Analysis of the application of new green building materials in civil engineering construction

With the widespread promotion of sustainable construction and low-carbon environmental concepts in civil engineering, the development and application of novel green building materials have become a key focus in modern engineering technologies. This study investigates composite additive-modified construction gypsum as a representative example. Utilizing an orthogonal experimental design ( L 9 orthogonal table with 4 factors and 3 levels) and comprehensive performance analysis, the effects of various mix ratios on setting time, compressive strength, flexural strength, bond strength, and water resistance of the gypsum were systematically explored. The study aims to assess the applicability and advantages of this new green material in civil engineering construction. Experimental results demonstrate that under the optimal combination of water–binder ratio, silica fume and white cement content, and polymer dosage (corresponding to sample A 3 B 2 C 2 D 2 ), compared to the reference gypsum. Furthermore, this optimal formulation exhibited a softening coefficient of 0.978 in water resistance tests, marking a 9.8\% improvement over the baseline, thus confirming the significant role of composite additives in enhancing the density and durability of gypsum structures. In addition, hydration heat measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to analyze the hydration behavior, crystal morphology, and microstructure of the modified gypsum. The results revealed that the composite additives promoted the formation of amorphous gels and effectively suppressed the excessive growth of dihydrate gypsum crystals, thereby improving pore structure, reducing porosity, and significantly enhancing the overall compactness of the hardened material.