The Center for Advanced Concrete Research (CACR) at SRM University was started in the year 2010, to carry out interdisciplinary research in the field of concrete, a most common material of construction in any built environment and a basic necessity for accelerated economic development. At present, Portland cement is very widely used as binder in concretes. But, the high content of 'Embodied Carbon Dioxide' (ECO2) and 'Embodied Energy' in the cement are the major reasons for recent laboratory studies all over the world to find alternate binders, as there is an urgent need for making the constructions more eco-friendly and sustainable.
The Research and Development activities in this area are therefore taken as main focus of the newly formed Center. Towards this, use of industrial wastes (such as slags, fly ash, etc,) along with modern materials (such as nano-silica, nano-cellulose fibres, nano-alumina, etc) would be explored using recent developments occurring in the fields of science and technology such as nano-technology, bio-technology, chemical engineering, including usage of modern analytical instruments such as XRD, various spectroscopes, DTA/TGA, etc.,
Research
Major areas identified for investigations towards the above objectives include the following:- Concrete technology, high performance concretes (HPCs), mix design methodologies
- Repair techniques/materials for resisting corrosion of embedded steel and for enhanced durability of concrete
- Use of wastes such as fly ash, silica fume, blast furnace slag, rice husk, etc
- Fly ash aggregates (replacements for crushed stone aggregate concretes)
- Low energy intensive geopolymeric cement concretes
- Ultra high performance concretes (reaction powder concretes)
- Paver/building blocks with special properties such abrasion resistance (for industrial floorings and container handling areas of harbours/ports)
- Nanotechnology in constructions (nanosilica, nanocellulose fibres, nanocarbon fibres, etc for enhanced structural and durability of concretes)
- Zero-Portland cement constructions using inorganic alumino silicate binders
- Bacterial concretes or bio-concretes (for improving durability of existing and new concrete constructions, repair/strengthening of deteriorated/damaged monuments
- Natural fibre reinforced concretes (bamboo, coconut fibres, etc)
- Special concretes for nuclear waste disposal systems
- Use of special industrial wastes such as copper slag in nuclear concretes
- Self curing concretes for constructions
- Early traffic worthy concretes for fast construction and repair of roads
- Fire/high temperature resistant concretes
- Self curing and acid resistant new concretes for floorings/linings/tiles etc
- Self curing ecofriendly concretes for quick repair/strengthening
- Shock/blast/vibration resistant structural components
- Development of Electrical equipment for characterisation/evaluation of concrete microstructure
- Ferrocement technology with new reinforcements and binder systems
- Carbon/glass fibre reinforced plastic rods for aggressive environments
- Aerated/foamed lightweight concretes with new binder systems
- Quick mould release concretes for precast components
- Prestressed concrete sleepers for railways with new binders
