Concrete

By mimicking the curvy patterns found on lobster shells, scientists at Australia’s RMIT University have come up with 3D printing technique for concrete that affords it greater strength and could let taller and more complex structures be built.

Researchers have found that the concrete walls in a decommissioned power plant in Japan have not only kept their strength over the decades but have actually gotten stronger with use, thanks to a rare mineral also found in ancient Roman concrete.

Although we've been hearing about tech that allows for the production of stronger concrete, existing structures made of regular concrete could also use some help. That's where new strengthening panels combined with a new mortar are made to come in.

Scientists at University of California, Berkeley have leveraged 3D printing to produce a polymer lattice structure that can act as the backbone for low-carbon concrete that also boasts great strength and durability.

Scientists in Australia have developed a new cement-free solution they say is better equipped to handle the corrosive nature of sewerage systems, while also helping avoid the buildup of troublesome and costly fatbergs.

This isn’t a home that will appeal to everyone, with its use of rough, unfinished concrete, but fans of the harsh gray stuff will find an interesting dwelling with a pool on its roof and three outdoor patios that ensure sunlight permeates within.

While 3D printing technology does allow for the quicker and cheaper construction of buildings, such structures are typically made of concrete, which isn't very eco-friendly. Soon, though, it may be possible to print buildings out of local soil.

A new adaptation of a pre-stressing technique has been used to produce concrete that is lighter but with comparable strength, an advance that if widely applied, could save significant amounts of CO2.

Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven recently completed a new fire station in Antwerp, Belgium. Sustainable design includes solar power and rainwater collection, while the eye-catching red brick on the outside contrasts with wood and concrete on the inside.

As readers who live in cold climates will likely already know, winter is not kind to concrete. That could be about to change, though, thanks to a polymer additive that mimics natural antifreeze.

Steel slag is currently utilized both to treat wastewater, and as a concrete aggregate. New research now indicates that using it for the former makes it perform even better as the latter – so the same slag could be used twice.

Strong as it is, concrete doesn’t stand up well against bending. Now, researchers at Swinburne University have developed a new type of concrete that can not only bend better, but doesn’t require cement to make, reducing its environmental footprint.