Bendable concrete, made with woven fibers, flexes to absorb pressure, temperature changes, and movement. Collapsible concrete, a composite of special fibers and regular concrete, is lighter and requires less energy to produce. It can be used to patch existing potholes or cracks. Further research is needed before it is widely implemented.
Since we use “concrete” colloquially to mean fixed, well-defined, or inflexible, it may seem incredible that bendable concrete exists. However, in 2005, civil engineers at the University of Michigan developed this innovative material, which will undoubtedly change the face of construction. Bendable concrete, with the help of woven fibers, actually flexes to absorb pressure, temperature changes, and movement.
Ordinary concrete is made from a slurry of large aggregate rocks, smaller aggregates, and the inflexible mortar that binds them together. Once it hardens and dries, though, it becomes a rigid slab that will crack and bend in freeze-thaw cycles, earthquakes, or when a heavy truck drives over it. Therefore, it was a goal of civil engineers to figure out how to extend the life of roads, as well as make them better able to withstand environmental factors. Constantly replacing roads, bridges and parking lots is very expensive, time-consuming and inconvenient for commuters.
Surprisingly, the researchers have developed a versatile product called collapsible concrete. Concrete is technically a composite because it mixes special fibers with regular concrete. The fibers account for some of the flexibility and strength because they distribute weight evenly throughout the slab. They also flex when subjected to a lot of pressure. The fibers shift their position slightly to accommodate the added weight.
Not only is bendable concrete ductile, but recent tests have shown that it is much lighter. This is important for applications such as bridges, where more weight means more material and construction costs. Additionally, collapsible concrete requires less energy and releases less carbon dioxide during its production.
Even before this new type of concrete is widely implemented, it is compatible with today’s roads. Collapsible concrete can be used as a patching material for existing potholes or cracks. As this is a relatively recent development, much research and further improvement is still needed before it is accepted as a viable alternative to traditional flooring.
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