With sand in increasingly short supply, researchers are exploring alternative materials that can be used in the creation of concrete. Researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore investigated the possibility of replacing sand and gravel with glass waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
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Current industry practice for detecting and monitoring alkali-silica reactions in concrete requires destructive extraction and analysis of concrete cores. Argonne National Laboratory researchers explored the potential of using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for nondestructive evaluation of this reaction instead.
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In contrast to corals, the crucial role that oysters play in global ocean health is often overlooked by the general public. Fortunately, governments, conservation groups, researchers, and oyster growers have started seriously investing in oyster restoration projects along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts. One project by Virginia-based Lynnhaven River NOW not only helps oysters but puts recycled concrete to good use.
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Sulfate attack is one of the most damaging causes of concrete deterioration. Two studies published this month look at the potential of new geopolymer mortars and the addition of nano alumina to improve concrete’s resistance to sulfate attack.
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Steel plates are the typical material used to join refractory ceramics in rotary kilns, but certain conditions can lead the steel to deteriorate and cause catastrophic wear. Researchers in Japan explored whether a basic mortar could be used instead of steel plates.
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Adding pigment to cement is one way to produce colored concrete. Researchers in China and Morocco showed that the content and purity of the pigment can have adverse effects on the cement’s properties.
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Despite concrete being the second most consumed material in the world, the global construction industry currently is experiencing a cement shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn how a recent decision by the Swedish Supreme Land and Environmental Court may complicate Sweden’s cement production further in the coming months and years.
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Wind instruments can be made from an array of materials because the sound depends mainly on how the air is shaped rather than the instrument’s body. Learn how a German mechanical engineer used 3D printing to design a trumpet out of concrete.
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Substituting waste materials for cement in concrete helps lower the concrete industry’s carbon emissions and keeps waste materials out of landfills. However, large amounts of glass cullet in concrete will decrease the concrete’s mechanical properties. Researchers in Poland investigated reinforcing the cement–glass composite using plastic fibers.
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To date, recycling of building rubble into new construction products is limited because the material does not meet strict building regulations. A new £6 million project led by Manchester Metropolitan University and partners across Europe aims to overcome this limitation using additive manufacturing because products produced this way are not subject to the same building restrictions.
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