Nanotechnology + Civil Engineering = A Bright Future

Nanotechnology is the creation and utilization of functional materials and devices at the nanoscale or macromolecular level. Nanotechnology is not new for us, at least for people that are related to engineering but the new applications of this new technology into Civil Engineering are breaking the barriers of safety.



Nanotubes

First of all I would like to introduce you to nanotechnology so we are all in the same page before starting to talk about its benefits for construction. A more general and broad definition for nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter of an atomic or molecular scale to then apply it to multiple fields. One of the fields that is benefiting from this technology is the medical field since researches think that it could potentially cure cancer.

 

If you do not really know what nanotechnology is all about after reading this small introduction you should check out this video before you keep on reading this article. It compares the scale of the nanomaterials and it also explains basic concepts of nanotechnology. Once of the things that this video does really good is to explain how we can apply a very small atom to build a very big structure like for example a bridge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuljCWV6gLU&feature=related
 

I personally have been interested in nanotechnology for a long time. My first contact with it was when I took COMM 110 at North Dakota State University. One of my speeches was about nanotechnology and I had to meet and plan interviews with some of the researchers working at the North Dakota State University Research Park, so I feel very comfortable talking about it.

Years ago when nanotechnology was first discovered, people thought that could only be used to medical or electronic purposes but now researchers are coming up with new nanomaterials that can be applied to structures to make them stronger.

These new applications of nanotechnology in Civil Engineering are mainly focused on three areas: Steel, concrete, and coatings. New advances made in the steel area are ultra-high strength and ductility of steels which as its name describes, make steel able to support more intense internal forces before failure stresses and strains are reached. Other advances made in concrete are the creation of the CNT. The CNT also known as Carbon Nanotubes are reinforced concrete. The Carbon Nanotubes have the avility to improve the performance of the structure over the years.

Here is a great video that explains how to change the properties of concrete by useing nanotechnology. It will not take a lot of you time and it is really interesting!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU_iMRT0ifw&feature=related

 

                     

One of the areas I feel we are going to see the most impact of nanotechnology in Civil Engineering are the Coatings. Some of the new materials related to coatings are: new composite materials, photocatalytic coatings, corrosion protection coating and also self-cleaning coatings. Some of the self-clean materials will be able to avoid corrosion or make road signs never need to be washed. Nanotechnology is not only going to make the structure safer and stronger but it also would make it look like new after long periods of time.

Once nanotechnology is fully introduced into civil engineering cracked bridges and pavement will repair on their own, guardrails will re-align automatically and bridges will be able to adjust their shapes to control movement caused by winds. 

                         

If you guys dont feel like you have enough information about nanotechnology in the future in general and not just for civil engineernig purposes here is a video that explains everything you might want to know about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2KpYRCUjmQ

Besides that last video, this was a brief explanation of how much nanotechnology will affect Civil Engineering in the near future and I am sure that by the time I graduate there will more nanomaterials ready to be used. Nanotechnology can’t hurt Civil Engineering, in fact nanotechnology helps to improve the main purpose of Civil Engineering which is public safety. I am personally looking forward to start taking some courses that relate nanotechnology and Civil Engineering like Environmental Nanotechnology or Fundamentals of Nanotechnology so I can apply these technologies in my future designs once I graduate.