Journal Guide
Construction and Building Materials Impact Factor 8.0: Publishing Guide
Where materials science meets structural performance and durability
8.0
Impact Factor (2024)
~30-35%
Acceptance Rate
~100-150 days median
Time to First Decision
What Constr. Build. Materials Publishes
Construction and Building Materials is the premier journal for research on materials used in construction and buildings. With JIF 8.0 and Q1 ranking in Materials Science & Construction/Building Technology, the journal emphasizes durability, performance, and practical application. Research covers concrete, steel, wood, composites, geotechnical materials, masonry, and sustainable building materials. Critically: papers must demonstrate actual construction relevance and durability performance, not just material characterization. A material is interesting for this journal only if it solves construction problems: improving durability, reducing cost, enhancing sustainability, or improving structural performance. Pure material science without construction application is less competitive.
- Concrete: durability, strength, sustainability, fiber-reinforced composites
- Steel and metal alloys: corrosion resistance, structural behavior, seismic performance
- Wood and engineered wood: durability, mechanical properties, fire resistance
- Composites: fiber-reinforced plastics, recycled composites, durability
- Sustainability: recycled materials, carbon footprint, green building materials
- Masonry and brick: strength, durability, seismic performance
- Geotechnical materials: soil behavior, foundation materials, earth construction
- Innovative materials: bio-based materials, self-healing concrete, phase-change materials
Editor Insight
“Construction and Building Materials publishes research advancing the materials used to build our infrastructure. The best papers solve real construction problems: improving durability, reducing cost, enhancing sustainability, or improving structural performance. We seek work that bridges materials science with construction practice, with clear path to industry adoption.”
What Constr. Build. Materials Editors Look For
Construction relevance and durability performance
Construction and Building Materials values research that solves real construction problems. If you propose a new material or modification, demonstrate how it improves durability, reduces cost, enhances structural performance, or improves sustainability in actual construction contexts. Material characterization alone is insufficient - connect properties to construction performance.
Long-term durability data and accelerated aging studies
Durability is central to construction. Papers studying new materials must include durability testing: freeze-thaw cycles, wet-dry cycles, salt exposure, or accelerated aging relevant to the proposed application. Short-term mechanical properties without durability data have limited construction relevance.
Environmental and economic sustainability analysis
Construction industry faces sustainability pressure. Papers should address carbon footprint (embodied carbon), recyclability, cost competitiveness, and environmental impact over the material's lifetime. Life-cycle assessment strengthens papers significantly. Materials that are technically excellent but economically or environmentally problematic have limited industry adoption.
Scale-up potential and construction feasibility
Demonstrate that your material or process can be scaled to construction scale. Lab-scale innovations that require exotic equipment or extreme conditions face skepticism. Address manufacturing scale-up, workability in construction, quality control, and costs. Practical feasibility matters as much as technical performance.
Comparison with existing materials and cost-benefit analysis
New materials must compete with established alternatives. Include direct comparison with standard materials (ordinary Portland cement concrete, conventional steel, etc.) showing cost, durability, and performance tradeoffs. Without this context, impact is unclear.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past Constr. Build. Materials's editorial review:
Proposing new material without construction application context
Many papers present material characterization (strength, density, microstructure) without explaining what construction problem the material solves. A material is only relevant to Construction and Building Materials if it addresses durability, cost, structural performance, or sustainability in construction.
Durability claims without durability testing data
Claiming a material is 'durable' or 'improved durability' without accelerated aging, freeze-thaw cycles, or long-term weathering data is insufficient. Durability must be demonstrated experimentally with data, not assumed from short-term strength tests.
Ignoring cost and economic feasibility
New construction materials must be economically competitive. A material that costs 10x more than alternatives, even if technically superior, has limited practical impact. Address cost explicitly and compare cost-to-performance ratio with existing alternatives.
Lab-scale only without demonstration of construction scalability
Many materials work perfectly at lab scale but become impractical at construction scale. Address manufacturing scale-up, construction workability, curing time, applicability with standard construction equipment, and quality control. Otherwise, practical adoption is doubtful.
