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Q&A: More-sustainable concrete with machine learning

Q&A: More-sustainable concrete with machine learning

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As a building material, concrete withstands the test of time. Its use dates back to early civilizations, and today it is the most popular composite choice in the world. However, it’s not without its faults. Production of its key ingredient, cement, contributes 8-9 percent of the global anthropogenic CO 2 emissions and 2-3 percent of energy consumption, which is only projected to increase in the coming years. With aging United States infrastructure, the federal government recently passed a milestone bill to revitalize and upgrade it, along with a push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions where possible, putting concrete in the crosshairs for modernization, too.

Elsa Olivetti, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Associate Professor in the MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Jie Chen, MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab research scientist and manager, think artificial intelligence can help meet this need by designing and formulating new, more sustainable concrete mixtures, with lower costs and carbon dioxide emissions, while improving material performance and reusing manufacturing byproducts in the material itself. Olivetti’s research improves environmental and economic sustainability of materials, and Chen develops and optimizes machine learning and computational techniques, which he can apply to materials reformulation. Olivetti and Chen, along with their collaborators, have recently teamed up for an MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab project to make concrete more sustainable for the benefit of society, the climate, and the economy.

Q: What applications does concrete have, and what properties make it a preferred building material?

Olivetti: Concrete is the dominant building material globally with an annual consumption of 30 billion metric tons. That is over 20 times the next most produced material, steel, and the scale of its use leads to considerable environmental impact, approximately 5-8 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It can be made locally, has a broad range of structural applications, and is cost-effective. Concrete is a mixture of fine and coarse aggregate, water, cement binder (the glue), and other additives.

Q: Why isn’t it sustainable, and what research problems are you trying to tackle with this project?

Olivetti : The community is working on several ways to reduce the impact of this material, including alternative fuels use for heating the cement mixture, increasing energy and materials efficiency and carbon sequestration at production facilities, but one important opportunity is to develop an alternative to the cement binder.

While cement is 10 percent of the concrete mass, it accounts for 80 percent of the GHG footprint. This impact is derived from the fuel burned to heat and run the chemical reaction required in manufacturing, but also the chemical reaction itself releases CO 2 from the calcination of limestone. Therefore, partially replacing the input ingredients to cement (traditionally ordinary Portland cement or OPC) with alternative materials from waste and byproducts can reduce the GHG footprint. But use of these alternatives is not inherently more sustainable because wastes might have to travel long distances, which adds to fuel emissions and cost, or might require pretreatment processes. The optimal way to make use of these alternate materials will be situation-dependent. But because of the vast scale, we also need solutions that account for the huge volumes of concrete needed. This project is trying to develop novel concrete mixtures that will decrease the GHG impact of the cement and concrete, moving away from the trial-and-error processes towards those that are more predictive.

Chen: If we want to fight climate change and make our environment better, are there alternative ingredients or a reformulation we could use so that less greenhouse gas is emitted? We hope that through this project using machine learning we’ll be able to find a good answer.

Q: Why is this problem important to address now, at this point in history?

Olivetti: There is urgent need to address greenhouse gas emissions as aggressively as possible, and the road to doing so isn’t necessarily straightforward for all areas of industry. For transportation and electricity generation, there are paths that have been identified to decarbonize those sectors. We need to move much more aggressively to achieve those in the time needed; further, the technological approaches to achieve that are more clear. However, for tough-to-decarbonize sectors, such as industrial materials production, the pathways to decarbonization are not as mapped out.

Q: How are you planning to address this problem to produce better concrete?

Olivetti : The goal is to predict mixtures that will both meet performance criteria, such as strength and durability, with those that also balance economic and environmental impact. A key to this is to use industrial wastes in blended cements and concretes. To do this, we need to understand the glass and mineral reactivity of constituent materials. This reactivity not only determines the limit of the possible use in cement systems but also controls concrete processing, and the development of strength and pore structure, which ultimately control concrete durability and life-cycle CO 2 emissions.

Chen : We investigate using waste materials to replace part of the cement component. This is something that we’ve hypothesized would be more sustainable and economic — actually waste materials are common, and they cost less. Because of the reduction in the use of cement, the final concrete product would be responsible for much less carbon dioxide production. Figuring out the right concrete mixture proportion that makes endurable concretes while achieving other goals is a very challenging problem. Machine learning is giving us an opportunity to explore the advancement of predictive modeling, uncertainty quantification, and optimization to solve the issue. What we are doing is exploring options using deep learning as well as multi-objective optimization techniques to find an answer. These efforts are now more feasible to carry out, and they will produce results with reliability estimates that we need to understand what makes a good concrete.

Q: What kinds of AI and computational techniques are you employing for this?

Olivetti : We use AI techniques to collect data on individual concrete ingredients, mix proportions, and concrete performance from the literature through natural language processing. We also add data obtained from industry and/or high throughput atomistic modeling and experiments to optimize the design of concrete mixtures. Then we use this information to develop insight into the reactivity of possible waste and byproduct materials as alternatives to cement materials for low-CO 2 concrete. By incorporating generic information on concrete ingredients, the resulting concrete performance predictors are expected to be more reliable and transformative than existing AI models.

Chen : The final objective is to figure out what constituents, and how much of each, to put into the recipe for producing the concrete that optimizes the various factors: strength, cost, environmental impact, performance, etc. For each of the objectives, we need certain models: We need a model to predict the performance of the concrete (like, how long does it last and how much weight does it sustain?), a model to estimate the cost, and a model to estimate how much carbon dioxide is generated. We will need to build these models by using data from literature, from industry, and from lab experiments.

We are exploring Gaussian process models to predict the concrete strength, going forward into days and weeks. This model can give us an uncertainty estimate of the prediction as well. Such a model needs specification of parameters, for which we will use another model to calculate. At the same time, we also explore neural network models because we can inject domain knowledge from human experience into them. Some models are as simple as multi-layer perceptions, while some are more complex, like graph neural networks. The goal here is that we want to have a model that is not only accurate but also robust — the input data is noisy, and the model must embrace the noise, so that its prediction is still accurate and reliable for the multi-objective optimization.

Once we have built models that we are confident with, we will inject their predictions and uncertainty estimates into the optimization of multiple objectives, under constraints and under uncertainties.

Q: How do you balance cost-benefit trade-offs?

