Technology

New type of concrete will reduce the cost of building houses

Concrete is the main building material inworld, and reducing its cost can significantly reduce the costs for the construction of houses. One of the most important and expensive components of concrete is considered to be sand, which needs to be mined, cleaned of impurities and sorted - why don't scientists find a replacement for it? According to researchers from the Australian University of Deakin, the alternative can serve as small particles of glass that are unsuitable for processing.

Researchers are confident that created on the basis ofglass concrete is able to provide not only the strength of structures and their cheapness, but can also clean the planet from debris. Although glass is considered a relatively environmentally friendly material, its tiny particles cannot be sent for recycling due to the complexity of sorting. At the moment, humanity has huge reserves of old glass, which can be used in the construction industry.

Created durable and inexpensive concrete

University staff suggest usingglass in polymer concrete is a relatively new material, in which there are no flaws in cement concrete. Its pores are not filled with standard binders like cement and silicate, but polymers. Thanks to them, concrete can easily withstand moisture, temperature extremes and even exposure to chemicals. Shredded glass, which is proposed to use instead of sand, is able to enhance these properties.

The creators of the new material claim that heperfectly passed the tests for strength. It remains unclear at what level is the strength of the material. At the moment, the brand M1000 is considered one of the most reliable types of concrete - it is actively used in the construction of such important objects as dams, mines and helicopter platforms.

Anyway, if glass-based concreteat least a little better than ordinary concrete and at the same time cheaper, construction companies should definitely look at it. Other countries are engaged in the development of new types of building material - for example, in Singapore concrete was created that is extremely difficult to break.

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