Next horizon in high performance concrete: Self-consolidating concrete and nanotechnology

In civil engineering, the traditional way of designing a concrete mix is by trial and error where different additives are used to achieve a set of final properties. But, recently the need for understanding the more fundamental properties and the science behind how different additives work has been realised. At the Center for Advanced Cement-Based Materials (ACBM), researchers have taken a materials science approach to improve the understanding of the properties of cementbased materials and develop new materials with specific properties. This not only deals with the development of high strength concrete by maximising compressive strength but also the development of high performance concrete by maximising durability. Work is in progress to optimise the processing and micro/nanoscale structure of the materials in order to achieve desired performance.