Concrete is one of the most-used materials in the U.S., second only to water. Unfortunately, its production is responsible for 8-10% of carbon dioxide emissions.
But now, civil engineers at Michigan State University have developed a new type of concrete that could change everything.
This concrete is flexible, can heal itself, and even generates heat—making it a more eco-friendly option, especially for winter roads.
“This could revolutionize the concrete industry and our infrastructure,” says Qingxu “Bill” Jin, an assistant professor at Michigan State University.
The new concrete could be particularly helpful for rural or underserved communities that don’t have access to efficient snow and ice removal, providing safer and more sustainable roads during the winter.
Concrete is widely used because it’s strong and lasts a long time. However, when water freezes and thaws, it causes cracks, and snowplows further damage the surface, leading to expensive repairs.
In winter, we often rely on road salt to melt ice, but this salt can corrode the concrete and eventually pollute groundwater.
Jin’s team, along with graduate student Xiaoqiang “Antonio” Ni, developed this new concrete formula to address these problems.
It stores energy and releases heat when temperatures drop, making it perfect for melting ice and snow. This could reduce or even eliminate the need for road salt, which is better for the environment.
Ni tested the concrete to see if it could handle the weight of cars and trucks while keeping its heat-generating and self-healing abilities. He found that a layer just a couple of inches thick could protect the pavement underneath and still work effectively.
What’s especially remarkable is the concrete’s ability to repair itself. “Cracks as thin as a human hair can fix themselves,” says Jin, comparing it to how a paper cut heals on your finger.
The team’s work shows that this new concrete could make winter roads safer, last longer, and be better for the planet.
“It’s amazing to see the snow-melting abilities and the self-healing properties,” adds Brennan Sollenberger, another researcher involved in the project.
With this new technology, the future of road maintenance could be brighter, greener, and more efficient.
