Innovation in Civil Engineering

There is many Innovation in Civil Engineering which can help civil engineering
construction practices. following are some most promising innovation .

1. Self-healing concrete:

Cement is most widely used materials in construction, but also one of the biggest
contributors to harmful carbon emissions, said to be responsible for around 7 per cent
of annual global emissions.

Self Healing Concrete

Also read Concrete Mix Deisgn Step by step

One of major problem is cracking in construction, usually caused by exposure to water

and chemicals. Bath University researchers are looking to develop a self-healing
concrete, using a mix containing bacteria within microcapsules, which will germinate
when water enters a crack in the concrete, which exact limestone, plugging the crack
before water and oxygen has a chance to corrode the steel reinforcement.

2. Thermal bridging:

The demand of efficient insulation material is becoming crucially important throughout

the construction industry. The heat transfer through walls tends to be cross directly
through the building envelope, be it masonry, block or stud frame, to the internal fascia
such as drywall.

Thermal Bridging

This process is called as “thermal bridging”. Aerogel, the Nasa technology developed for
cryogenic insulation, is considered one of the most effective thermal insulation materials
and US spin-off Thermablok has adapted it using a proprietary aerogel in a fibreglass
matrix. This can be used to insulate studs, which can considerably increase overall wall
R-value (an industry measure of thermal resistance) by more than 40 per cent.

3. Photovoltaic glaze:

Glazing. integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) can help buildings generate their own electricity,
by turning the whole building envelope into a solar panel. The Polysolar is a company is
 provide transparent photovoltaic glass as a structural building material, forming
windows, façades and roofs.

 Photovoltaic
Glaze
 Photovoltaic
Glaze System

The grazing material of Polysolar’s is efficient at producing energy even on north-facing,

vertical walls and its high performance at raised temperatures means it can be double
glazed or insulated directly. Similarly, provide the saving on energy bills and earning
feed-in tariff revenues, its cost is only marginal over traditional glass, since construction
and framework costs remain, while cladding and shading system costs are replaced.

4. Kinetic Footfall:

Another, technology is kinetic energy which is under development that is Pavegen

provides a technology that enables flooring to harness the energy of footsteps. It may
be utilise in indoors or outdoors in high traffic areas, and generates electricity from
pedestrian footfall using an electromagnetic induction process and flywheel energy
storage.

Kinetic Footfall

 Kinetic footfall
system
 The Kinetic footfall is most efficient to transport hubs where a large flow of people will
pass over it. The company deployment has done so far is in a football pitch in Rio de
Janeiro to help power the floodlights around the pitch. It has a temporary installed
outside London’s Canary Wharf station powering street lights. these is one of
important Innovation in Civil Engineering 2019

5. Kinetic Roads:

The utility of kinetic energy potential in roadways is exploring by Italian startup

Underground Power . The company has developed a technology called Lybra, a tyre-like
rubber paving that converts the kinetic energy produced by moving vehicles into
electrical energy.

 Kinetic Road System

This technology is developed collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Milan,

Lybra operates on the principle that a braking car dissipates kinetic energy. These new
cutting-edge technology is able to collect, convert kinetic energy into electricity and
pass it on to the electricity grid and also for improving road safety, the device upgrades
and promotes sustainability of road traffic.

Thumb For Any Civil Engineers, Site Engineers

6. 3D Modelling:

Innovative planning concepts have been driven by the growth of smart cities. For that
purposes, the software developed CyberCity3D is a geospatial-modeling specialize in the
production of smart 3D building models.
3D Modelling Smart City Deisgn

It helps in creating smart digital 3D buildings to help the architectural, engineering and
construction sector visualize and communicate design and data with CC3D proprietary
software. These model can be integrated with 3D geographic information system
platforms, such as Autodesk and ESRI, and can stream 3D urban building data to
Cesium’s open architecture virtual 3D globe. Its delivers data information for urban,
energy, sustainability and design planning, and works in conjunction with many smart
city SaaS platforms such as Cityzenith.

7. Modular Construction:
It includes the building constructed off-site using the same materials and designed of
same standards as conventional on-site construction. It also helps in limiting
environmental disruption, delivering components as and when needed, and turning
construction into a logistics exercise.
Modular construction Technique

It also offers strong sustainability benefits, from fewer vehicle movements to less
waste. By using this method with up to 70 per cent of a building produced as
components, it allows a move towards “just in time” manufacturing and delivery. This
method is currently popular in the United States and UK, Chinese developer Broad
Sustainable Building recently completed a 57-storey skyscraper.

8. Asset mapping:

This technique focuses on operational equipment, including heating and air

conditioning, lighting and security systems, collecting data from serial numbers,
firmware, engineering notes of when it was installed and by whom, and combines the
data in one place.
It shows engineers in real time on a map where the equipment needs to be installed
and, once the assets are connected to the real-time system using the internet. These
can be operated via the web, app, and other remote devices and systems. Asset
mapping helps customers build databases of asset performance, which can assist in
proactive building maintenance, and also reduce building procurement and insurance
costs.

Top 10 Future Construction Materials

Following are the future Construction material

1. Translucent Concrete:

The concrete structure is known more for its stability than their great lighting. That was
until translucent concrete started to make its way on to the market.
Translucent concrete is manufactured by using glass fiber optical strands, which create
a solid but sheer block. LitraCon, known as transparent concrete can be used in flooring
and pavement.
Translucent Concrete

From Research and testing transparent concrete, it is clear that the optical fibers make
up only 4 percent of the mixture. So it shows that concrete block made from this
material still have the ability to support load-bearing walls.