Overlooking environmental impact and sustainability metrics
Modern construction increasingly emphasizes sustainability. Papers ignoring carbon footprint, embodied energy, recyclability, or environmental impact miss critical evaluation criteria. Life-cycle assessment and comparison with alternatives strengthens papers significantly.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The quick diagnostic reads your full manuscript against Constr. Build. Materials's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from Constr. Build. Materials Authors
Materials solving durability or cost problems have highest impact
Construction faces two universal problems: durability (maintenance costs, service life) and cost (budget constraints). Materials addressing either of these face rapid industry adoption if technically sound. Positioning your research as solving durability or cost problems increases real-world impact.
Include industry partnerships and real-world validation
Papers validated with construction industry input or tested in real buildings are stronger. Collaborations with construction companies, testing at industry facilities, or field pilot projects demonstrate feasibility. Industry endorsement significantly increases impact.
Sustainability and carbon footprint increasingly critical
Construction is under intense pressure to reduce carbon emissions. Materials that reduce embodied carbon, are recyclable, or enable circular economy approaches are increasingly valued. Quantify carbon footprint and compare with conventional alternatives.
Accelerated durability testing methods are expected
Standard durability testing (ASTM C666 for concrete, ASTM B117 for corrosion, etc.) is expected. Reference appropriate standards and compare results with baseline materials. Custom testing without standard protocols is less credible.
Special issues on green building and sustainability increase discoverability
The journal regularly publishes special issues on sustainable building materials, circular economy, and climate-resilient construction. Submitting to relevant special issue increases editorial attention.
The Constr. Build. Materials Submission Process
Manuscript preparation
Prep7,000-10,000 words with 6-8 figures. Include durability testing data, cost analysis, environmental impact assessment, and comparison with baseline materials. Supporting information: detailed test methods, additional durability curves, material characterization data, cost breakdown.
Submission via Elsevier system
Day 0Submit at https://www.editorialmanager.com/CONBUILDMAT/. Required: manuscript, figures with captions emphasizing construction relevance, cover letter highlighting durability/cost/sustainability improvements, conflict of interest statement.
Editorial assessment
1-2 weeksEditor assesses construction relevance, durability data completeness, and practical feasibility. Papers lacking durability testing or construction context often desk-rejected. Desk rejection rate ~35-45%.
Peer review
100-150 days2-3 experts assess material science rigor, durability testing completeness, and construction relevance. Reviewers often include practicing engineers and industry experts. First decision 100-150 days.
Revision and publication
Revision: 4-8 weeksRevisions may request additional durability data or clarification of construction feasibility. Publication 2-4 weeks after acceptance.
Constr. Build. Materials by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor | 6.4 |
| 5-Year Impact Factor | 6.8 |
| Acceptance rate | ~30-35% |
| Desk rejection rate | ~35-45% |
| Median first decision | ~120 days |
| Open access option | $3,000 USD |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Founded | 1988 |
Before you submit
Constr. Build. Materials accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
The pre-submission diagnostic runs a live literature search, scores your manuscript section by section, and gives you a prioritized fix list calibrated to Constr. Build. Materials. ~30 minutes.
Article Types
Research Article
7,000-10,000 wordsComplete material research with durability and construction relevance
Review
10,000-15,000 wordsComprehensive review of construction material topic
Short Communication
4,000-6,000 wordsFocused material discovery with high construction impact
Landmark Constr. Build. Materials Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- High-performance concrete development (1980s-1990s) - enabled longer-lasting, stronger concrete structures
- Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) for strengthening (1990s-2000s) - extended service life of aging structures
- Sustainable concrete with supplementary cementitious materials (2000s) - reduced carbon footprint of concrete
- Self-healing concrete with bacteria and capsules (2010s) - enabled maintenance-free concrete
- Recycled plastic in concrete (2010s-2020s) - created circular economy application in construction
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Primary Fields
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