The growing global energy demand requires solutions that improve energy efficiency in all sectors. The civil construction sector is responsible for a large part of global energy consumption. In this context, phase change materials (PCMs) can be incorporated into construction materials to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The purpose of this study was to incorporate a PCM to jute fabric, applying it in civil construction as a reinforcement for cement matrices. In order to do that, a method of immersing jute fabric in liquid phase change material, and then coating it with a polymer, was proposed. Treated jute fabric was then used to produce a laminated composite with a cementitious matrix. Morphological, mechanical and chemical characterization of jute textiles was performed, as well as an analysis of the composites’ mechanical and thermal behavior. The results verified that jute textiles absorbed 102% PCM in weight, which was successfully contained in the capillary porosity of jute. The PCM was able to delay the composite’s temperature increase by up to 24 °C. It was concluded that this method can be used to incorporate PCM to natural textiles, producing composites with thermal energy storage properties.

Moisture content is of great importance for foamed asphalt stabilised mixtures, since it influences mixing, compaction, curing process and the structural performance. The curing process, in which water evaporates, is responsible for the increase of the bearing capacity of foamed mixtures. Although different loading resistance mechanisms contribute simultaneously to the layer stiffness, the aim of this research is to evaluate the influence of matric suction in the stiffness of two foamed asphalt mixtures that have been used as base course materials in experimental test sections. Filter paper, X-ray microcomputed tomography and triaxial resilient modulus tests were conducted at four moisture conditions. The filter paper test indicated an increase in the matric suction when water evaporated from the specimen, which was validated by the reduction of the air voids measured with microcomputed tomography. From triaxial resilient modulus and matric suction results, it was observed that although other mechanisms might be dominating the loading resistance of foamed mixtures, the matric suction influences the stiffness of these materials.