Chen : The multiple objectives we consider are not necessarily consistent, and sometimes they are at odds with each other. The goal is to identify scenarios where the values for our objectives cannot be further pushed simultaneously without compromising one or a few. For example, if you want to further reduce the cost, you probably have to suffer the performance or suffer the environmental impact. Eventually, we will give the results to policymakers and they will look into the results and weigh the options. For example, they may be able to tolerate a slightly higher cost under a significant reduction in greenhouse gas. Alternatively, if the cost varies little but the concrete performance changes drastically, say, doubles or triples, then this is definitely a favorable outcome.

Q: What kinds of challenges do you face in this work?

Chen : The data we get either from industry or from literature are very noisy; the concrete measurements can vary a lot, depending on where and when they are taken. There are also substantial missing data when we integrate them from different sources, so, we need to spend a lot of effort to organize and make the data usable for building and training machine learning models. We also explore imputation techniques that substitute missing features, as well as models that tolerate missing features, in our predictive modeling and uncertainty estimate.

Q: What do you hope to achieve through this work?

Chen : In the end, we are suggesting either one or a few concrete recipes, or a continuum of recipes, to manufacturers and policymakers. We hope that this will provide invaluable information for both the construction industry and for the effort of protecting our beloved Earth.

Olivetti : We’d like to develop a robust way to design cements that make use of waste materials to lower their CO 2 footprint. Nobody is trying to make waste, so we can’t rely on one stream as a feedstock if we want this to be massively scalable. We have to be flexible and robust to shift with feedstocks changes, and for that we need improved understanding. Our approach to develop local, dynamic, and flexible alternatives is to learn what makes these wastes reactive, so we know how to optimize their use and do so as broadly as possible. We do that through predictive model development through software we have developed in my group to automatically extract data from literature on over 5 million texts and patents on various topics. We link this to the creative capabilities of our IBM collaborators to design methods that predict the final impact of new cements. If we are successful, we can lower the emissions of this ubiquitous material and play our part in achieving carbon emissions mitigation goals.

Other researchers involved with this project include Stefanie Jegelka, the X-Window Consortium Career Development Associate Professor in the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Richard Goodwin, IBM principal researcher; Soumya Ghosh, MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab research staff member; and Kristen Severson, former research staff member. Collaborators included Nghia Hoang, former research staff member with MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab and IBM Research, and Executive Director of MIT Climate & Sustainability Consortium Jeremy Gregory.

This research is supported by the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab.

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Use of Prefabrication, Construction and Demolition Wastes as an Aggregate in Vibropressed Precast Concrete Blocks Production

The aim of current study was to determine the recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) applicability in the production of concrete mixture for vibropressed concrete blocks. The experiments were focused especially on the crushed waste material from the same concrete elements producing plant. For this type of precast elements only some finer fractions can be implemented and the “earth-moist” consistency of fresh mixture is required. The series of samples was prepared in which the mixture of natural aggregates was partially or totally substituted by recycled concrete aggregate. The 0/4 RCA fraction, which is usually rejected in ready mix concrete technology, plays a role of 0/2 sand. The substitution of sand fraction was from 20% to 100% respectively. The substitution of the coarser aggregate fractions by 4/16 RCA was also done. The standard properties of vibropressed elements, such as the degree of densification, the density of material, the compressive and splitting tensile strength and the water absorption capacity according to the relevant standards were determined. The parameters of materials with the natural aggregate substitution by RCA are affected by the ratio of recycled concrete aggregate. In most cases the results do not decline specially from those for reference samples, when only the natural sand (0/2) fraction is substituted by the 0/4 recycled aggregate. As one could expect, as lower the substitution, as better the test results. The partial substitution of natural aggregate by coarser fractions requires experimental verification; over 20% substitution of natural aggregate by 4/8, 8/16 or 0/16 RCA should be excluded.

The properties of preplaced aggregate concrete technology contain the industrial waste-material and the various shapes and sizes of coarse aggregate

Abstract The success of preplaced aggregate concrete technology depends on two main factors which are potential grout and coarse aggregate. This research was conducted experimentally to determine the effect of using two different fly ash sources as an alternative for the partial replacement of cement and several size and shapes of coarse aggregate on the compressive and tensile strength of PAC specimens. This involved the use of seven concrete mixes with a low water-cement ratio of 0.4 and cement to sand ratio of 1:0.75 to produce standard cylinder specimens of concrete containing rounded and crush aggregate. Moreover, fly ash was added at a dosage of 5% and 10% of cement weight while three shapes and sizes of a rounded and crushed aggregate at 20 mm, 30 mm, and a mixture of the two were also applied. The results showed the compressive strength of specimens with different sizes or a mix of rounded aggregate in PAC exhibited a similar performance with 30 mm of crushed coarse aggregate. Furthermore, the specimen with a higher content of calcium fly ash demonstrated a more rapid strength at an early age of seven days than those with lower content. Therefore, the partial replacement of cement with industrial waste material in the form of fly ash in preplaced aggregate concrete has the ability to save up to 10% of cement and also produce certain environmental benefits.

3D printing-A Review of Materials, Applications, and Challenges

Abstract: Now a days 3-Dimensional Printing (3DP) technology is used world widely and it can actually print each and every thing with the desired computer program. In Construction engineering the challenges are like availability of skilled man power, time constraint, cost effectiveness and complicated shapes etc. But with the help of an automated machine, the 3D printing technology, has huge potential to have faster and more accurate construction of complex and more laborious works. This technology can build three-dimensional (3D) objects by connecting layers of materials and can be applied to convert waste and by-products into new materials. The 3DP in concrete construction is increasing thanks to its freedom in geometry, rapidness, formwork-less printing, low waste generation, eco-friendliness, cost-saving nature and safety. This paper attempts to review the digital printing technology introduced in the construction industry and the also highlights the impact on concrete technology. It also discusses about the materials used in 3DP, mix design, various applications and challenges in the construction industry. Keywords: 3D printing, Concrete, 3DCP, Mix design.

Novel Fuzzy-Based Optimization Approaches for the Prediction of Ultimate Axial Load of Circular Concrete-Filled Steel Tubes

An accurate estimation of the axial compression capacity of the concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) column is crucial for ensuring the safety of structures containing them and preventing related failures. In this article, two novel hybrid fuzzy systems (FS) were used to create a new framework for estimating the axial compression capacity of circular CCFST columns. In the hybrid models, differential evolution (DE) and firefly algorithm (FFA) techniques are employed in order to obtain the optimal membership functions of the base FS model. To train the models with the new hybrid techniques, i.e., FS-DE and FS-FFA, a substantial library of 410 experimental tests was compiled from openly available literature sources. The new model’s robustness and accuracy was assessed using a variety of statistical criteria both for model development and for model validation. The novel FS-FFA and FS-DE models were able to improve the prediction capacity of the base model by 9.68% and 6.58%, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed models exhibited considerably improved performance compared to existing design code methodologies. These models can be utilized for solving similar problems in structural engineering and concrete technology with an enhanced level of accuracy.

