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NANOTECHNOLOGY in construction
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How Nanotechnology Can Change the
Concrete World
Nonotechnology;
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Nanotechnology covers the design,
construction and utilization of functional
structures with at least one characteristic
dimension measured in nanometers. The
field of nanotechnology has developed in
major leaps during the past 10 years. These
developments were mainly driven by factors
such as dedicated initiatives in the field (e.g.
the National Nanotechnology Initiative) ,
APPLICATION OF
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN There are large numbers of applications of
nanotechnology in construction
CONSTRUCTION: engineering/industry. Some of these
applications are examined in detail below.
Nanotechnology can be used for design and
construction processes in many areas since
nanotechnology generated products have
many unique characteristics. These include Concrete:
products that are for: Lighter structure;
Stronger structural composites e.g. for
bridges etc ; Low maintenance coating ; Concrete is one of the most common and
Improving pipe joining materials and widely used construction materials. The
techniques ; Better properties of rapid development of new experimental
cementitious materials ; Reducing the techniques makes it possible to study the
thermal transfer rate of fire retardant and properties of cementitious materials at
insulation ; Increasing the sound absorption micro/nano-scale. Research has been
of acoustic absorber ; Increasing the conducted to study the hydration process,
reflectivity of glass. alkali-silicate reaction (ASR), and fly ash
reactivity using nanotechnology. The better
understanding of the structure and behavior
of concrete at micro/nano-scale could help
to improve concrete properties and prevent
the illness, such as ASR.
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concrete, containing large volume fly ash, at develop new, low carbon, high-performance
early age and improve pore size distribution steel (HPS) for bridges in 1992.
by filling the pores between large fly ash
and cement particles at nanoscale. The
dispersion/slurry of amorphous nanosilica is Nano with concrete;
used to improve segregation resistance for
self-compacting concrete. It has also been The new steel was developed with higher
reported that adding small amount of carbon corrosion-resistance and weld ability by
nanotube (1%) by weight could increase incorporating copper nanoparticles from at
both compressive and flexural strength . the steel grain boundaries. Sandvik
NanoflexTM is new stainless steel with
Cracking is a major concern for many ultra-high strength, good formability, and a
structures. When the microcapsules are good surface finish developed by Sandvik
broken by a crack, the healing agent is Nanoflex Materials Technology. Due to its
released into the crack and contact with the high performance, Sandvik NanoflexTM is
catalyst. The polymerization happens and suitable for application which requires
bond the crack faces. The selfhealing lightweight and rigid designs.
polymer could be especially applicable to fix
the microcracking in bridge piers and Its good corrosion and wear resistance can
columns. But it requires costly epoxy keep life-cycle costs low. Attractive or wear
injection. resistant surfaces can be achieved by various
treatments (Sandvik Nanoflex Materials
Technology). MMFX2 is nanostructure-
modified steel, produced by MMFX Steel
Corp.
Structural Composites
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“plywood”. This unique structure provides Nanosensors:
MMFX2 steel with amazing strength (three
times stronger), ductility, toughness, and Nano and microelectrical mechanical
corrosion resistance. Due to high cost, the systems (MEMS) sensors have been
stainless steel reinforcement in concrete developed and used in construction to
structure is limited in high risk monitor and/or control the environment
environments. The MMFX2 steel could be condition and the materials/structure
an alternative because it has the similar performance. One advantage of these
corrosion resistance to that of stainless steel, sensors is their dimension (10-9m to 10-
but at a much lower cost (MMFX Steel 5m).
Corp.).
Nano sensors;
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FUTURE CHALLENGE AND the cement to a finer form than the
DIRECTION: traditional form. Although the cement may
not be purely a nano material as yet, the
As with most developing technologies, a benefits obtained would already be
major number of challenges exist during the substantial.
initiation of the application of the
technology into reality. It is important to be
realistic and identify and plan for the
limitations and challenges inherent in this
process. In this section a short summary of
selected challenges and limitations affecting
application of nanotechnology in
construction engineering are provided. The
following main challenges and limitations
can be defined: Fabrication, Health,
Nano in roads;
Environment and Cost:
Health:
Fabrication:
Nanotechnology based construction
Current efforts in the field of products might be harmful to health. For
nanotechnology are focused on the example, the nanotubes [14] might cause a
fabrication, characterization and use of these lung problem to construction workers. In
materials on a nanoscale domain. This leads other words, it creates an environmental
to most of the development work focusing challenge to the construction industry as
on very small quantities of material that is well.
typically far removed from the type of
quantities required for typical construction Environment:
infrastructure.
The effect of various nonmaterials’ on the
One of the potential solutions to this is to natural environment is hotly debated in
focus on the nano materials to act as nanotechnology and environmental research.
catalyser, thereby reducing the amount of Various ongoing investigations focus on the
nano material required substantially. uncertainty regarding the potential effects of
Another viewpoint is that for many materials that exist on the nanoscale with
applications, the material does not properties that are different than when using
necessarily have to be used on a nano scale the material on a micro or macro scale.
to obtain a major improvement in benefits. Some work in this regard shows that the
This would be the case with reduction of the potential effects may be minimal.
dimensions of cement, where a substantial
As constructed infrastructure are provided in
improvement in strength can already be
the natural environment, all materials used
obtained through the large scale milling of
in the construction and maintenance of these
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facilities need to be compatible to the manufacturing technologies improve, these
natural environment and their effects on the costs may further decrease.
natural environment should not be negative.
Whether the expected decreases will render
the materials as run-of-the-mill construction
engineering materials will have to be seen,
Typical potential problems in this regard and depends largely on the benefits rendered
include leaching of materials into through the application of these materials.
groundwater, release of materials into
airways through the generation of dust and Current opinion is that in special cases, the
exposure to potentially harmful materials materials will enable unique solutions to
during construction and maintenance complicated problems that cause them to be
operations. The nanotechnology becomes a cost effective, which will lead to large-scale
double-edge sword to the construction application of these specific technologies. In
industry. More research and practice efforts other cases the traditional methods for
are needed with smart design and planning, treating the problem may still remain the
construction projects can be made most cost effective. It is the challenge to the
sustainable and therefore save energy, construction engineer to solve real world
reduce resource usage, and avoid damages transportation infrastructure problems and
to environment. provide a facility to the general public at a
reasonable cost.
Cost
CONCLUSIONS
The costs of most nanotechnology materials
and equipment are relatively high. This is • Nanotechnology is a rapidly
due to the novelty of the technology and the expanding area of research where
complexity of the equipment used for novel properties of materials
preparation and characterization of the manufactured on the nanoscale can
materials be utilized for the benefit of
construction infrastructure
• A number of promising
developments exist that can
potentially change the service life
and life-cycle cost of construction
infrastructure.
:
Nano Technology in Transportation
Focused research into the timeous
Engineering
and directed research into
However, costs have been shown to decrease nanotechnology for construction
over time and the expectations are that, as infrastructure should be pursued to
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ensure that the potential benefits of
this technology can be obtained to
provide longer life and more
economical transport infrastructure
REFERENCES:
www.asme.org/nanowebcast
www.aggregateresearch.com
www.nanoforum.org
www.gogle.com
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