Watch Video: Tranparent Concrete

2. SensiTile:

Think about if you walk across your kitchen floor to get something from the
refrigerator, the floor twinkles with a lighted path that guides your way through the
dark room. this is now possible if you had SensiTiles.
SensiTile

In this type of tiles concrete acrylic fiber- optic channels that transfer light from one
point to another are embedded in it. As person move across Terrazzo’s surface, the
light channels flicker with a randomized, twinkling effect. Tiles are available for use as
flooring, in bathrooms and even ceilings, so you can have twinkling lights follow you all
over the house.

3. Electrified Wood:

Now you may never have to deal with the Bunch of wires that you need handle while
lighting in home decoration purpose. The Wood – E European manufacturing company
has material that can incorporate a source of electricity directly into tables and chairs.
In that system they inserted two metal layers are pressed between the wood of the
furniture, making it possible to pass an electrical current through the whole thing.
Electrified Wood

The power is supplied by 12-volt power is fed to the metal layers via one connector,
and lamps and other devices can be connected via the other. But there is a doubt that
if this furniture will work with all electrical outlets, but we’re for any piece of furniture
that means we don’t have to find a way to tie all our wires together.

4. Flexicomb:


Flexicomb
 
Flexicomb Material

This material name Flexicomb’s describes itself quite well. The material designed by
PadLab’s Dan Gottlieb while he was still an undergraduate at the Yale School of
Architecture. This material is made up of a flexible honeycomb matrix, which can be
used to build lighting fixtures, furniture, and sculptural installations. The Flexicomb
material is made from thousands of closely packed polypropylene tube that will bend in
the convex direction while remaining rigid in the concave one. Flexicomb can be used
for almost any imaginable purpose.

5. RichLite:

RichLite Table
 RichLite Material

A Countertop like wood made of paper might not sound too strong, but a Richlite
counter material is almost indistinguishable from one made of wood. The material is
made with 70 % of the recycled paper. This countertops material are made by treating
paper with a resin and then baking it to create solid sheets. This material was first used
in the aerospace, boating, and sports industries as reinforcement for surfaces like
fiberglass, but now is available for architectural purposes as well.

6. Self-Repairing Cement:

Self-Repairing Cement

Lots of research have been done to replace concrete, but cement is itself still evolving.
A newly invented self-healing cement is currently being developed which has the ability
to repair its own cracks. This cement manufactured by mixed with microcapsules that
release a glue-like epoxy resin that will automatically repair any cracks that form in the
sidewalk or roadway.

Self-Repairing Cement

it is a material that can absorb or release large amounts of heat have also been
included in the ingredients. This material can save energy by developing buildings that
can control their own temperature, and save money on repairs

7. Carbon Fiber:

Carbon Fiber Material

Carbon fiber is a material which is extremely strong and light weighted. The carbon
fiber material is 5 times as strong as steel, two times as stiff, yet weighs about two-
thirds less. These fibers are made up of carbon strands that are thinner than a human
hair. The carbon strands can be woven together, like cloth, and then that can be
molded to any shape you might want. In addition, carbon fibers are strong as well as
flexible, so it’s the perfect material for construction projects in areas with that are
exposed to hurricanes and tornados.
Also Read : Latest Innovation in Civil Engineering

8. Liquid Granite:

According to its inventor, liquid granite has the ability to completely replace cement in
concrete. Liquid Granite is lightweight and has the same load-bearing capacity of
cement, but is made of recycled materials. this material has none of the environmental
impacts that cement and concrete do.

Liquid Granite

Liquid Granite made up of between 30 and 70 percent recycled material and uses less
than one-third of the cement used in precast concrete. So it can greatly reduce carbon
footprint and liquid granite is also fire resistant. It can handle temperatures of up to
1,100 degrees Celsius while still maintaining its structural properties. it does not
explode in high temperatures like concrete.

9. Bendable Concrete:

Normally concrete is a very brittle material; any buckling or bending will cause it to
crack. This problem of concrete can be removed by new fiber-reinforced bendable
concrete might just be putting an end to that issue.
Bendable Concrete

The new fiber-reinforced bendable concrete is around 500 times more resistant to
cracking than regular concrete thanks to the tiny fibers, which account for two percent
of its make up. The fibers inside the concrete slide within the concrete when bending
occurs, providing it with enough give to prevent breakage. In addition, this concrete
has a much longer life expectancy, which means it will cost a less in the long run too.

Also Read : Thumb Rules For Civil Engineers

10. Concrete Canvas:

Concrete Canvas

It is a flexible cement impregnated fabric that hardens on hydration to form a thin,

durable waterproof and fire proof concrete layer.

• In this type of concrete, it just required to Add Water on a roll.

•CC is available in man-portable rolls for applications with limited access or where
heavy plant equipment is not available.

•Once hydrated, CC remains workable for 2 hours and hardens to 80% strength within
24 hours

•Rapid, Flexible, Strong, Durable, Water Proof, Fire Proof, CO2 Savings, Low Wash Out,
Environment nt Agency Approval (UK)

11. Low-E Glass / Films:

Low-E Glass / Films

•Low-E glass is window glass that has invisible metal or metallic oxide invisible coating,
creating a surface that reflects heat while allowing light to pass through. This type of
glass is proven to reduce energy consumption, decrease fading of fabrics, such as
window treatments, and increase overall comfort in your home.

12. Transparent Aluminum:

Transparent Aluminum

Transparent Aluminum has extremely-durable crystalline material with excellent optical

transparency

 It can be used windows, domes, plates, rods, and tubes in a wide range of sizes and
thicknesses
 It has clarity
 Total absence of birefringence Outstanding hardness and high strength. Available in
a wide variety of sizes, shapes thicknesses
 Produced using proven ceramic forming processes
 Cost effective advanced material
 it can be Applicable to a wide variety of industries including aerospace, security,
defense and Semiconductor, Energy and consumer products.