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Center for Concrete Advancement Network (CAN)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

Portland cement concrete is a ubiquitous element of the built environment and is crucial for housing and infrastructure development worldwide. Advances in materials science and processing can enhance concrete's resilience, recyclability, and long-term durability, enabling significant economic and societal benefits.

Using advanced analysis and modeling of chemical reactions and interactions from the nanoscale to the mesoscale, the Concrete Advancement Network (CAN) IUCRC aims to develop new technologies and methods that will result in concrete that is far more efficient, more rapidly deployable, and less dependent upon natural resources. The objective is to use modern-day technology, such as multi-scale modeling, digital manufacturing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, to fast-track the implementation of cutting-edge concepts into this key industrial sector, which often relies on 20th-century technology. Breakthroughs in concrete innovation can be achieved using model-based prediction and verification in combination with traditional experimental methods, thereby advancing the pace of technology transfer from concept to implementation.

Universities

University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Oregon State University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Konstantin Sobolev
Center Director
+1 414 229 3198
sobolev@uwm.edu

William J Weiss
Site Director

jason.weiss@oregonstate.edu

Research Focus

The CAN IUCRC seeks to:

Develop innovative concrete materials and processing technologies;
Translate promising research outcomes into tangible impacts for member companies;
Develop a diverse and skilled science and engineering workforce for the concrete industry at large.

Implementation of the technologies developed through CAN are expected to enhance performance in construction while helping to conserve natural resources and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Toward those goals, CAN’s proposed thrust areas include:

Carbon dioxide reduction and utilization;
Structure-property-performance, control of concrete durability, longevity, and life-cycle modeling;
Enabling increased recyclability and use of off-spec materials and by-products;
Multi-functional cementitious materials and ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC);
Digital concrete and additive manufacturing (3D printing);
Development of smart concrete via embedded sensors, conductivity, and/or piezo-response;
Applications of data mining, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Awards

2310861

IUCRC Phase I University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: Center for Concrete Advancement Network (CAN), Lead Site

Portland cement concrete is a ubiquitous element of the built environment and is a crucial component of building and infrastructure development worldwide. The production of concrete, the most widely used manufactured material, is a contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The production of cement results in 4-8% of global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. There is a need to reduce the CO2 emissions both during construction and throughout the life of the concrete. The Concrete Advancement Network (CAN), an Industry-University Cooperative Research Phase I Center (IUCRC) established by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Oregon State University, focuses on reducing the global warming potential (GWP) of concrete while improving the long-term durability of concrete thereby enabling significant economic and societal benefits. CAN focuses on implementing nanotechnology advancements, recyclability, digital manufacturing, multi-scale modeling, artificial intelligence, and advanced testing techniques will be used to fast-track the implementation of cutting-edge concepts into this key industrial sector, which frequently relies on older technology. Breakthroughs in the concrete field can be achieved using model-based prediction and verification combined with experimental methods, thereby advancing the pace of technology transfer from concept to implementation. The CAN center aims to develop innovative concrete mixtures with reduced GWP while establishing methods to quantify the GWP and performance for member companies while training a diverse and skilled science and engineering workforce for the industry at large. Thus, CAN activities are strategically important to the U.S. economy because they will provide long-term solutions for the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure and meet the demand for transportation and buildings.

The CAN University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee site has unique expertise and capabilities related to the use of nanotechnology in concrete, which are translated to the development and effective use of nano-engineered composites, ultra-high-performance concrete, photocatalytic concrete, smart sensor-embedded construction, innovations in by-product utilization, application of supplementary cementitious materials, carbon reduction and sequestration, digital manufacturing, and the extension of service life. In addition, the ISO 17025-certified structural testing facility provides a unique capability to scale-up and verify the concepts developed in the lab. Using advanced analysis and manipulating chemical interactions from nano to mesoscale, CAN researchers aim to develop modern technologies and methods that will result in concrete that is more efficient, more rapidly deployable, and much less dependent upon natural resources. Center research efforts will enable breakthroughs in concrete science by using model-based prediction and verification in lieu of traditional experimental methods, thereby advancing the pace of technology transfer from concept to implementation. Finally, training programs are planned to help prepare the next generation of engineers while also providing information updates for practitioners.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

2310872

IUCRC Phase I Oregon State University: Center for Concrete Advancement Network (CAN)

Portland cement concrete is a ubiquitous element of the built environment and is a crucial component of building and infrastructure development worldwide. The production of concrete, the most widely used manufactured material, is a contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The production of cement results in 4-8% of global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. There is a need to reduce the CO2 emissions both during construction and throughout the life of the concrete. The Concrete Advancement Network (CAN), an Industry-University Cooperative Research Phase I Center (IUCRC) established by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Oregon State University, focuses on reducing the global warming potential (GWP) of concrete while improving the long-term durability of concrete thereby enabling significant economic and societal benefits. CAN focuses on implementing nanotechnology advancements, recyclability, digital manufacturing, multi-scale modeling, artificial intelligence, and advanced testing techniques will be used to fast-track the implementation of cutting-edge concepts into this key industrial sector, which frequently relies on older technology. Breakthroughs in the concrete field can be achieved using model-based prediction and verification combined with experimental methods, thereby advancing the pace of technology transfer from concept to implementation. The CAN center aims to develop innovative concrete mixtures with reduced GWP while establishing methods to quantify the GWP and performance for member companies while training a diverse and skilled science and engineering workforce for the industry at large. Thus, CAN activities are strategically important to the U.S. economy because they will provide long-term solutions for the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure and meet the demand for transportation and buildings.

The CAN Oregon State site is focused on the development of approaches to improve concrete performance predictions specifically as it relates to durability, by-product utilization, and a reduced carbon footprint. Novel experimental measurement techniques and computational tools will be showcased that can provide value to the industry. Oregon State will focus primarily on four primary research thrust areas: 1) the increased use of ‘off-spec’, natural, and ‘industrial by-product’ supplementary cementitious materials to reduce the global warming potential of concrete, 2) carbon reduction, sequestration, and use of carbonatable binders, 3) molecular and thermodynamic modeling and 4) concrete durability, longevity, and service life modeling. It is anticipated that work will focus on the development of mixture proportioning tools that result in mixtures with low GWP as well as approaches that better consider the service life emissions of concrete. Advanced experimental techniques like neutron radiography are planned to assess the influence of fluid transport and carbonation on concrete development and performance. Additionally, work will be performed to quantify the durability of concrete which will likely include updates to the service life prediction of concrete exposed to acid and the role of commercial additives in reducing transport and acid damage. Finally, training programs are planned to help prepare the next generation of engineers while also providing information updates for practitioners.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

Member Organizations

IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the National Science Foundation.