Metamaterials are among the technologies with the greatest impact in recent years, and innovation reaches concrete

Metamaterials are man-made artificial materials that have properties not naturally found in ordinary materials. These materials are designed to have properties that can be changed to control propagation. light, sound, heat, and even electromagnetic waves such as those used in telecommunications

Metamaterials have applications in a wide range of fields such as telecommunications, medicine, optics and energy. For example, metamaterials can be used to create super-thin and lightweight lenses for cameras and telescopes, as well as to create more efficient antennas for transmitting radio and television signals.

Currently, some research is being carried out to apply metamaterial technology to concrete and civil construction. 

Discover metaconcrete: application of metamaterial technology to civil construction

According to Professor Amir Alavi of the University of Pittsburgh, “The massive use of concrete in our infrastructure projects implies the need to develop a new generation of concrete materials that are more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, yet offering advanced functionality. We believe we can achieve all of these goals by introducing a metamaterial paradigm in the development of building materials.” 

The professor has already developed other self-aware metamaterials, and this time they use the same principles to apply the technology to concrete, which allows the material to be designed and built specifically for its purpose.

In this way, metaconcrete is a promising alternative to conventional concrete, which is known to be heavy, brittle and susceptible to cracking and cracking. Metaconcrete, on the other hand, can be designed to have high tensile and compressive strength, which makes it more durable and resistant to damage. However, metaconcrete is still a developing technology and there are still challenges to be faced before it can be widely used.

Application of metamaterial technology to concrete allows the production of concrete that generates electricity

When the concrete, containing piezoelectric materials, is subjected to pressures, such as vehicle or pedestrian traffic, piezoelectric particles generate an electrical charge that can be collected and used as energy. This energy can be used to power sensors, lighting systems or other electrical devices.

Although the technology is still in the development phase, early experiments show that it could hold promise. However, there are still challenges to be faced, such as the scale of production and integration with the existing electrical grid.