Design of Cold-Mixed High-Toughness Ultra-Thin Asphalt Layer towards Sustainable Pavement Construction

Ultra-thin asphalt overlay has become the mainstream measure of road preventive maintenance due to its good economic benefits and road performance. However, hot mix asphalt concrete technology is widely used at present, which is not the most ideal way to promote energy saving and emission reduction in the field of road maintenance. At the same time, the ultra-thin friction course based on cold mix technology, such as slurry seal layer, micro-surface, and other technologies, are still far behind the hot mix friction course in terms of crack resistance. In this research, by establishing an integrated design of materials and structures, a cold paving technology called “high-toughness cold-mixed ultra-thin pavement (HCUP)” is proposed. The high-viscosity emulsified bitumen prepared by using high-viscosity and high-elasticity modified bitumen is used as the binder and sticky layer of HCUP. The thickness of HCUP is 0.8–2.0 cm, the typical thickness is 1.2 cm, and the nominal maximum size of the coarse aggregate is 8 mm. Indoor tests show that HCUP-8 has water stability, anti-skid performance, high temperature performance, peeling resistance, and crack resistance that are not weaker than traditional hot-mixed ultra-thin wear layers such as AC-10, Novachip, and GT-8. At the same time, the test road paving further proved that HCUP-8 has excellent road performance with a view to providing new ideas for low-carbon and environmentally friendly road materials.

Unspoken Modernity: Bamboo-Reinforced Concrete, China 1901-40

Abstract Engineering science in the China of 1901-40 had unique characteristics that disrupt the idea of a universal approach to its history.1 The following case study describes the ideas and trials of introducing bamboo into the seemingly globalised technology of reinforced concrete—an innovation developed across the borders of mechanical, naval, civil, and aeronautical engineering. The article showcases a way of knowing and working by twentieth century engineers that has not been fully acknowledged, and is not only a phenomenon of China. While bamboo was a complicated and somewhat marginal object for engineering, it did make the European concrete technology more viable in the construction sites of China, and stimulate engineers’ experimental and resourceful spirit in mobilising both craft and scientific knowledge. It also opened up a challenge to engineering science of the time.

Evaluation of Rapid Repair of Concrete Pavements Using Precast Concrete Technology: A Sustainable and Cost-Effective Solution

Abstract Concrete and asphalt are the two competitive materials for a highway. In Sweden, the predominant material for the highway system is asphalt. But under certain conditions, concrete pavements are competitive alternatives. For example, concrete pavements are suitable for high-traffic volume roads, roads in tunnels, concentrated loads (e.g., bus stops and industrial pavement). Besides the load-carrying capacity, the concrete pavement has many advantages such as durability (wear resistance), resistance against frost heave, environment (pollution, recycling, and low rolling resistance leading to fuel savings), fire resistance, noise limitations, brightness, evenness and aesthetics. Concrete pavements are long-lasting but need final repair. Single slabs may crack in the jointed concrete pavement due to various structural and non-structural factors. Repair and maintenance operations are, therefore, necessary to increase the service life of the structures. To avoid extended lane closures, prevent traffic congestions, and expedite the pavement construction process, precast concrete technology is a recent innovative construction method that can meet the requirement of rapid construction and rehabilitation of the pavement. This paper evaluates rapid repair techniques of concrete pavement using precast concrete technology by analysing three case studies on jointed precast concrete pavements. The study showed that the required amount of time to re-open the pavement to traffic is dramatically reduced with jointed precast concrete panels.

Water Absorption of Incorporating Sustainable Quarry Dust in Self-Compacting Concrete

Abstract In construction industry nowadays, self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a concrete technology innovation which gives more benefits over conventional concrete. SCC was invented to improve concrete durability without using any vibrator while placing it into formwork. In order to conserve natural sand, quarry dust (QD) as a waste and sustainable material has been incorporated to replace fine aggregate in SCC. In this study, conventional concrete and quarry dust in self-compacting concrete (QDSCC) mixes consist of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% QD were prepared. The workability test was conducted to determine the performance of fresh concrete and ensuring all the QDSCC properties follow the acceptance criteria for SCC. Meanwhile, the hardened concrete specimens were water cured for 7, 28 and 60 days to conduct water absorption test. This research aim is to determine water absorption of incorporating sustainable QDSCC. Thus, it resulted that 50% of QDSCC has achieved the lowest water absorption of QDSCC as compared to other dosages. Finally, sustainability in concrete technology can be promoted by incorporating QDSCC.

Application of electro-hydraulic shock in concrete technology

Abstract The aspects, related to the influence of the electrohydraulic shock method use in a water-cement slurry passing in a closed chamber (activation reactor) with a pre-applied pressure to the system under various processing modes are highlighted in the article. In order to test the effect of this method on water-cement slurry, an installation was developed, consisting of: a high-voltage source, a high-voltage diode, capacitor banks, a closing element and an activation reactor. The necessary experiments were carried out on the completed installation. The procedure for conducting experiments is described in the work, shows a schematic diagram of the installation for performing activation, a diagram of the reactor, and the processing modes. Several activation modes were considered, depending on: the number of pulses (1-4), pulse energy (0.5-8 kJ), water-cement ratio (0.2-0.35), time intervals for starting treatment from the moment the cement was mixed with water (0 -120 minutes), volume and shape of the container (activation reactor), holding temperature (20-60°C), etc. According to the results of the data obtained, it was experimentally established that the use of electric pulse treatment of water-cement suspension has a positive effect on strength (cup compressive strength) indicators, obtained as a result of processing cement stone samples at different times of hardening (1-3 days). The compressive strength of the treated specimens’ increases in comparison with the untreated specimens, increase in strength reaches up to 45%, depending on the activation mode. The resulting effect was achieved due to many factors (high pressure, magnetic, temperature, energy, ultrasonic and other influences), which were applied in the most optimal period of time (stage) of the cement grain hydration process.

