Advancements of nano-technology in civil engineering

Nanotechnology is the science of engineering that deals with particle which are less than 100
nm in size. It is the study of manipulating matter on molecular and atomic scale. In recent
years, nanotechnology showed its potential in the field of biomedical, electronics, robotics.
The role of nanotechnology in the conceiving of innovative infrastructure systems has the
potential to revolutionize the civil engineering practice and widen the vision of civil
engineering. In civil engineering and construction, the nanotechnology is applied in i)
concrete for reducing segregation in self compacted concrete, ii) the use of copper nano-
particles in low carbon HPS is remarkable, iii) the use of nano sensors in construction phase
to know the early age properties of concrete is very useful, and (iv) its use in water
purification system by replacing the use of granulated particles of carbon in filtration with
purifiers like Nano Ceram-Pac (NCP).

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTION

The use of nanotechnology in construction involves the development of new concept and
understanding of the hydration of cement particles and the use of nano-size ingredients such
as alumina and silica and other nanoparticles. With the help of nanotechnology, concrete is
stronger, more durable and more easily placed, steel is made tougher, glass is self-cleaning
and paints are made more insulating and water repelling.

Fig. 1 Conceptual diagram of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) (A) and multiwalled
carbon nanotube (MWCNT) (B) delivery systems showing typical dimensions of length,
width, and separation distance between graphene layers in MWCNTs
Two nano-sized particles that stand out in their application to construction materials are
titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carbon nanotubes (CNT’s). The former is being used for its
ability to break down dirt or pollution and then allow it to be washed off by rain water on
everything from concrete to glass and the latter is being used to strengthen and monitor
concrete.
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are cylindrical in shape with diameter in nanometers and length
can be in several millimeters as shown in Fig. 1. When compared to steel, the Young’s
modulus of CNTs is 5 times, strength is 8 times while the densite is 1/6th times. Along the
tube axis the thermal conduction is also very high.

Nanotechnology and Concrete

As reported in [1], much analysis of concrete is being done at the nano-level in order to
understand its structure using the various techniques developed for study at that scale such as
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Focused Ion
Beam (FIB). The understanding of the structure and behaviour of concrete at the fundamental
level is an important and very appropriate use of nanotechnology.

One of the advancements made by the study of concrete at the nanoscale is that particle
packing in concrete can be improved by using nano-silica which leads to a densification of
the micro and nanostructure resulting in improved mechanical properties. Nano-silica
addition to cement based materials can also control the degradation of the fundamental C-S-H
(calcium-silicatehydrate) reaction of concrete caused by calcium leaching in water as well as
block water penetration and therefore lead to improvements in durability. Related to
improved particle packing, high energy milling of ordinary portland cement (OPC) clinker
and standard sand, produces a greater particle size diminution with respect to conventional
OPC and, as a result, the compressive strength of the refined material is also 3 to 6 times
higher (at different ages).

Another type of nanoparticle added to concrete to improve its properties is titanium dioxide
(TiO2). TiO2 is a white pigment and can be used as an excellent reflective coating. Since TiO2
breaks down organic pollutants, volatile organic compounds, particles previously broken
down and washes them off. The resulting concrete has a white colour that retains its
whiteness very effectively.

Fiber wrapping of concrete is quite common today for increasing the strength of preexisting
concrete structural elements. Advancement in the procedure involves the use of a fibre sheet
(matrix) containing nano-silica particles and hardeners. These nanoparticles penetrate and
close small cracks on the concrete surface and, in strengthening applications, the matrices
form a strong bond between the surface of the concrete and the fibre reinforcement.
Additional work is needed in order to establish the optimum values of carbon nanotubes and
dispersing agents in the mix design parameters. In addition, the cost of adding CNT’s to
concrete may be prohibitive at the moment.

