Concrete / cement

Concrete is the second most used substance on Earth, bested only by water. It is so common that people tend to take it for granted, seeing it as gray, bland and boring.

But concrete isn’t boring at all. From towering Roman aqueducts to the sails of the Sydney Opera House, this “liquid rock” has flowed through human history and hardened into the literal foundations of modern society. And just because concrete is ancient doesn’t mean we aren’t still learning about it.

Researchers at NIST have studied concrete for more than 100 years. There are NIST experts on every aspect of concrete from the large scale of entire buildings, all the way down to the basic molecules and how they interact. This expertise makes NIST uniquely able to tackle scientific questions about concrete and its performance.

Some of our recent research has focused on unintentional chemical reactions that cause concrete to crack with disastrous results. We are just beginning to understand how these reactions work and what can be done to prevent them. Our concrete research has already saved billions for state governments, and we’re working to help homeowners address expensive cracks in their homes’ foundations.

Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR): The Silent Threat to Concrete Infrastructure