High-durability, low-carbon, and low-cost nano-engineered concrete for marine concrete infrastructures

Traditional concrete fulfills the mechanical requirements for marine infrastructures but lacks durability. This study employed nano-engineering techniques to address the durability challenges in marine concrete infrastructures by enhancing the chloride ions penetration resistance of low- and medium-strength concrete to be comparable to that of high-strength concrete without increasing cement dosage. Meanwhile, nano-engineered concrete is also expected to reduce the cost and CO₂ emissions of concrete structures over the life cycle. For this purpose, the effect and mechanisms of nanofillers on the durability and microstructures of concrete were investigated. Moreover, CO₂ emission, cost, and sustainability of nano-engineered concrete were evaluated. The results indicated that a small content of nanofillers remarkably inhibited the penetration of chloride ions into concrete, without increasing cement content. The chloride ions diffusion coefficient of concrete with nanofillers is as low as 3.90 × 10⁻¹² m²/s, representing a reduction of 62.8% compared to blank concrete. Moreover, nanofillers effectively refine the concrete microstructure by inducing hydration products into short rods, blocks, and lamellae. The thickness of the interfacial transition zones (ITZs) between cement mortar and gravel as well as cement paste and river sand decreases by 40.7%–55.9%/36.1%–47.4%, respectively, while the porosity of ITZs decreases by 8.7%–17.8%, after adding nanofillers. In addition, the cost and CO₂ emission of nano-engineered concrete during production are reduced by 18.1%–27.8% and 14.4%–22.2%, respectively, compared to traditional concrete. These findings demonstrate that nano-engineered concrete can serve as a viable construction material with reasonable strength, high durability, low carbon footprint, and low cost for marine concrete infrastructures.