Concrete Science and the Future

The chemistry of concrete is being reinvented to address durability and emissions:

• Supplementary cementitious materials like fly ash and slag can replace 30-50% of Portland cement, reducing emissions
• Carbon-cured concrete injects CO2 during curing, permanently mineralizing it into the material while making it stronger
• Geopolymer concrete uses industrial waste products instead of Portland cement, cutting emissions by up to 80%
• Self-healing concrete embeds bacteria or microcapsules that fill cracks automatically when water enters
• Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) achieves compressive strengths of 150+ MPa (vs ~30 MPa for normal concrete)