Concrete

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.

Production of cement is a big source of CO2 emissions, so the more we can recycle existing concrete, the better. That's where a new study comes in, which indicates that discarded concrete becomes stronger than it was before, when wood waste is added.

We've already heard about experimental self-healing concrete, that can repair cracks within itself. Now, scientists have gone a step further, utilizing bacteria to create building materials that can be grown on-site – and that regenerate when broken.

A new solar-powered catalyst made of graphene and titanium dioxide nanoparticles can pluck pollutants out of the air, much more efficiently than others. The catalyst could be coated onto building or street surfaces to improve air quality in cities.

Like anything else, concrete structures get dirty over time, and it's a hassle to clean them. Such chores may soon no longer be necessary, however, as scientists have developed what they claim is a self-cleaning concrete that isn't heavy – or weak.