoid repetitive research and save valuable resources, giving them more latitude to explore new research to progress the use of sustainable construction materials. It is structured in an incisive and easy to digest manner. As an excellent reference source, the book is particularly suited for researchers, academics, design engineers, specifiers, contractors, developers, and certifying and regulatory authorities who seek to promote sustainability within the construction sector. - Provides an extensive source of valuable database information supported by an exhaustive and comprehensively organized list of globally published literature spanning 40-50 years, up to 2016, with 5000 references - Offers an analysis, evaluation, repackaging, and modeling of existing knowledge, encouraging more responsible use of waste materials in construction - Presents a wealth of knowledge for use in many sectors relating to the construction profession

Discusses the latest results in academia and industry on green composites. Existing machinability problems like low processability and reduction of the ductility are addressed and discussed in relation to use of adhesion promoters, additives or chemical modification of the filler to overcome these problems. Recent industrial efforts to minimize the environmental impact, e.g. biodegradable polymer matrix, renewable sources complete the approach.

Fuel cells are expected to play a relevant role in the transition towards a sustainable-energy-driven world. Although this type of electrochemical system was discovered a long time ago, only in recent years has global energy awareness, together with newly developed materials and available technologies, made such key advances in relation to fuel cell potential and its deployment. It is now unquestionable that fuel cells are recognized, alongside their possibility to work in the reverse mode, as the hub of the new energy deal. Now the questions are, why are they not yet ready to be used, despite the strong economic support given from the society? What prevents them from being entered into the hydrogen energy scenario in which renewable sources will provide energy when it is not readily available? How much are researchers involved in this urgent step towards change? This book gives a clear answer, engaging with some of the open issues that explain the delay of fuel cell deployment and, at the same time, it opens a window that shows how wide and attractive the opportunities offered by this technology are. Papers collected here are not only specialist-oriented but also offer a clear landscape to curious readers and show how challenging the road to the future is.

"This book consists of one hundred and nine selected papers presented at the 2015 International Conference on Materials Engineering and Environmental Science (MEES2015), which was successfully held in Wuhan, China during September 25-27, 2015. All papers selected for this proceedings were subjected to a rigorous peer-review process by at least two independent peers. The papers were selected based on innovation, organization, and quality of presentation. The MEES2015 covered a wide spectrum of research topics, ranging from fundamental studies, technical innovations, to industrial applications in Chemical Material and Chemical Processing Technology, Composite Materials, Alloy Materials and Metal Materials, Characteristics of Materials, Building Material and Construction Technology, Ecology and Environment, Technology for Environmental Protection, Economy and Environment, Mechanical and Control Engineering, and Manufacturing Technology. The MEES2015 brought together more than one hundred researchers from China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia, and provided them with a forum to share, exchange and discuss new scientific development and future directions of Materials Engineering and Environmental Science."--Provided by publisher