New Materials in Civil Engineering
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce different engineering materials of construction that have potential to be employed [13]. Considering various engineering attributes such as durability, sustainability, enhanced performance, reduction of use of natural resources, and low embodied energy, and the way forward, the reader is introduced to the new materials, however no attempt is made to provide a treatise of each material. The concepts introduced also give insight into the challenges and scope for innovation that exist.
The extraction, production, transportation, utilization, and recycling of construction materials have impacts on the environment, sustainability, and built environment. Generally, investment and rate of growth of infrastructure act as one of the key indicators of economic growth and prosperity of any country. There are reports of structures having suffered severe degradation. Investigations have revealed that most of the distress, damage, or degradation are due to the combined effects of aggressive environments, and increased live loads or altered function from the original/intended design.
Civil engineers face challenges of restoring the original design life, and preserving and maintaining retrofitted structures [1] through technological interventions. After water, concrete is the most commonly used building material in the world. Concrete has been through different stages of development; the earliest was conventional normal-strength concrete (NSC). Cement, water, fine aggregates, and coarse aggregates are the four key ingredients to developing the concrete mix matrix.
For faster and leaner RCC construction of civil engineering infrastructure use of concrete with very high compressive strength is the preferred solution today. Civil Infrastructure referred to here is concerned with urban infrastructure, development of smart cities, high-rise buildings, and long-span bridges, etc.
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