NanoEngineered Concrete Internal Conditioning for Targeted Suppression of Alkali-Silica Reaction

碱-硅反应（ASR）是导致混凝土材料在使用过程中发生严重膨胀、开裂和破坏的主要劣化机理。受免疫和肿瘤靶向治疗的启发，靶向抑制ASR是本研究的重点。现有的缓解方法主要针对单一ASR先决条件，效率有限，对混凝土性能有潜在的负面影响。该项目的主要目标是揭示ASR的无副作用缓解，然后使用获得的见解来指导具有前所未有特性的高度耐用和可持续基础设施材料的设计。将使用最先进的方法，弥合纳米工程和水泥化学之间的差距，以转换ASR凝胶的纳米结构，以防止体积膨胀和开裂。这将导致弹性和耐用的混凝土，从而延长基础设施的使用寿命，降低维修和维护成本。总体而言，从这项研究工作中获得的知识将通过为新的和现有的混凝土结构的退化预防和服务寿命延长提供见解，减少基础设施恶化的经济和社会影响。该大学的STEM项目将被开发用于K-12水平的学生以及本科生。基于热力学建模和实验方法相结合的方法，将开发由多功能粘土纳米颗粒引发的混凝土材料的纳米工程内部调节。将研究纳米工程内部调节在水泥水化中可以抑制ASR形成的作用的基本理解。本研究将集中在四个研究方向：1。粘土级：使粘土纳米颗粒功能化，以改善其分散性、反应性和内部调节的可调功能; 2.水泥水平：调整水化行为、孔隙网络以及固体和液体成分; 3. ASR水平：抑制ASR形成，防止体积膨胀和开裂;以及4.混凝土水平：改善耐久性相关的机械和物理性能，以及对多种老化机制的抵抗力，旨在设计真正可持续、有弹性和耐用的混凝土材料。该项目的成功将有助于通过纳米工程和热力学手段推进基于性能和以问题为导向的混凝土材料设计，以分层未来基础设施的质量要求和性能期望。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a major deterioration mechanism causing significant expansion, cracking and damage to concrete material in service. Inspired by immunization and targeted therapy in cancer treatment, targeted suppression of ASR is the focus of this research. The existing mitigation methods are primarily targeted at single ASR prerequisites with limited efficiency and potential negative impacts on concrete performance. The primary objective of this project is to uncover the side-effect free mitigation of ASR, and then use the insights gained to guide the design of highly durable and sustainable infrastructure materials with unprecedented properties. A state-of-the-art methodology will be used by bridging the gaps between nanoengineering and cement chemistry to convert nanostructure of ASR gels to prevent volume expansion and cracking. This will lead to resilient and durable concrete thereby extending the lifetime of infrastructure and reducing the repair and maintenance costs. Overall, the acquired knowledge from this research effort will reduce the economic and societal impact of infrastructure deteriorations by providing insights for degradation preventions and service-life extension of new and existing concrete structures. The university's STEM program will be exploited to involve students in K-12 level as well as students at the undergraduate level.Nanoengineered internal conditioning of concrete material triggered by multifunctional clay nanoparticles will be exploited based on a combined thermodynamic modeling and experimental approach. A fundamental understanding of the role of the nanoengineered internal conditioning in cement hydration that can suppress formation of ASR will be investigated. The research will focus on four research thrusts at: 1. Clay level: to functionalize clay nanoparticles to improve their dispersion, reactivity and tunable functions for internal conditioning; 2. Cement level: to tailor hydration behavior, pore network, and both solid and liquid compositions; 3. ASR level: to suppress ASR formation which prevents volume expansion and cracking; and 4. Concrete level: to improve durability-related mechanical and physical properties, and resistance to multiple aging mechanisms with a goal to design truly sustainable, resilient, and durable concrete material. The success of this project would be instrumental in advancing resilience-based and problem-oriented concrete material design through nanoengineering and thermodynamic means to stratify the quality requirement and performance expectation of future infrastructure.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.