There are various latest innovations in the concrete industry for 2020. Concrete might be stiff and rigid once it has been cured, but concrete innovation is far from stagnant. These emerging innovations are now being utilized in a prevalent way in the construction industry, like construction scheduling software, while few others are still in continuous development. It doesn’t change the fact that these concrete innovations have promising practical applications.
There’s no denying that concrete is one of the best and widely used construction materials, huge thanks to its outstanding properties. But for this blog, we are taking time to review the 6 latest innovations for concrete this 2020.
1. Formwork
Formwork has a vital role in concrete construction and the same way for builder trends software in project management purposes. It has the extra strength to bear all of the current loads during casting operations. Simultaneously, it also has the enormous power to hold tight its shape while the concrete hardens. The initiation of innovative designs has kept on prompting formwork manufacturers to actively develop newer and customized solutions to meet any abstract projects’ needs.
Below are some of the most common innovative formwork technologies that are adopted across the entire globe.
· Modular Formwork
This system of modular formwork is very easy to assemble and faster than any conventional formwork. It saves time and allows concrete workers to pour it quickly. What also helps concrete contractors make this type of work easier to manage is using a task scheduler software where all created tasks are appropriately scheduled, efficiently monitored, and tracked.
Furthermore, modular formwork systems are saving concrete contractors by deducting the expenses associated with all of the conventional purchases. It will effectively diminish the necessity to recover purchased costs by reselling or reusing any materials once the work is finally complete.
· Tunnel Formwork
This formwork system has allowed the concrete contractors to cast slabs and walls in just one operation daily. On the other hand, crew schedule software has allowed concrete contractors to work more productively with other crew members. Supervision and management are much efficient.
It mixes the quality, speed, and accuracy with the economy and flexibility of in-situ construction. In comparison to the conventional methods, construction durations are minimized considerably by this rapid formwork system. The system of tunnel formwork has ultimately brought quality and accuracy to any concrete construction projects. This system creates competent load-bearing structures that are known today as the most earthquake-resistant structures. Concrete professionals must implement construction crew management for the entire team, for it provides real-time collaboration and improved communication.
When deciding to either hire formwork or buy, it is essential to look first for a supplier that will provide the following:
· Guidance and safety through well-planned support and design
· Great advice on the new and latest formwork solutions and other innovations within the industry
· Reassurance – now that the equipment is tested and serviced already. Thus, quality is assured.
· Quantity take-offs to precisely provide pre-construction materials and other expenses
2. Prevent Cracking with Super-hydrophobic
This extreme-technical name is intended for an innovative cement composite. For instance, road surfaces will only take for about 40 years before the slower accumulation of moisture will cause the concrete surfaces to crack. This happens during freezing conditions. The promising 40 years can be doubled or tripled using an excellently durable super-hydrophobic concrete.
The super-hydrophobic concrete is typically known as luminescent concrete and is commonly produced by changing the cement structures. It reflects and absorbs the light, which makes it an eco-friendly material. Super-hydrophobic concrete can be an excellent solution in lighting up the buildings and roads without any electrical equipment. Below are some of its common benefits:
· It has exceptional durability and strength and can last longer up to a few numbers of years
· It declines any possible maintenance expenses in the future because of its durable performance
· It greatly offers power-free lighting and therefore can minimize the consumed energy
3. Concrete made from Organic-Based Materials
Concrete is now in the process of going green. Natural materials are currently being preferred, like bones, shells, and sea sponges, to create a sustainable and durable concrete mixture. These organic materials are capable of going on in a million years without tearing or breaking down. Hence, it is sure and safe to say that it can prolong the lifecycle of any structures being used in it.
Today, the most extensively used substrates in environmental slope protection engineering are the vegetation-concrete. The porosity of this type of concrete is increasingly high enough to mollify the growth needs. It is also durable enough to satisfy the stability requirements for the slope’s substrates for mechanical properties. These two-mentioned aspects have played an integral role in the designs of vegetation-concrete. That is why it is necessary to balance it out.
For any concrete projects, another important thing that also played a crucial part in its development is the application of construction scheduling software. Concrete contractors are very particular in this software tool, for it has proven to be very beneficial in many ways.
4. Drain Water with Top-mix Permeable
One of the most crucial elements of construction jobs is the prevention of floods while on the job site and finished projects. Top-mix Permeable is considered the first porous concrete material capable of absorbing water down below.
Top-mix Permeable is widely known as a fast-draining concrete that can ultimately absorb up to 1,500 liters of water each minute per square meter. Usually, road paving materials are typically made from a mix of vast and fine crushed stones. This combination results in the materials being porous enough to accept the enormous amounts of water.
Next, a layer of Top-mix permeable concrete is installed on the top of a sub-based crushed stone. It generally sits right at the top of the soil. Rainwater will drain through the topmost surface, collect at the aggregate layers, and is slowly released.
5. Pervious Concrete
It is another eco-friendly concrete solution that has gained traction within the entire construction industry. Technically, concrete is impermeable (meaning water tends to run off), and it always requires any architects to direct every flow in more focused ways. Unanticipated weather patterns and design flaws have often led to several cases of urban erosion, flooding, pollution and other ecological severe issues.
The regional watershed authorities and local municipalities tighten environmental regulations and require more stringent stormwater management practices to address these many serious ecological concerns. Thus, pervious concrete has become one viable solution for this. Here are what concrete pavement can do:
· Directly revitalize groundwater to stabilize aquifer levels
· Lessened the number of untreated runoffs liquidating into storm sewers
· Channel more water to landscaping and tree roots, so there is a lesser need for irrigation
· Elimination for hydrocarbon pollution from asphalt sealers and pavements
· Mitigating pollutants that can harm sensitive ecosystems and contaminate watersheds
6. Carbon capture during the curing process
Over the years, many strategies are already adopted and developed to reduce the levels of Greenhouse gas emissions that become widespread to the atmosphere. Economic development and global urbanization have increased the demands for new infrastructures and buildings and, hence, for concrete. The latter has become the second most-used substance by mass next to the water. Regardless that concrete has lower specific carbon dioxide emissions, its abundance makes it accountable for 8% of human-made carbon dioxide emissions.
That is why the concrete industry has the goal to reduce the produced emissions significantly as well as satisfy the growing cement demands of the worldwide economy. A few practical approaches could bring out considerable carbon dioxide savings at this concrete application level and concrete structures. Take a look below:
· The utilization of reusable structures that usually have extended service life
· The use of concretes having reduced cement contents
· Extended use of limestone and calcined clays (applicable only for larger enough scales)
· Direct sequestration of carbon dioxide injected into the concrete mixture
· Lessening cement demands since concrete has required lesser cement in producing concrete
Concrete & Cement-Based Materials
As being stated already, concrete is the most predominant building material used in the industry today. Its universal use in a wide variety of civil engineering applications is definitely due to its general availability, structural characteristics and cost-effectiveness. However, variables in production, design, material compatibility, exposure and construction can compromise the concrete’s fundamental integrity, aesthetics and durability.
It is crucial to consider the following approaches below:
· Root cause analysis
· Field evaluation and site inspection
· Examination for material deterioration
· Design, construction and material defect evaluation
· Non-destructive petrographic examination and testing
· Material and strength properties testing
· Structural integrity evaluation
· Service life expectation
· Failure risk assessment
· Building code conformance
Key Takeaways
These innovations in concrete and even in cement-based products are widely changing the design concepts and construction worlds. Concrete has been proactively evolving for more than 2000 years from now. This only means there’s so much to expect for concrete for the next years now that it consistently continues to transform and evolved.