Built Infrastructure Renewal and Climate Change Mitigation Can Both Find Solutions in CO2

From technology to policy, the US is thinking about construction differently. The federal government is motivated to address the aging infrastructure across the country, and policy proposals are surfacing that seek green methods of performing this construction. This paper reviews the current status of concrete technology and policy to provide insight into the current state of the art. The scale of CO2 emissions from concrete production and use is elucidated. Current embodied emissions reduction methods show that action can be taken today in small and large projects alike. Additionally, developing concrete technologies offers pathways to reuse and rely on concrete for longer service lifetimes and reduce their lifetime embodied emissions. These concrete technologies must be implemented, and public procurement proves a unique tool to develop a nationwide demand signal for low embodied carbon building materials. Local governments closely interact with concrete producers, state governments oversee large infrastructure projects, and the federal government invests massively in construction. All three levels of government must coordinate for the effective rollout of low embodied carbon construction practices. Disparate policy approaches show successes and pitfalls to developing an effective construction policy that is aligned with climate. Importantly, approaches to addressing the twin challenge of climate change and crumbling infrastructure must consider the whole lifetime of the concrete. Throughout this paper, we examine the sector to highlight current practices and provide a vision for effective implementation.

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New Smart Cement Invented for Building More Durable Roads and Cities

By Northwestern University July 5, 2021

Professor Ange-Therese Akono holds a sample of her smart cement. Credit: Northwestern University

Incorporating nanomaterials into traditional cement improves water and fracture resistance.

Forces of nature have been outsmarting the materials we use to build our infrastructure since we started producing them. Ice and snow turn major roads into rubble every year; foundations of houses crack and crumble, in spite of sturdy construction. In addition to the tons of waste produced by broken bits of concrete, each lane-mile of road costs the U.S. approximately $24,000 per year to keep it in good repair.

Engineers tackling this issue with smart materials typically enhance the function of materials by increasing the amount of carbon, but doing so makes materials lose some mechanical performance. By introducing nanoparticles into ordinary cement, Northwestern University researchers have formed a smarter, more durable and highly functional cement.

The research was published on June 21, 2021, in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A .

With cement being the most widely consumed material globally and the cement industry accounting for 8% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, civil and environmental engineering professor Ange-Therese Akono turned to nanoreinforced cement to look for a solution. Akono, the lead author on the study and an assistant professor in the McCormick School of Engineering, said nanomaterials reduce the carbon footprint of cement composites, but until now, little was known about its impact on fracture behavior.

“The role of nanoparticles in this application has not been understood before now, so this is a major breakthrough,” Akono said. “As a fracture mechanics expert by training, I wanted to understand how to change cement production to enhance the fracture response.”

Traditional fracture testing, in which a series of light beams is cast onto a large block of material, involves lots of time and materials and seldom leads to the discovery of new materials.

By using an innovative method called scratch testing, Akono’s lab efficiently formed predictions on the material’s properties in a fraction of the time. The method tests fracture response by applying a conical probe with increasing vertical force against the surface of microscopic bits of cement. Akono, who developed the novel method during her Ph.D. work, said it requires less material and accelerates the discovery of new ones.

“I was able to look at many different materials at the same time,” Akono said. “My method is applied directly at the micrometer and nanometer scales, which saves a considerable amount of time. And then based on this, we can understand how materials behave, how they crack and ultimately predict their resistance to fracture.”

Predictions formed through scratch tests also allow engineers to make changes to materials that enhance their performance at the larger scale. In the paper, graphene nanoplatelets, a material rapidly gaining popularity in forming smart materials, were used to improve the resistance to fracture of ordinary cement. Incorporating a small amount of the nanomaterial also was shown to improve water transport properties including pore structure and water penetration resistance, with reported relative decreases of 76% and 78%, respectively.

Implications of the study span many fields, including building construction, road maintenance, sensor and generator optimization and structural health monitoring.

By 2050, the United Nations predicts two-thirds of the world population will be concentrated in cities. Given the trend toward urbanization, cement production is expected to skyrocket. Introducing green concrete that employs lighter, higher-performing cement will reduce its overall carbon footprint by extending maintenance schedules and reducing waste.

Alternately, smart materials allow cities to meet the needs of growing populations in terms of connectivity, energy and multifunctionality. Carbon-based nanomaterials including graphene nanoplatelets are already being considered in the design of smart cement-based sensors for structural health monitoring.

Akono said she’s excited for both follow-ups to the paper in her own lab and the ways her research will influence others. She’s already working on proposals that look into using construction waste to form new concrete and is considering “taking the paper further” by increasing the fraction of nanomaterial that cement contains.

“I want to look at other properties like understanding the long-term performance,” Akono said. “For instance, if you have a building made of carbon-based nanomaterials, how can you predict the resistance in 10, 20 even 40 years?”

The study, “Fracture toughness of one- and two-dimensional nanoreinforced cement via scratch testing,” was supported by the National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (award number 18929101).

Akono will give a talk on the paper at The Royal Society’s October meeting, “A Cracking Approach to Inventing Tough New Materials: Fracture Stranger Than Friction,” which will highlight major advances in fracture mechanics from the past century.

Reference: “Fracture toughness of one- and two-dimensional nanoreinforced cement via scratch testing” by Ange-Therese Akono, 21 June 2021, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A . DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0288

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2 comments on "new smart cement invented for building more durable roads and cities".

“… researchers have formed a smarter, more durable and highly functional cement.”

Why is it called “smarter?” How is the ‘IQ’ measured? Inquiring minds want to know.

Smarter is taking your 7 day cure infrastructure pour and shaking it to get crazy dense segments that eject 3/4 of their water, the 1/2 % CNT add to same effect, graphene amends, plus one other option. Ange-Therese Akono of Northwestern University will be in Google Scholar -all week-, people.

Cement recycling method could help solve one of the world's biggest climate challenges

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a method to produce very low emission concrete at scale -- an innovation that could be transformative in the transition to net zero.

The method, which the researchers say is "an absolute miracle," uses the electrically-powered arc furnaces used for steel recycling to simultaneously recycle cement, the carbon-hungry component of concrete.

Concrete is the second-most-used material on the planet, after water, and is responsible for approximately 7.5% of total anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. A scalable, cost-effective way of reducing concrete emissions while meeting global demand is one of the world's biggest decarbonisation challenges.

The Cambridge researchers found that used cement is an effective substitute for lime flux, which is used in steel recycling to remove impurities and normally ends up as a waste product known as slag. But by replacing lime with used cement, the end product is recycled cement that can be used to make new concrete.

The cement recycling method developed by the Cambridge researchers, reported in the journal Nature , does not add any significant costs to concrete or steel production and significantly reduces emissions from both concrete and steel, due to the reduced need for lime flux.

Recent tests carried out by the Materials Processing Institute, a partner in the project, showed that recycled cement can be produced at scale in an electric arc furnace (EAF), the first time this has been achieved. Eventually, this method could produce zero emission cement, if the EAF was powered by renewable energy.

