Concrete

In an effort to create low-cost, sustainable housing, researchers have created a composite material by replacing sand in concrete and mortar with a common, non-degradable waste product: used disposable diapers. But would you build your house with it?

Concrete is one of the largest single sources of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions. Engineers at Washington State University have now developed a new method for making concrete that absorbs more carbon than it emits.

3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology is already known to offer a more efficient approach to constructing buildings. A new type of 3DCP is said to be better, resulting in walls that are a claimed 72% lighter than their conventional counterparts.

After water, concrete is the world’s most consumed material, and concrete production’s impact on the environment is significant. Researchers have discovered that an inexpensive ingredient may be the answer to reducing concrete's climate impact.

The production of the cement is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, which is why some people have tried replacing it with fly ash. A new technique makes that fly ash more eco-friendly, resulting in concrete which is greener and stronger.

Concrete has been used in construction for thousands of years, it's everywhere. But its production is a major contributor to global carbon emissions. A project spun out of VTT Finland is looking to make concrete manufacture carbon negative.

Traditional concrete is so last century. A team of engineers has created a concrete that is strong but flexible, can generate electricity and have its qualities fine-tuned for tailor-made builds. And one day it might even help guide driverless cars.

As part of a partnership agreement inked in 2021, construction materials company Cemex has taken delivery of the first all-electric heavy duty concrete mixer truck from Volvo Trucks, which is due to begin operation in Berlin this month.

Modern concrete starts to fall apart within decades – but ancient Roman structures are still standing strong after 2,000 years. Engineers have found an inclusion that helps ancient concrete self-heal cracks, and shown how we can recreate the recipe.

Even if environmental factors such as ocean acidification can be addressed, our decimated coral reefs will still need some help growing back. That's where a "Lego-like" system known as 3D Innoreef is designed to come in.

We've heard how 3D-printed concrete buildings can be built quickly and easily, but could there be an even faster and simpler method? According to inventor Alex Bell, there is – and it involves inflating buildings, then pumping concrete into them.

Even slight adjustments to how we make cement and concrete can have a big impact on their environmental footprint, and as research continues to show, scientists working in this space are not short of ideas.