Extended Abstract Submission for Participants

Submit Your Extended Abstract Now

Theme: Advancing Knowledge, Standards, and Solutions for Sulfide-Bearing Aggregates

Abstract Submission Deadline: August 15th, 2025, extended to September 5th, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: September 15th, 2025, extended to October 3rd, 2025
Extended Abstract Due: December 15th, 2025
Conference Dates: May 13th and 14th, 2026
Location: Mystic Hilton, Connecticut, USA

Please use the Extended Abstract Template Document (below) when writing your abstract.

IMPORTANT: Registration must be completed by January 16th, 2026, for your paper to be included in the official conference proceedings.

We invite researchers, engineers, homeowners, foundation replacement contractors and policy stakeholders to submit abstracts for the 2026 International Conference on Iron Sulfide Reactions in Concrete. Building on the success of May 2024 event, the upcoming conference will further advance our collective understanding of sulfide-induced deterioration, with an expanded emphasis on standardization, mitigation strategies, sustainability, and effective risk communication across both infrastructure and residential sectors. We welcome abstracts presenting new research findings, field investigations, case studies, and industry insights—ranging from source identification and material testing to repair methodologies, regulatory developments, and economic impacts.

Conference Topics of Interest Include (but are not limited to):

• Standardization of Testing Protocols for Sulfide-Bearing Aggregates and Concrete
  • Progress toward unified testing standards (ASTM, CSA, etc.), inter-laboratory comparisons, and validation strategies.
• Mitigation and Repair Strategies for Concrete Affected by Iron Sulfide Reactions
  • Techniques and case studies involving structural repair, sealing, crack arrest, and innovative retrofit approaches.
• Reaction Kinetics of Iron Sulfide Oxidation and Secondary Product Formation
  • Experimental and modeling studies on oxidation rates, damage progression, and environmental triggers.
• Sustainable Concrete Solutions for Sulfide-Risk Zones
  • Use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), alternative aggregates, and low-carbon technologies in affected regions.
• Gaps in Residential Construction Standards: Building Failures and the Path to Higher Codes
  • Investigations into failures, lack of enforcement, and proposals for policy change or code enhancement.
• The Role of Insurance and Real Estate Industries in Managing Sulfide-Aggregate Risks
  • Perspectives from underwriters, brokers, adjusters, and real estate professionals on disclosure, valuation, and liability.
• Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) of Sulfide-Affected Structures
  • Quantifying the long-term environmental and economic costs of degradation, remediation, and replacement.
• Advanced Analytical Tools for Detecting and Characterizing Iron Sulfide Minerals in Aggregates
  • SEM/EDS workflows, hyperspectral imaging, portable field kits, and machine learning–enabled mineral identification.
• Exposure Conditions, Environmental Influences, and Accelerated Aging of Sulfide-Bearing Concrete
  • Role of climate, groundwater, carbonation, freeze-thaw cycles in triggering and accelerating reactions.
• Field Case Studies: Structural Damage, Legal Disputes, and Long-Term Monitoring of Sulfide-Affected Homes
  • Real-world investigations, forensic engineering findings, monitoring data, and outcomes of mitigation efforts.
• Risk Mapping and Aggregate Source Tracking for Sulfide-Bearing Materials
  • Geological and GIS-based mapping, quarry screening tools, and cross-border coordination efforts.
• Ongoing Research: Concrete-Scale Reactivity Tests and Performance Validation Studies
  • Laboratory and field-based experiments examining concrete behavior under realistic exposure and loading scenarios.

Submission Guidelines:

• Extended abstracts must not exceed six pages in total, including all figures, tables, and references.
• The text area should be set to 160 × 252 mm, consistent with the layout used in these instructions.
• Please ensure that you use only the designated font and formatting style as specified in the provided template.
• Registration must be completed by January 16th, 2026, for your paper to be included in the official conference proceedings.

Please download and use the extended abstract template below when writing your extended abstract: