Projects
Status
Complete
Partners
- Macquarie University
- University of Melbourne
- Heidelberg Materials Australia
Outputs
- T Ginigaddara, P Devapura, V Vimonsatit, M Booy, P Mendis, R Satsangi, A comprehensive study of the macro-scale performance of graphene oxide enhanced low carbon concrete, Construction Materials 5 (3), 47.
- P Devapura, T Ginigaddara, D Udumulla, P Mendis, M Booy, N Herath Effect of graphene oxide on interfacial transition zone and strength enhancement of recycled aggregate concrete, Journal of Building Engineering 105, 112570.
Videos
Concrete manufacturers such as Heidelberg Materials face increasing regulatory and market pressure to provide more environmentally sustainable products. They need commercial mixes that are both low-carbon—reducing emissions from cement—and resource-efficient to limit the extraction of natural sands and aggregates.
Customers, including building and infrastructure asset owners, are also demanding concrete with longer service life to reduce the costs, disruptions and material use associated with maintenance, repairs and rebuilds.
To address these industry needs, Heidelberg Materials partnered with researchers at Macquarie University and the University of Melbourne to test whether a graphene oxide additive could improve the strength and durability of their commercial concrete mixes.
Researchers conducted experimental trials to measure whether, and how much, graphene could improve the strength of 3 of Heidelberg Material’s commercial grades, 25, 40 and 60 MPa.
Researchers found that strength improvements were at times up to 25% but that they were inconsistent.
Researchers discovered that strength improvements were affected by the superplasticiser additives in the commercial mixes. Although limited by the number of trials they could conduct in this project, they managed to determine that a certain mixing sequence seemed to resolve this.
To further understand graphene concrete’s durability, researchers ran chloride penetration tests, which showed the graphene additive did help the concrete prevent chlorine from passing through, indicating that structures made from such concrete would better withstand harsh environmental conditions.
Due to the inconclusive results of the strength improvements and the need for further research, researchers were unable to conduct a complete cost-benefit analysis. However, a preliminary look into the cost of graphene supply showed significant potential for commercial feasibility.
If further research confirms the early findings, graphene-enhanced concrete could deliver significant benefits to manufacturers and asset owners.
Stronger concrete would allow asset owners to commission buildings and infrastructure that use less material, reducing both the carbon footprint of manufacturing and the environmental impacts of raw material extraction.
Improved durability would help structures last longer, lowering the financial and environmental costs associated with frequent repairs or replacements.
By enabling lower-carbon, resource-efficient and longer-lasting structures, graphene concrete potentially allows Heidelberg Materials to offer their customers a more attractive and cost-effective product while supporting shared sustainability goals.
Further research would have to reliably and repeatably demonstrate that a graphene additive to the commercial mixes improves their strength and durability.
Globally, much of the research on graphene oxide concrete has been driven by the project partners from Melbourne University, establishing Australia as a leading knowledge hub and an ideal base for further research and development in this field. This ongoing R&D positions Australia as a global leader in advancing graphene concrete technology.
This project has successfully started the work of answering questions about the performance and feasibility of graphene-enhanced concrete, providing clearer direction on the remaining work to be done to develop it as a commercial product.
