Nano-Enabled Multifunctional Concrete for Transportation Infrastructure

Concrete is the most widely used synthetic material on earth. In the U.S., more than 75 percent of bridges and more than 60 percent of interstate highways are made of concrete. There is no other bulk material on the horizon that could replace concrete as the backbone for our increasing demands in infrastructures. Despite several decades of studies, concrete bridges, highways and infrastructures still significantly suffer from fracture, deterioration and external chemical attacks (such as chlorides/sulphates) with maintenance costs that amount to multi-billion dollars annually.

To address the above critical needs, the TRB Highway Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis Program's IDEA Final Report 197: Nano-Enabled Multifunctional Concrete for Transportation Infrastructure examined a nano-enabled concrete technology with enhanced mechanical and durability properties for transportation infrastructures, resulting in improved strength and durability allowing for "doing more with less."