Concrete

Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder claim to have uncovered a greener form of cement production by tapping into a species of cloudy microalgae that naturally produce limestone particles through photosynthesis.

Over the past couple of years, disposable face masks have become a very plentiful form of garbage. There may actually be a use for them, however, as recent research shows that they could strengthen concrete when added to it.

Concrete is a popular building material, enough so that one of its key ingredients – sand – is in short supply. Scientists are thus now exploring the possibility of replacing that sand with glass waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.

A new study has assessed the value of concrete made with crumb rubber from discarded tires by using it as a residential slab and monitoring its performance over several years, where it outshone conventional concrete in a number of ways.

Although we've been hearing about stronger forms of concrete, one of the keys to making concrete last longer is to keep water from seeping into it. A new surface sealant could help, as it makes existing concrete 75 percent more water-repellent.

Although concrete can be altered in order to help tiny cracks show up before they become catastrophic, scientists have now discovered that regular concrete does the job pretty well itself. It just needs a coat of ordinary paint, and a light source.

Hired to design a vacation home in an avocado field while leaving the field itself intact, Francisco Pardo Arquitecto decided on the radical plan of burying it. The resulting Avocado House blends into the landscape so well that it's barely visible.

Having a place out in the country might be nice, but it would be subject to some harsh natural elements. The Zome was invented with such concerns in mind, as it's designed to last up to 500 years – which isn't the same as saying it actually will.

Concrete is the most widely used building material in the world, but it comes at a huge environmental cost. Engineers in Japan have developed a new technique to make concrete by recycling waste concrete and combining it with captured carbon dioxide.

Scientists have come up with an alternative cement recipe that makes use of unused mining materials to cut its carbon emissions by up to two thirds, while meeting the performance requirements of traditional Portland cement.

Concrete may not seem welcoming, but bacteria do live inside it. A new study has examined this concrete microbiome to find out how they get there, how they change over time, and how we might use them in future to monitor or even repair defects.

A first-of-its-kind 3D-printed concrete bridge has been unveiled in Venice, Italy. The bridge is a demonstration of a new 3D printing method resulting in a structure requiring no mortar or steel reinforcement.