Construction

Water to the rescue: Hydrodemolition ideal method for repairing crumbling concrete

By Lisa McDonald / July 19, 2019

United States’ infrastructure is in dire need of repair. Hydrodemolition is an ideal method for concrete reconstruction. Learn about hydrodemolition history, advantages of the technique, and what to consider before choosing it for your project.

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Structural clay experts converge on Indianapolis for networking, tours, and more at 2019 brick meeting

By Greg Geiger / July 10, 2019

More than 100 attendees converged in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 24–27 to take part in the combined meeting of the ACerS Structural Clay Products Division, ACerS Southwest Section, and Clemson University’s National Brick Research Center.

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Video: The physics of exploding concrete

By Lisa McDonald / May 15, 2019

What causes explosive spalling of concrete? Researchers from Empa, the University of Grenoble, and the Institut Laue-Langevin performed neutron tomography on exploding concrete cubes to find out.

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The many types of bricks

By Lisa McDonald / May 3, 2019

A brick is more than just a small red clay building unit—it could be sand lime, concrete, or fly ash as well. Learn about some of the materials commonly used to create bricks, and find out how bricks could be built to better withstand extreme weather.

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Detecting damage in concrete structures: Tubular smart aggregates hold advantage over patch-based and spherical sensors

By Lisa McDonald / April 9, 2019

In a recent study, researchers proposed a tubular design for smart aggregates that can monitor structural health of concrete structures, a design that could overcome limitations faced by patch-based and spherical sensors.

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Do the environment a (bio)solid—use bio-bricks!

By Lisa McDonald / February 1, 2019

RMIT University researchers found biosolids-enhanced bricks showed lower thermal conductivity and reduced brick firing energy demands compared to traditional bricks.

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Video: Microcapsules help concrete heal itself

By Lisa McDonald / January 9, 2019

Self-healing concrete can be made several ways. Researchers at University of Cambridge developed a method that involves mineral healing agents—delivered via microcapsules.

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Preventing ASR in nuclear reactor radiation shielding concrete

By Lisa McDonald / November 27, 2018

Polish researchers tested five high-density aggregate possibilities for nuclear power plant construction and found the aggregates with microcrystalline quartz were susceptible to alkali-silica reactions.

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Video: This technology is already lowering cement’s carbon footprint

By Faye Oney / August 29, 2018

A Canadian company has commercialized a process that captures carbon dioxide waste to mix with concrete during production. This proprietary technology is a good first step in reducing cement’s impact on the environment.

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3D-printed Smart Slab offers unique architectural design, lower carbon footprint

By Faye Oney / August 24, 2018

Researchers have developed an architectural construction technology that combines 3-D-printed design with the strength of concrete. Smart Slab weighs less than half of conventional concrete and generates a lower carbon footprint.

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