Concrete matrices for high-cycle-fatigue resistant, eco-efficient infrastructure
(FATRESCON)
How to achieve durable and eco-efficient concrete infrastructure?
Concrete
is the most widely used artificial material in the world, forming the
backbone of our transportation and energy infrastructure, without any
viable alternative. However, two seemingly disconnected problems arise.
First, the essential ingredient of concrete - cement - accounts for 8%
of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions,
making it crucial to develop eco-efficient alternatives. One approach
is to replace part of the traditional cement with locally available
supplementary cementitious materials that have a lower carbon footprint.
However, this introduces new challenges, as these eco-efficient
concretes will differ from traditional materials, with long-term
performance still largely unknown. Second, we are witnessing the overly
fast deterioration of concrete infrastructure exposed to cyclic loading,
often leading to costly and potentially tragic consequences. This
process is accelerated by the subversive effects of concrete fatigue,
acting as a gray eminence behind the scenes.
A multidisciplinary team of experts - Thomas Matschei (cement chemistry), Bernhard Pichler (multiscale material science) Miroslav Vořechovský (probabilistic computational mechanics), Rostislav Chudoba
(structural concrete)—is coming together to establish the missing link
between the material science of eco-efficient concretes and the fatigue
life of key transportation and energy infrastructure.
The
goal of the Synergy Grant project FATRESCON is to decode the
microstructural origins of concrete fatigue and to predict its impact on
the structural lifespan. By formulating new theoretical concepts
and combining them with innovative computer simulations and experimental
protocols, the research team will underpin guidelines for designing
durable structures with extended service life using the next generation
of eco-efficient concretes, promoting their adoption in the construction
sector.
Miroslav
Vořechovský is professor at the Institute of Structural Mechanics at
Brno University of Technology in Czechia. Rostislav Chudoba and Thomas
Matschei, both based in Germany, are professors at RWTH Aachen
University. Bernhard Pichler is professor at TU Wien (Vienna University
of Technology) in Austria.
Project: Concrete matrices for high-cycle-fatigue resistant, eco-efficient infrastructure (FATRESCON)
Researchers:
- Miroslav Vořechovský, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic
- Rostislav Chudoba, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
- Thomas Matschei, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
- Bernhard Pichler, TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology), Austria
ERC funding: 9,993,698 € over 72 months, start date: June 1, 2025