"We held a series of workshops with members of the construction industry on how we could reduce emissions from the sector," said Professor Julian Allwood from Cambridge's Department of Engineering, who led the research. "Lots of great ideas came out of those discussions, but one thing they couldn't or wouldn't consider was a world without cement."

Concrete is made from sand, gravel, water, and cement, which serves as a binder. Although it's a small proportion of concrete, cement is responsible for almost 90% of concrete emissions. Cement is made through a process called clinkering, where limestone and other raw materials are crushed and heated to about 1,450°C in large kilns. This process converts the materials into cement, but releases large amounts of CO 2 as limestone decarbonates into lime.

Over the past decade, scientists have been investigating substitutes for cement, and have found that roughly half of the cement in concrete can be replaced with alternative materials, such as fly ash, but these alternatives need to be chemically activated by the remaining cement in order to harden.

"It's also a question of volume -- we don't physically have enough of these alternatives to keep up with global cement demand, which is roughly four billion tonnes per year," said Allwood. "We've already identified the low hanging fruit that helps us use less cement by careful mixing and blending, but to get all the way to zero emissions, we need to start thinking outside the box."

"I had a vague idea from previous work that if it were possible to crush old concrete, taking out the sand and stones, heating the cement would remove the water, and then it would form clinker again," said first author Dr Cyrille Dunant, also from the Department of Engineering. "A bath of liquid metal would help this chemical reaction along, and an electric arc furnace, used to recycle steel, felt like a strong possibility. We had to try."

The clinkering process requires heat and the right combination of oxides, all of which are in used cement, but need to be reactivated. The researchers tested a range of slags, made from demolition waste and added lime, alumina and silica. The slags were processed in the Materials Processing Institute's EAF with molten steel and rapidly cooled.

"We found the combination of cement clinker and iron oxide is an excellent steelmaking slag because it foams and it flows well," said Dunant. "And if you get the balance right and cool the slag quickly enough, you end up with reactivated cement, without adding any cost to the steelmaking process."

The cement made through this recycling process contains higher levels of iron oxide than conventional cement, but the researchers say this has little effect on performance.

The Cambridge Electric Cement process has been scaling rapidly, and the researchers say they could be producing one billion tonnes per year by 2050, which represents roughly a quarter of current annual cement production.

"Producing zero emissions cement is an absolute miracle, but we've also got to reduce the amount of cement and concrete we use," said Allwood. "Concrete is cheap, strong and can be made almost anywhere, but we just use far too much of it. We could dramatically reduce the amount of concrete we use without any reduction in safety, but there needs to be political will to make that happen.

"As well as being a breakthrough for the construction industry, we hope that Cambridge Electric Cement will also be a flag to help the government recognise that the opportunities for innovation on our journey to zero emissions extend far beyond the energy sector."

The researchers have filed a patent on the process to support its commercialisation. The research was supported in part by Innovate UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Engineering and Construction
Construction
Materials Science
Civil Engineering
Recycling and Waste
Environmental Issues
Environmental Policy
Energy and the Environment
Absolute zero
Radiocarbon dating
Knot theory
Scientific method

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Cambridge . Original written by Sarah Collins. The original text of this story is licensed under a Creative Commons License . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

Cyrille F. Dunant, Shiju Joseph, Rohit Prajapati, Julian M. Allwood. Electric recycling of Portland cement at scale . Nature , 2024; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07338-8

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Nano Science and Technology in Concrete Composites

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Concrete is a composite formed by the mixing and subsequent hardening of binders and aggregates. The binders include cement and asphalt as well as polymers, while aggregates include fine aggregates and/or coarse aggregates. Due to the advantages of readily available raw materials, simple processing, and low ...

Keywords : Nano science and technology, Concrete Composites, Cement, Asphalt, Polymer, Geopolymer, Alkali-activated, Fundamentals, Design, Fabrication, Test, Characterization, Simulation, Microstructures, Performances of fresh concrete, Mechanical performances, (Mul

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11 New Trends in Concrete Technology

Posted on May 20, 2020 |

Construction is one of the later industries to hop on the technology transformation train. Concrete contractors are striving to increase efficiency by developing newer technology to implement in their processes. With the right scope and design, your team can collaborate in a way that works best for the owner and client. There are new trends in concrete technology that many don’t know about yet.

Table of Contents

New Trends in Concrete Technology

Concrete contractors and construction companies must embrace new trends in concrete technology with open arms. Overall, one problem that the whole industry suffers from is a lack of skilled workers. These new trends in concrete technology will reduce construction costs and improve efficiency on and off the job site.

1. Project Management Software

There is construction management software made specifically for concrete contractors. For commercial construction projects, concrete and masonry contractors set the foundation. They provide services that range from site prep to finishing, timely delivery, and quality. With traditional processes, it can result in significant project delays that can cost additional money and time. With concrete construction project management, you can track real-time labor and production. You no longer have to wait for payroll or accounting reports to be processed.

2. BIM

Building Information Modeling has been around for decades, but technology is forever advancing. Its 3D modeling design software allows professionals the tools to see their project’s design, plan, and construction. Using BIM can help communicate the scope of the concrete project across all parties. Concrete contractors have been trying to push towards 3D, forming from 2-d for fieldwork. The entire building process becomes more efficient because there is an increase in communication with field workers, and they can see as-built formwork. BIM overall has the benefits to improve the supply chain and reduce waste, delays, and mistakes.

There are additional benefits:

— earlier identification of error and fault

— fewer change orders

— improved communication, collaboration, and productivity throughout the product

— more transparency of information that can be used during the bidding and procurement process

— more reliable design process

3. Artificial Intelligence (IoT)

GPS trackers and IoT sensors on equipment for concrete construction allows for predictive maintenance and can improve production cycles. Intelligent equipment is one of the newer concrete construction technologies because it can use human knowledge through computer processes. Adding sensors to equipment gives field workers more accurate and timely information about their assets, so there is no need for second-guessing!

There is an evolution to strength gauges, and we can understand curing and the overall concrete lifecycle. The curing and hardening processes are crucial to the final formation of cement. IoT applications can automatically regulate temperatures and humidity to ensure the adequacy of concrete properties in the chemical reactions. Although new technology is expensive, it is a necessary investment because problems are addressed, and you can prepare accordingly. Data from AI and IoT empowers concrete contractors to monitor concrete, access data quickly to make decisions in a timely manner.

