Smart Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Concrete Construction

Concrete, the most extensively used construction material, significantly impacts the environment due to its high cement content, energy-intensive production processes, and carbon emissions. Integrating smart materials and technologies into concrete construction presents an innovative pathway toward sustainability, promoting resource efficiency, resilience, and a lower environmental footprint. This review explores the latest developments in smart materials and technologies that support sustainable concrete construction, including self-healing materials, self-sensing and self-monitoring systems, phase change materials (PCMs), and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). The potential of these technologies to reduce energy consumption, increase durability, and minimize maintenance demands is highlighted, providing a framework for sustainable infrastructure development.