A Review: Influence of Potential Nanomaterials for Civil Engineering Projects

Abstract

The construction industry is increasingly turning to use of environmentally friendly materials in order to meet the sustainable aspect required by modern infrastructures. In the last two decades, the expansion of this concept and the increasing global warming have raised concerns on the extensive use of Portland cement and fly ash due to the high amount of carbon dioxide gas associated with their production. The development of nanotechnology and nanomaterials offers promising signs for a change in the way of construction and geotechnical projects. The aim of this research is to show potential of nanomaterials to replace traditional materials for civil engineering to optimize construction projects, i.e., to reduce global warming by using less amount of cement or fly ash, and finally drop cost of projects. The incorporation of variously manufactured nanomaterials into the matrices of conventional construction materials leads to drastic advancement in vital characteristics including mechanical strength, fatigue and damage resistance, durability, and lightness. However, due to the significance and serious disadvantages of using traditional materials like lime, cement, and fly ash as soil stabilizers, finding alternative additives is a matter of sustainability for construction projects.