Advanced civil infrastructure materials By Hwai Chung Wu

Advanced civil infrastructure materials By Hwai Chung Wu

Contents:

Chapter 1  Advanced concrete for use in civil engineering

Chapter 2 Advanced steel for use in civil engineering

Chapter 3 Advanced cement composites for use in civil engineering 

Chapter 4 Advanced fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) structural composites for use in civil engineering

Chapter 5 Rehabilitation of civil structures using advanced polymer composites

Chapter 6 Advanced engineered wood composites for use in civil engineering

Chapter 7 Sustainable materials for the built environment

Preface:

Concrete and steel are by far the most widely used man-made construction materials in the world. Despite numerous successful constructions of worldwide infrastructures, many of these infrastructures are now rapidly deteriorating. It has been estimated that infrastructure rehabilitation costs, in the US alone, will reach into trillions of dollars over the next twenty years. One of the primary causes for the decay of our infrastructures is the deterioration of the materials used in the construction and repair of these structures. Intrinsically, concrete is brittle hence vulnerable to cracking, whereas structural steel is heavy and prone to corrosion. These alarming infrastructural problems indicate an urgent need for more durable construction materials ultimately to replace conventional concrete and steel, and most likely to supplement these popular materials in the near future. In recent decades, material development in response to the call for more durable infrastructures has led to many exciting advancements, especially the paradigm design example of Fiber Reinforced Plastics Composites which enjoys tremendous success in the aerospace and automotive industries. It has inspired many composite designs involving concrete and wood. These fiber reinforced composites, with unique properties, are now being explored in many infrastructural applications. Even concrete and steel are being steadily improved to have better properties and durability. Such advancement also makes it possible to use advanced concrete or steel in an unprecedented way. The purpose of this book is to provide an up-to-date review of several emerging construction materials that may have a significant impact on repairs of existing infrastructures and/or new constructions. Two areas take high priority in this book. First, we emphasize the materials design concept which leads to the creation of advanced composites by synergistically combining two or more constituents. Such design methodology is made possible by several key advancements in materials science and mechanics. Second, we conclude each chapter with selective examples of real-world applications using such advanced materials. This includes relevant structural design guidelines and mechanics to assist readers in comprehending the uses of these advanced materials.