Brief
Engineers at the University of Pittsburgh are revolutionizing the construction industry with metamaterial concrete, a lightweight and mechanically-tunable material that incorporates energy harvesting and sensing functionality. Learn how this innovative material is environmentally sustainable, cost-effective, and has applications ranging from shock-absorbing engineered materials to powering roadside sensors.
Insight
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed a metamaterial concrete that has integrated energy harvesting and sensing capabilities.
The material is created using reinforced auxetic polymer lattices embedded in a conductive cement matrix. The team believes that this material could be used in various applications such as seismic base isolation systems or shock-absorbing engineered materials at airports.
The new material can be fine-tuned to have attributes like flexibility and shapeability without sacrificing strength or longevity. It can generate enough electricity to power roadside sensors, monitor damage inside the concrete structure or monitor earthquakes while reducing their impact on buildings. Additionally, in the future, the material could power chips embedded in roads to help self-driving cars navigate on highways when GPS signals are too weak or LIDAR is not working.
The material is being developed through the IRISE Consortium at Pitt in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) for use on Pennsylvania roads.
The team’s earlier research has explored the use of self-aware metamaterials in smart implants, and this study is the first to introduce the use of metamaterials in concrete. The research presents a new concept for lightweight and mechanically-tunable concrete systems that can help reduce the amount of material needed while still providing advanced functionalities.
According to Amir Alavi, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Pitt, “We believe that we can achieve all of these goals by introducing a metamaterial paradigm into the development of construction materials.” The study introduces a new paradigm for construction materials that are more economical and environmentally sustainable, yet offer advanced functionalities.
Highlight
- The material is created using reinforced auxetic polymer lattices embedded in a conductive cement matrix.
- This material could be used in various applications such as seismic base isolation systems or shock-absorbing engineered materials at airports.
- It can generate enough electricity to power roadside sensors, monitor damage inside the concrete structure or monitor earthquakes while reducing their impact on buildings.
- The material could power chips embedded in roads to help self-driving cars navigate on highways when GPS signals are too weak or LIDAR is not working.
Related Questions
- What is self-sensing concrete?
- What are the advantages of self-sensing concrete?
- What is the composition of self-sensing concrete?
- What is intrinsic self-sensing concrete and structures?
Related Definitions:
Meta-Material Concrete
Meta-material concrete refers to a type of concrete that incorporates specially designed artificial or natural materials in its composition to provide unique properties that cannot be achieved with traditional concrete. Meta-materials are engineered materials with properties that are not found in nature and can be used to control and manipulate waves, including electromagnetic radiation, sound waves, and seismic waves.
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