@article {523, title = {Concrete material science: Past, present, and future innovations}, journal = {Cement and Concrete Research}, volume = {Volume 112}, year = {2018}, month = {Oct-01-2018}, pages = {5-24}, abstract = {

Concrete is flying off, but it is simultaneously facing tremendous challenges in terms of environmental impact, financial needs, societal acceptance and image. Based on an historical approach of the science of concrete and reinforced concrete in particular, this paper calls for the exploration of radical changes in three key aspects of concrete use: reinforcement, binder content, and implementation methods. More precisely, it is suggested that, in parallel to the introduction of robotic fabrication methods, digital technologies may be key for the introduction several innovations like (i) rebar-free reinforcement using non-convex granular media; (ii) compression-optimized concrete structures, using topology optimization, architectural geometry, and 3D-printing or origami-patterned formworks; (iii) truly digital concrete through the coupling of massive data collection and deep learning.

CCR DIGITAL CONCRETE.pdf

Fig. 1. Top: Comparative evolution of the post-WWII global cement, steel, and plastic{\textellipsis}

Fig. 2. Top: The four beams on this figure have the same load bearing capacity

Fig. 3. (a): A {\textquotedblleft}deterministic{\textquotedblright} or regular Apollonian packing of disks in a circular{\textellipsis}

Fig. 4. A surface area vs particle size plot for the different granular populations -{\textellipsis}

Fig. 5. Minimum porosity of 17 different concretes, plotted vs the ratio between the{\textellipsis}

Fig. 6. Schematic illustration of the difference between an Apollonian packing (a) and{\textellipsis}

Fig. 7. Two perturbations occurring in a dense assembly of particles with at least two{\textellipsis}

Fig. 8. SEM images of cement pastes hydrated without (a and c) or with (b and d){\textellipsis}

Fig. 9. Binder intensity index as a function of 28days strength for close to one{\textellipsis}

Fig. 10. Entangled assemblages of non-convex particles which could provide{\textellipsis}

Fig. 11. Free-form architecture with UHPFRC concrete: (A) Curved panels of the Louis{\textellipsis}

Fig. 12. (A) Aircraft hangar, Orvieto, architect-engineer Pier Luigi Nervi, 1935; (B) A{\textellipsis}

Fig. 13. Cartoon depicting a paradigm for transformative evolution of research on{\textellipsis}

}, issn = {00088846}, doi = {10.1016/j.cemconres.2018.05.002}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0008884618300802}, author = {Henri Van Damme} }