concrete

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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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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Electrical conductivity measurements offer nondestructive evaluation of alkali-silica reactions in concrete

By Lisa McDonald / May 3, 2022

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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New geopolymer mortars and nano alumina protect concrete against sulfate attack

By Lisa McDonald / January 28, 2022

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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Video: Designing concrete trumpets using 3D printing

By Lisa McDonald / May 12, 2021

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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Video: Effectively pour concrete in cold weather

By Lisa McDonald / December 18, 2019

Though construction season is mainly ended for the year, sometimes critical construction projects cannot wait until spring. Learn how to effectively pour concrete in cold weather.

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Video: How long should highway construction actually take? Piezoelectric sensors may offer more precise answer

By Lisa McDonald / September 11, 2019

Highway construction can take longer than is necessary if cars drive on the concrete before it has fully matured. Purdue University researchers are working with the Indiana Department of Transportation to test piezoelectric sensors that measure concrete strength.

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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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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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Other materials stories that may be of interest

By Lisa McDonald / February 6, 2019

Detect ALS with graphene, lens-free holography, and other materials stories that may be of interest for February 6, 2019.

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