Nanotechnogy and Steel

In steel, fatigue is a significant issue that can lead to the structural failure when steel is
subjected to cyclic loading, such as in bridges or in towers. This can happen at stresses
significantly lower than the yield stress of the material and lead to a significant shortening of
useful life of the structure. Stress risers are responsible for initiating cracks from which
fatigue failure results and research has shown that the addition of copper nanoparticles
reduces the surface unevenness of steel which then limits the number of stress risers and
hence fatigue cracking.

Research work on vanadium and molybdenum nanoparticles has shown that they improve the
delayed fracture problems associated with high strength bolts. This is the result of the
nanoparticles reducing the effects of hydrogen embrittlement and improving the steel
microstructure through reducing the effects of the inter-granular cementite phase. As quoted
in NSTR [3], instead of CNTs two relatively new products that are available today are
Sandvik Nanoflex (produced by Sandvik Materials Technology) and MMFX2 steel (produced
by MMFX Steel Corp). Both are corrosion resistant, but have different mechanical properties
and are the result of different applications of nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology and Coatings

In coatings, much of the work involves Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD), Dip, Meniscus,
Spray and Plasma Coating in order to produce a layer which is bound to the base material to
produce a surface of the desired protective or functional properties. Research is being carried
out through experiment and modelling of coatings and the one of the goals is the endowment
of self-healing capabilities through a process of “self-assembly”.

Nanotechnology is being applied to paints and insulating properties, produced by the addition
of nano-sized cells, pores and particles, giving very limited paths for thermal conduction (R
values are double those for insulating foam), are currently available. This type of paint is
used, at present, for corrosion protection under insulation since it is hydrophobic and repels
water from the metal pipe and can also protect metal from salt water attack.
The remarkable properties of TiO2 nanoparticles are being put to use as a coating material on
roadways in tests around the world. The TiO2 coating captures and breaks down organic and
inorganic air pollutants by a photocatalytic process (a coating of 7000m2 of road in Milan
gave a 60% reduction in nitrous oxides) which may help in putting roads to good
environmental use.

Nanotechnology and Glass

Fire-protective glass is another application of nanotechnology. This is achieved by using a

clear intumescent layer sandwiched between glass panels (an interlayer) formed of fumed
silica (SiO2) nanoparticles which turns into a rigid and opaque fire shield when heated. Most
of glass in construction is, of course, on the exterior surface of buildings and the control of
light and heat entering through building glazing is a major sustainability issue. Research into
nano-technological solutions to this centres around four different strategies to block light and
heat coming in through windows. Firstly, thin film coatings are being developed which are
spectrally sensitive surface applications for window glass. These have the potential to filter
out unwanted infrared frequencies of light (which heat up a room) and reduce the heat gain in
buildings; however, these are effectively a passive solution. As an active solution, thermo-
chromic technologies are being studied which react to temperature and provide thermal
insulation to give protection from heating whilst maintaining adequate lighting. A third
strategy, that produces a similar outcome by a different process, involves photochromic
technologies which are being studied that react to changes in light intensity by increasing
absorption. And finally, electro-chromic coatings are being developed that react to changes in
applied voltage by using a tungsten oxide layer; thereby becoming more opaque.

Nanotechnologies: Water Purification

Water purification using nanotechnology exploits nanoscopic materials such as carbon

nanotubes and alumina fibers for nanofiltration. It also utilizes the existence of nanoscopic
pores in zeolite filtration membranes, as well as nanocatalysts and magnetic nanoparticles. As
indicated in Fig. 2, the adsorption of chlorine concentration is much higher by using
nanotechnology (GAC, 350 g/m2) as compared to conventional method of purification (PAC,
220 g/m2)
 Fig. 2 Adsorption of chlorine by various media

Nanosensors, such as those based on titanium oxide nanowires or palladium nanoparticles are
used for analytical detection of contaminants in water samples. It can be used for removal of
sediments, chemical effluents, charged particles, bacteria and other pathogens. Valli et al [4]
explain that toxic trace elements such as arsenic, and viscous liquid impurities such as oil can
also be removed using nanotechnology". It is believed that future generations of
nanotechnology-based water treatment devices will capitalize on the properties of new
nanoscale materials.

