Top 5 Concrete Technology Trends
Building structures have strict demands that increase rapidly over time.
As a widely used material in building, concrete had to keep up with the demands by coming with stronger, more resilient, sustainable, and intelligent solutions. Good thing technology did not disappoint. Over the past few years, fantastic concrete technologies have been researched, invented, and implemented in projects big and small. Thus, they have clearance for use at a structural scale. Here are some of the more popular and favourable concrete trends and applications. Read on.
- Ultra-high performance concrete
Many concrete constructions made in recent years contain fresh new materials to add resiliency, durability, and strength to the actual product. 80% of the end product is still traditional concrete, but the rest may be composed of fibre, stainless steel, or polyester. Compared to conventional concrete, structures made this way has a useful life of 75 years, around 3-5x longer.
This technology had been adopted to big-scale projects since early 2000, trusted for its optimum quality and durability. It has been applied to bridges, highways, and in precast concrete retaining walls, adding great value to construction. To learn more about how ultra-high performance concrete can change the way retaining wall systems are made, check out www.jpconcrete.co.uk/precast-concrete-retaining-walls/.
- Light-generating and translucent cement
The green revolution has invaded the world of construction in many ways. As for concrete, there is an energy-saving product developed and implemented from Mexico to the rest of the world: light-generating concrete. True to its promise, this concrete solution developed by José Carlos Rubio Ávalos of Mexico can generate light without carbon footprints, absorbing solar energy by the day and emitting that energy to light up bike paths and roadways for as long as 12 hours.
Alternately, concrete structures may harness natural light through translucent cement technology. In this case, the concrete is made of optical fibre strands, allowing light to transmit through it without compromising its strength. Amazing, isn’t it?
- Graphic concrete
Aesthetics is as important in construction as durability is. To make it easier for builders to incorporate a note on beauty, they introduced graphic concrete. In this case, images and patterns are applied on precast or prefabricated concrete to add an aesthetic element to a structure that seems too plain.
- Off-site construction
The design, fabrication, and partial assembly of concrete structures made off-site instead of on-site has become a practical choice for builders, especially for completing large-scale projects. Using a durable concrete conveyor system in off-site facilities allows for efficient, precise movement of concrete, reducing labor costs and enhancing productivity. This system ensures that concrete is transported seamlessly through the production process, enabling faster assembly and improved quality.
- Self-healing concrete
The reliability of concrete is one of its most sought features. That’s why this technology where concrete structures can heal themselves and stop the degradation process made tongues a-wagging. But it’s true. There are concrete structures stuffed with elements that allow them to heal cracks and repair themselves using various techniques. One of the most popular techniques is adding bacteria that produce limestone when air or water permeates the structure.
Concrete technologies will keep coming, that’s for sure. Expect the use of intelligent equipment and new approaches to improve the quality of structures as the world of construction moves forward.