Cement

Luminescent material offers real-time analysis of concrete deterioration

By Lisa McDonald / January 30, 2024

Determining the degree of carbonation in a concrete structure allows for timely maintenance to avoid catastrophic failure. Researchers led by the University of São Paulo’s Physics Institute developed a luminescent material that can indicate the degree of carbonation in concrete structures in a nondestructive manner.

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Replacing concrete seawalls with vinyl may adversely affect oyster populations

By Lisa McDonald / October 10, 2023

Vinyl seawalls have grown in popularity compared to traditional concrete due to being less costly and unsusceptible to salt water. Yet this budget-friendly solution may cause even more problems for the environment, based on observations from a small-scale study reported by Sarasota Bay Estuary Program staff.

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Video: Years of slashed infrastructure spending culminates in crumbling concrete crisis in the UK

By Lisa McDonald / September 20, 2023

Years of slashed infrastructure spending by the U.K.’s Conservative-led government has culminated in a crumbling concrete crisis as buildings constructed out of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete begin to fail after being pushed beyond their intended lifespan.

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Training the next generation of builders—first large-scale construction 3D printer in the Buckeye State arrives at OSU

By Guest Contributor / August 25, 2023

Further expanding the use of 3D printing in construction will require training the next generation of builders on these techniques. A new research partnership between The Ohio State University and 3D-printing construction company Pantheon Innovative Builders will help provide this training through use of COBOD International’s construction-grade BOD2 printer.

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Video: Computer vision method demonstrates potential of rapid and automated quality control for cements

By Lisa McDonald / July 26, 2023

Testing the durability of building materials is typically a slow, tedious, and labor-intensive process. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign used computer vision to develop a fast and affordable method for testing cement durability, demonstrating the potential to improve quality control in the cement industry through automated methods.

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Embodied carbon of concrete in buildings: Large-scale study calls for more consistency and accuracy in reporting of carbon impacts

By Lisa McDonald / July 14, 2023

Players in the cement and concrete sectors are working diligently to achieve a reduction in emissions. However, there are multiple gaps in knowledge about the extent of these emissions, which makes it difficult to determine how effective new initiatives are at reducing emissions. A group of researchers from several universities in the United Kingdom are conducting a large-scale study to help fill this knowledge gap.

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13th Advances in Cement-Based Materials covers all aspects of cements research, from basic to applied

By Karen McCurdy / June 23, 2023

The 13th Advances in Cement-Based Materials meeting, which took place June 14–16, 2023, at Columbia University in New York, featured a variety of events, including a poster session, the Della Roy Lecture, and an industry panel.

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Aerated concrete: A ‘pore’fect tool in the construction industry’s advance toward sustainability

By Guest Contributor / May 16, 2023

Reducing the amount of raw material needed to produce concrete is one way to help cut emissions in this industry. Aerated concrete, a lightweight and porous construction material, contains less raw material per volume than many other building products. Today’s CTT contains a brief overview of this material, including its history, production methods, applications, and ways to improve its end-of-life sustainability.

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Video: Cement Association of Canada takes concrete steps toward a net-zero cement and concrete industry

By Lisa McDonald / May 10, 2023

Various regional and global groups within the cement and concrete industry are actively working to help achieve a reduction in emissions in this sector. The Cement Association of Canada is one such group, and today’s CTT looks at several prominent initiatives the Association has helped launch this past year.

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Low-carbon cement technology heading from lab to market

By Guest Contributor / March 24, 2023

The recent one-year anniversary of the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships is a reminder of the federal government’s commitment to take a larger role in supporting the transition of use-inspired research from the lab to the marketplace. Ideally this support will allow more university researchers to follow in the footsteps of Sublime Systems, a spinout from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that aims to commercialize a low-carbon cement technology.

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