Nanotechnology and Fire Protection and Detection

Fire resistance of steel structures is often provided by a coating produced by a spray-on

cementitious process. Current Portland cement based coatings are not popular because they
need to be thick, tend to be brittle and polymer additions are needed to improve adhesion.
However, research into nano-cement (made of nano-sized particles) has the potential to create
a new paradigm in this area of application because the resulting material can be used as a
tough, durable, high temperature coating. This is achieved by the mixing of carbon nanotubes
(CNT’s) with the cementious material to fabricate fibre composites that can inherit some of
the outstanding properties of the nanotubes such as strength. Polypropylene fibres are also
considered as a method of increasing fire resistance and this is a cheaper option than
conventional insulation.

High specific surface means high adsorption capacity and great sensitivity of nano-size
particles to specific adsorbed materials. Interactions between nanoparticles are determined by
interparticle electrical forces. The pH and ionic concentration of the aqueous pore fluid alter
the surface chemistry through dissolution, protonation, and adsorption. Therefore, pore fluid
characteristics affect the self-assembly of nano-components and their long-term stability. The
use of nanotechnology in the future through the development of nano-electromechanical
systems (NEMS) could see whole buildings become networked detectors; as such devices are
embedded either into elements or surfaces.

NANOTECHNOLOGY IN GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING (NRC, 2006)

NRC [6] highlighted that soil scientists and engineers, with their interest in the study of clay-
size particles (< 0.002 mm), are among the earliest workers in the field of nanotechnology.
Most of the material types and properties change with scale. For example, soil particles
change in composition and shape from predominantly bulky quartz and feldspar to platy mica
and clay over the range of particle sizes from sand and gravel down to silt and clay. A central
challenge is that the material properties may get affected or engineered by using nanoscale
building blocks, controlling their size, size distribution, composition, shape, surface
chemistry, and manipulating their assembly. Building nanoscale structures requires a
fundamental understanding of nanoscale processes.

Although nanotechnology applications in geoengineering are largely exploratory at present,

other applications in geoengineering can be imagined that will radically change practice. For
example, imagine building clay liners, clay cores, and soil bases using engineered
highsurface- area mineral particles consolidated from controlled selfassembled clay
aggregates to obtain macroscale behavior resulting from exceptional mechanical properties
(e.g., very high ductility); external friction control to facilitate compaction while increasing
long-term strength, fluidsensitive porous membranes, as well as special and unique chemical
properties (e.g., specie-selective diffusion); engineered wetting conditions such as in
NanoTurf; altered phase equilibrium for fluids in small pores; and specified electrical
properties (e.g., exceptional magnetic and polar properties). Some of these developments are
already taking place, for example, in the engineering of kaolin and precipitated carbonates for
the paper coating and paint industries.

Nanoparticles might also be engineered to act as functional nanosensors and devices that can
be extensively mixed in the soil mass or used as smart tracers for in situ chemical analysis,
characterization of groundwater flow, and determination of fracture connectivity, among
other field applications.

REFERENCES

1. Zhu, Wenzhong, Peter JM Bartos, and A. Porro. "Application of nanotechnology in

construction." Materials and Structures 37.9 (2004): 649-658.
2. Balaguru, P. N. "Nanotechnology and concrete: Background, opportunities and
challenges." Applications of Nanotechnology in Concrete Design: Proceedings of the
International Conference held at the University of Dundee, Scotland, UK on 7 July 2005.
Thomas Telford Publishing, 2005.

3. NSTR (2005). Nippon Steel Technical Report No.91 January 2005.

4. Valli, F., Tijoriwala, K. and Mahapatra, A. (2010), Nanotechnology for Water

Purification, International Journal of Nuclear Desalination, 4(1), 49-57.

5. NRC (2006), Geological and Geotechnical Engineering in the New Millennium:

Opportunities for Research and Technological Innovation. Technical report, National Research
Council, ISBN: 0-309-65331-2, pp. 222.