Ultra-High Performance Concrete is a newer concrete technology that contains fibers but consists of mostly 80% traditional concrete. These fibers range in strength from polyester to stainless steel and ultimately deliver durability and strength to the final product. Additionally, UHPC has a longer lifespan than traditional concrete; it’s up to more than 75 years, and traditional concrete has 15-25 years. The United States is one of the key market players for UHPC. Also, the UHPC global market has an expected CAGR of 8.3% from 2019 to 2024 with a growth of USD 369 Million in 2019 to 550 Million in 2024.

Compared to traditional concrete, UHPC has distinct benefits :

— extended usage life

— improved durability

— improved resiliency

— minimal interruption

— reduced maintenance/out of service

— simplified construction techniques

— the speed of construction

5. Self-healing concrete

After construction, concrete cracks, weathers, leaks, and bends. Self-healing concrete contains limestone producing bacteria that repairs the crack when it comes into contact with air and water. Along with concrete, this self-healing bacteria can repair mortar for already existing structures. Repetitive dry and wet cycles with a width of 0.05 to 0.1mm completely seal cracks. The self-healing product acts as a capillary, and the water particles go through the cracks. Then, these water particles soak and hydrate the cement, causing it to expand, thus filling the crack. However, if cracks are greater than the width of approximately 0.1mm, other reconstructive work will be required.

Self-healing concrete is prepared in two ways:

1. By direct application:

After you mix the concrete, add calcium and bacterial spores to the mix. The process of sealing cracks occurs when water comes into contact with this bacteria, then they germinate on calcium lactate, and the production of limestone creates self-healing concrete.

2. By encapsulation in lightweight concrete:

The bacteria and calcium lactate are in clay pellets and mixed in with concrete preparations. Only about 6% of the clay pellets are actually included for making self-healing concrete. When there is a crack in the structure, the clay pellets break down, the bacteria germinate and feed on the calcium lactate and produce limestone.

6. Graphic concrete

According to the Kimmo Knappila, the CEO of Graphic Concrete LTD, “graphic concrete offers architects the versatility to deliver distinctive, intriguing, and iconic imagery to precast concrete surfaces.” Graphic concrete technology is the printing of a visual idea on a specific membrane and transferring it to a precast concrete surface. The membrane is disposable and moldable in any shape or form. This new trend in concrete technology allows custom concrete patterned surfaces. With graphic concrete, you can customize and add color pigments and different colors to enhance patterns and designs.

Graphic concrete can go on already prefabricated concrete products. Typically, graphic concrete is applied to sound barriers, pavers, facades, and interior applications. Graphic concrete is cost-effective in comparison to other precast concrete surfaces. When finished, they are ready to use, so you don’t need additional coating or surface treatments. Overall, graphic concrete can reduce construction time and keep costs down over the build.

7. Light-generating concrete

Jose Carlos Rubio Avalos developed this trend in concrete technology. This type of cement can absorb and radiate light. In terms of energy usage, it uses much less because this cement can be created at room temperature. During the day, the cement absorbs solar energy, and then it can expend light for approximately 12 hours. Now you’re thinking, how does this cement absorb solar energy? The cement does not have the crystallization supplement, and instead has a gel consistency; this allows light to pass inside.

This type of cement doesn’t require electricity, so it is typically on roadways, bridges, bike paths, and more. This is an eco-friendly alternative because the gas release in the manufacturing process is water vapor. The lifespan of light-generating concrete is about 100 years. Many light-generating concrete products emit blue or green light so that they can light roads and bridges. During production, to ensure safer environments for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, you can adjust the brightness level.

8. Translucent cement

Translucent concrete and cement are transferring the architectural look. This cutting edge technology consists of “fiber optics sandwiched between layers of insulation and concrete.” These fibers allow light from the outside to transmit to the inside and vice versa. Translucent cement is customizable for the structural and design requirements for the project. By this, you can determine the diameter and density of the fibers, and this determines how transparent the concrete will be. Instead of plain, regular concrete, translucent cement is chosen by designers and architects to add design aspects to structures like stairs and partition walls.

Drones are one of the new trends in concrete technology and its usage is increasing on construction sites, and we can expect the usage to increase exponentially. Primarily, drones survey and inspect sites from an aerial view that the contractor cannot. Drones finish inspections in a fraction of the time it would take traditionally. Although some construction companies were reluctant to use drones, the outcomes have benefited them immensely. For concrete professionals, drones are beneficial because they can help optimize layouts through digitation. Drones ensure that projects stay on track with the ability of increased visibility to spot potential problems.

In 2019, the Spanish architecture firm MuDD used drones to spray a cement-like substance onto fabric to “construct lightweight structures.” drones eliminated expensive construction equipment and sped up the process. It only took them five days to build the prototypes; traditionally, it might have taken them weeks. The prototype included a quadcopter drone to pray shotcrete onto fabric. For effective application of shotcrete, you typically need human operators and a crane, but with this method, you maneuver a drone to do the work.

10. 3D Printing

3D printing is not just limited to plastic and metal. With recent developments, concrete 3D printing offers the possibility in the quick build of affordable homes and communities. For concrete contractors and architects, 3D concrete printing is appealing because they can produce less-expensive buildings with less time, and handle higher dimensional analytics compared to traditional construction techniques.

Benefits of 3D concrete printing:

— low cost

— high build speed

— reduced waste

As this is one of the newer trends in concrete technology, it is not commonly used in large-scale projects. This is because this type of technology is a better fit with mid-sized buildings, structures at a low price, and quicker time span. 3D concrete printing is more eco-friendly, meaning very little material waste during the construction process compared to traditional builds. Instead of the architect or designer converting their blueprints to make molds, 3D concrete printing saves energy, time, and money by the printer’s ability to read 3D blueprint codes and immediately start printing. More and more companies will adopt 3D concrete printing to reduce costs, produce complex structures, and reduce production time.

11. Off-site construction

Off-site construction is the design, fabrication, and assembly of components at a different location than the actual installation site. Precast or prefabricated concrete is the most common type of off-site concrete techniques. Because the number of skilled labor is low, off-site construction is ideal because it is efficient, improve safety, reduce costs, increase speed, and its quality is consistent. As mentioned earlier, UHPC, Ultra-High Performance Concrete is very adhesive, which makes it compatible for use in prefabricated bridge elements and systems (PBES). With this system, you build bridge components like deck and beams, off-site, at a different location, and then install in the final location.

FAQs: New Trends in Concrete Technology

Why should I pay attention to new trends in concrete technology?

New trends in concrete technology are revolutionizing the construction industry by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing project outcomes. Staying informed about these trends can help you stay competitive and adopt innovative practices.

What is the significance of project management software for concrete contractors?

