Innovation

The Nano-enabled Construction Materials The various nanomaterials and nanocomposites are being considered for various uses in the construction and related infrastructure industries. At the nanoscale, these materials can behave differently than their counterparts at the conventional scale, which create exciting new prospects in the variety of construction applications. Particularly in the construction sector, nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and nanofibers offer the potential for developing much stronger, tougher and more durable structural materials, as well as new functional materials and systems. The ordinary concrete is a mixture of cement, sand, gravel, water, and admixtures. The addition of nano-silica (SiO2) to cementitious materials...

Mayor lobbies for wood use in new Mills construction As much wood as possible should be used in the construction of the new Mills Memorial Hospital, says Terrace mayor Carol Leclerc. A member of the consultation committee set up to monitor construction and other plans connected to the project, Leclerc said wood in the public areas of the hospital, for instance, would create a warm and inviting atmosphere. “I think we’d want to use as much wood as possible,” said Leclerc in also noting the role the natural resource has played in the economic foundation and development of the region....

Is BAMB the future of sustainable building? As the name implies, BAMB reimagines a building as a dynamic repository of value, where tradable material assets can be deposited, data tracked, transferred and withdrawn. In BAMB, whether an industry goes circular depends on value as worthless materials are waste, More value, means less waste. Moderating material flows, buildings can help slow the resource burn rate to meet the capacity of the planet. Three major changes supporting the BAMB vision for sustainable building Three major changes support the BAMB vision for circular transition: change in design culture away from linear thinking; change in value...

How contech is taking construction into the future Contech, or construction technology, startups are beginning to change the industry and are making investors take note. According to a recent report by commercial real estate firm JLL, contech firms received $1.05 billion in investment from venture capitalists in the first six months of 2018, 30 per cent up on the total raised in 2017. Could contech boost productivity in construction? Construction companies and investors alike are hoping these startups will help address pressing issues in the industry, especially around the relatively low levels of productivity found throughout the sector. As other industries have seen...

World's Tallest Railway Bridge Construction Picks Pace in Manipur Guwahati: Northeast Frontier Railway said on Saturday it is constructing the tallest railway bridge of the world in Manipur at 141 metres surpassing the existing record of 139 metre Mala-Rijeka viaduct, at Montenegro in Europe. The bridge is part of a new broad gauge line being constructed to connect the northeastern state with the rest of the country and the pillars have already been built. "The bridge is being constructed across the valley of river Ijai near Noney with a pier height of 141 metre. It will surpass the existing record...