Adaptive Engineered Materials (AEM) show great promise in construction, offering innovative solutions to enhancing performance, sustainability, and resilience in built environments. The integration of adaptive engineering materials into civil engineering projects allows for smarter infrastructure that can respond to environmental changes, reduce maintenance costs, and improve safety and durability. As research progresses, the application of these materials is expected to expand, leading to more resilient and adaptive engineering solutions. AEM can be applied in various ways:
- Self-healing Concrete: AEM can be integrated into concrete to create self-healing properties. Microcapsules containing healing agents or bacteria are embedded within the concrete matrix. When cracks occur, these capsules release the agents or activate the bacteria, restoring structural integrity.
- Adaptive Insulation: AEM-based insulation materials can be customised for multiple uses, providing weather resilience and safety protection for occupants.
- Self-monitoring Structures: AEM-enabled sensors embedded in building materials continuously monitor structural health, detecting issues like cracks or deformation, and enabling proactive maintenance.
- Dynamic Building Envelopes: AEM-based materials enable dynamic responses to extreme loading, such as seismic events or floods, enhancing resilience. High energy-absorbing materials like rubberised concrete or dampers can be utilized.
- Smart Geotextiles: Embedded with sensors, these geotextiles can monitor hydraulic conditions, like moisture and stress, in real-time, enabling adaptive responses in drainage systems and erosion control applications.
The Sustainable Engineered Construction Materials Group at QUT has extensive expertise in this field. Collaborating across civil engineering disciplines, the group aims to provide sustainable solutions in infrastructures such as buildings, roads, pavements, and marine structures.