Project management software tailored for concrete contractors allows for real-time tracking of labor and production, eliminating the need to wait for payroll or accounting reports. It enhances efficiency, reduces delays, and ensures timely project delivery.

What is Building Information Modeling (BIM) and how does it benefit concrete construction?

BIM is a 3D modeling design software that facilitates communication, collaboration, and efficiency in concrete projects. It helps improve supply chain management, reduce waste, minimize delays, and enhance overall project communication.

How does Artificial Intelligence (IoT) impact concrete construction?

IoT sensors and GPS trackers on construction equipment enable predictive maintenance and improved production cycles. AI and IoT empower concrete contractors with accurate, real-time data for timely decision-making, reducing guesswork and errors.

Q5: What is Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC), and why is it important?

UHPC is a stronger and more durable concrete technology that offers extended lifespan, improved resilience, minimal interruption, and simplified construction techniques compared to traditional concrete. It is a key player in the global concrete market.

How does self-healing concrete work, and when is it effective?

Self-healing concrete contains bacteria that repair cracks when exposed to air and water, sealing cracks of certain widths. It can be applied directly or encapsulated in lightweight concrete, offering a sustainable solution for concrete maintenance.

What is graphic concrete, and where is it commonly used?

Graphic concrete involves printing visual designs on precast concrete surfaces using a disposable membrane. It is cost-effective, customizable, and often applied to sound barriers, facades, pavers, and interior applications, reducing construction time and costs.

How does light-generating concrete work, and where is it used?

Light-generating concrete absorbs and radiates light, reducing energy usage and emitting light for approximately 12 hours. It is eco-friendly, commonly used on roadways, bridges, and pathways to improve visibility and safety.

What is translucent cement, and how is it used in construction?

Translucent cement contains fiber optics, allowing light to transmit between layers. It is customizable, offering designers and architects the ability to add transparency to structures like stairs and partition walls.

How are drones used in concrete construction?

Drones are used for aerial site surveys and inspections, providing contractors with a faster and more efficient way to monitor project progress, identify potential issues, and optimize layouts.

What is 3D concrete printing, and what are its advantages?

3D concrete printing is an innovative technology that can quickly build affordable structures with reduced waste. It offers low cost, high build speed, and higher dimensional analytics compared to traditional construction methods.

What is off-site construction, and how does it benefit the industry?

Off-site construction involves fabricating components at a different location than the installation site, improving efficiency, safety, cost-effectiveness, and quality. It is particularly suitable for prefab concrete elements like bridge components.

How eSUB Can Help

eSUB is a cloud-based project management platform built especially for subcontractors. It seamlessly integrates with leading construction software systems so you can easily switch from your current document process to a cloud-based system to upgrade your construction project management process.

eSUB organizes all of your project information in one place, allows for smooth collaboration, and streamlines communication through its intuitive interface. It also works on your mobile , so you can track projects on the go—no matter where or when—and stay up-to-date.

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MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Clone of CSE welcomes 25 new faculty in 2023-24

Birds-eye view of the UMN Twin Cities campus, with the Minneapolis skyline.

STEM experts from across the world join the University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE) welcomes 25 faculty members this 2023-24 academic year—on its way to achieving its goal to hire 60 faculty in three years.

The expertise of this new group of CSE researchers and educators is broad. They range in areas such as hybrid intelligence systems, the reconstruction of past environments and climates, electric machines and magnetic levitation, reinforced concrete structures, and mathematical models to predict the electronic properties of novel materials.

Meet our new science and engineering faculty:

Rene Boiteau is an assistant professor of chemistry. He joins Minnesota from Oregon State University, where he held a joint faculty appointment in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Boiteau earned a bachelor’s in chemistry at Northwestern University, a master’s in earth sciences at University of Cambridge, and a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Much of his work is focused on developing analytical chemical approaches, especially mass spectrometry.

Zhu-Tian Chen is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering. He received his bachelor’s in software engineering from South China University of Technology and Ph.D. in computer science from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to Minnesota, Chen served as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and postdoctoral researcher at the University of California San Diego. His recent work focuses on enhancing human-data and human-AI interactions in both AR/VR environments—with applications in sports, data journalism, education, biomedical, and architecture.

Gregory “Greg” Handy is an assistant professor of mathematics . He comes to Minnesota from the University of Chicago, where he was a postdoctoral scholar in the Departments of Neurobiology and Statistics. As an applied mathematician and theoretical biologist, Handy’s research strives to use biological applications as inspiration to create new mathematical techniques, and to combine these techniques with classical approaches to examine the mechanisms driving biological processes. This fall, he is teaching Math 2142: Elementary Linear Algebra.

Jessica Hoover is a professor of chemistry. She joins the University of Minnesota from West Virginia University, where she has been a faculty member since 2012. Hoover’s interest in catalysis has been the focus of her work since her undergraduate studies. She graduated with a bachelor’s from Harvey Mudd College before arriving at the University of Washington to pursue her Ph.D. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Harman Kaur is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering—and a University of Minnesota alumna (2016 bachelor’s in computer science). Her research areas are human-centered artificial intelligence, explainability and interpretability, and hybrid intelligence systems. She is affiliated with the GroupLens Research Lab, a group of faculty and students in her department that’s focused on human computing interaction. Prior to Minnesota, Kaur served as a graduate researcher in the interactive Systems Lab and comp.social Lab at the University of Michigan, where she received both her master’s and Ph.D.

Yulong Lu is an assistant professor of mathematics. He joins the faculty from University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Lu received his Ph.D. in mathematics and statistics at the University of Warwick. His research lies at the intersection of applied and computational mathematics, statistics, and data sciences. His recent work is focused on the mathematical aspects of deep learning. This fall, Lu is teaching Math 2573H: Honors Calculus III to undergraduates and Math 8600: Topics in Applied Mathematics, Theory of Deep Learning to graduate students.

Ben Margalit is an assistant professor of physics and astronomy. As a theoretical astrophysicist, he studies the fundamental physics of star explosions, collisions and other examples of intergalactic violence such as a black hole passing near a galaxy and “shredding it to spaghetti.” As part of his job, Margalit works closely with observational astronomers in selecting the kinds of places to look for transient events. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University.

Maru Sarazola is an assistant professor of mathematics. She joins Minnesota from Johns Hopkins University, where she was a J.J. Sylvester Assistant Professor. Sarazola received her Ph.D. from Cornell University. Her research is focused on algebraic topology—specifically, her interest lies in homotopy theory (a field that studies and classifies objects up to different notions of "sameness") and category theory (“the math of math,” which looks to abstract all structures to study their behavior). This fall, she is teaching Math 5285H: Honors Algebra I.

