Concrete

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.

The First Light Pavilion at Jodrell Bank places a visitor's center next to the site's famous Lovell Telescope. The subterranean building has the same dimensions as the telescope's dish, and in a nice touch makes use of its original steel panels too.

RMIT scientists are looking to help tackle the mounting waste generated by the ongoing pandemic, by demonstrating a form of concrete that incorporates shredded personal protective equipment (PPE) for improved performance.

In recent years, we've heard about efforts to replace some of the aggregate used in concrete with crumbled used tires. Now, however, scientists have succeeded in producing good quality concrete in which all of the aggregate has been replaced with tire particles.

Ennead Architects has been commissioned to design an eye-catching new museum in Milwaukee. Inspired by the rugged local landscape, the building will take the form of geological formations and is slated to open in 2026.

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.