Eric Severson is an associate professor of mechanical engineering—and University of Minnesota alumnus (2008 bachelor’s and 2015 Ph.D. in electrical engineering). He returns to his alma mater after being on the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty for six years. Severson leads research in electric machines and magnetic levitation, with a renewed focus in addressing grand challenges in energy and sustainability through multidisciplinary collaborations. His interests include extreme efficiency, bearingless machines, flywheel energy storage, and electric power grid technology.

Kelsey Stoerzinger is an associate professor of chemical engineering and materials science. She was on the faculty at Oregon State University, with a joint appointment in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. She studies the electrochemical transformation of molecules into fuels, chemical feedstocks, and recovered resources. Her research lab designs materials and processes for the storage of renewable electricity. Stoerzinger holds a bachelor’s from Northwestern University, master’s from University of Cambridge, and Ph.D. from MIT.

Lynn Walker is a professor—and the L.E. Scriven Chair in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Previously, she was on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research focuses on developing the tools and fundamental understanding necessary to efficiently process soft materials and complex fluids. This expertise is being used to develop systematic approaches to incorporate sustainable feedstocks in consumer products. Walker holds a bachelor’s from the University of New Hampshire and Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. She was a postdoctoral researcher at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium.

Alexander “Alex” Watson is an assistant professor of mathematics—and former University of Minnesota postdoctoral researcher in the School of Mathematics. Watson earned his Ph.D. at Columbia University. He works on mathematical models used to predict the electronic properties of materials, especially novel 2D materials such as graphene and twisted multilayer “moiré materials.” In summer 2022 and 2023, he presented at the U’s MathCEP Talented Youth Mathematics Program on topics related to materials research at the University of Minnesota.

Anna Weigandt is an assistant professor of mathematics. She comes to Minnesota from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was an instructor. Weigandt completed her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, and she was a postdoctoral assistant professor in the Center for Inquiry Based Learning at University of Michigan. She works in algebraic combinatorics, specifically Schubert calculus. This fall 2023, she is teaching Math 5705: Enumerative Combinatorics.

Michael Wilking is a professor of physics—and University of Minnesota alumnus (2001 bachelor’s in chemical engineering). He holds a master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. Prior to his return to the Twin Cities campus, Wilking served on the faculty at Stony Brook University. He completed his post-doc at TRIUMF, Canada's national particle accelerator center. Wilking was part of the Stony Brook research team honored with the 2016 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

Benjamin "Ben" Worsfold is an assistant professor of civil engineering —and a licensed professional engineer in both California and Costa Rica. His research interest lies in large-scale structural testing, finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures, and anchoring to concrete. Worsfold earned his master’s and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and bachelor’s from the University of Costa Rica.

Yogatheesan Varatharajah is an assistant professor of computer science and engineering —and a visiting scientist in neurology at the Mayo Clinic. His research lies broadly in machine learning for health. Varatharajah earned his master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to Minnesota, he was a research assistant professor of bioengineering at the University of Illinois and faculty affiliate for the Center for Artificial Intelligence Innovation with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications.

Starting in January 2024:

Emily Beverly is an incoming assistant professor of earth sciences. Prior to joining the University of Minnesota, she was on the faculty at University of Houston. She earned a bachelor’s from Trinity University, a master’s from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. from Baylor University. Beverly was a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia State University and University of Michigan. Her research focuses on understanding environmental drivers of human and hominin evolution. Beverly uses stable isotopes and geochemistry to answer questions about past and future climates with a firm foundation in sedimentary geology and earth surface processes.

Alexander “Alex” Grenning is an assistant professor of chemistry. He comes to Minnesota from the University of Florida, where he was a tenured faculty. Grenning earned a bachelor’s in chemistry and music from Lake Forest College, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Kansas. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Boston University. His work is focused on chemical synthesis and drug discovery.

Yu Cao is an incoming professor of electrical and computer engineering. Prior to Minnesota, Cao was a professor at Arizona State University. He holds a bachelor’s in physics from Peking University and a master’s in biophysics plus a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer sciences from the University of California-Berkeley. His research includes neural-inspired computing, hardware design for on-chip learning, and reliable integration of nanoelectronics. Cao served as associate editor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’s monthly Transactions on CAD .

Edgar Peña is an incoming assistant professor of biomedical engineering—and a University of Minnesota alumnus (2017 Ph.D. in biomedical engineering). He is a neuromodulation scholar who is interested in vagus nerve stimulation. Peña earned his bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and biomedical engineering from the University of California, Irvine. During his doctoral studies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, he used computational models to optimize deep brain stimulation.

Seongjin Choi is an incoming assistant professor of civil engineering. He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. He was a postdoctoral researcher at McGill University. His work involves using data analytics to draw valuable insights from urban mobility data and applying cutting-edge AI technologies in the field of transportation.

Pedram Mortazavi is an incoming assistant professor of civil engineering— and a licensed structural engineer in Canada . His interests lie in structural resilience, steel structures, large-scale testing, development of damping and isolation systems, advanced simulation methods, and hybrid simulation. Mortazavi holds a bachelor’s from the University of Science and Culture in Iran, a master’s from Carleton University in Ottawa, and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.

Gang Qiu is an incoming assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. He received his bachelor’s degree from Peking University in microelectronics and his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Purdue University. (He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.) Qiu’s research focuses on novel low-dimensional materials for advanced electronics and quantum applications. His current interest includes employing topological materials for topological quantum computing.

Qianwen Wang is an incoming assistant professor of computer science and engineering. She received her bachelor’s from Xi’an Jiao Tong University and her Ph.D. from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to Minnesota, Wang served as a post-doctoral researcher at Harvard University in the Department of Biomedical Informatics. As a visualization researcher, she created interactive visualization tools that enable humans to better interpret AI and generate insights from their data.

Katie (Yang) Zhao is an incoming assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. Her research interest resides in the intersection between Domain-Specific Acceleration Chip and Computer Architecture. In particular, her work centers around enabling AI-powered intelligent functionalities on resource-constrained edge devices. Zhao received her bachelor’s and master’s from Fudan University, China, and Ph.D. from Rice University. (She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Institute of Technology.)

Learn more about our goal to hire 60 new faculty in three years at the CSE recruiting website .

If you’d like to support faculty research in the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering, visit our CSE Giving website .

Join our winning team

Our unique combination of science and engineering within one college in a vibrant, metropolitan area means more opportunities for you. Learn about faculty openings.