This open access book covers emerging opportunities and future use of nanotechnology in construction, including deep advances in cement chemistry, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, robotics, concrete technology, and extreme engineering (blast, impact and fire). The proceedings also presents sectorial interactions within the traditional construction industry supply chain, enabled by the dynamic partnership between international industry, government agencies, and universities. Nanotechnology has transformed the construction materials industry into an advanced manufacturing sector to address climate change and carbon neutrality challenges by delivering sustainable and resilient infrastructure assets. Hence, this book reports specific advances in nanoscience and nano-engineering, and their impacts on numerous novel construction materials including binders, additives, high-performance concrete materials, concrete structural systems, polymer composites, and pavement materials.

Nanotechnology has already demonstrated surprising potential for improving the performance of construction materials and many of these recent developments were facilitated by NICOM symposia. The NICOM5 proceedings will cover the emerging opportunities and future use of nanotechnology in construction and will illustrate the broad potential for application of nanotechnology to challenging problems involving materials and infrastructure.

The International Conference on Fracture of Concrete and Rock was organized by the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) subdivision on Fracture of Concrete and Rock and RILEM Committee 89-FMT Fracture MechanicS of Concrete; Test Methods. The venue was Houston, Texas on June 17-19, 1987 and cooperation was provided by ACI 446, Fracture Mechanics and RILEM 90-FHA Fracture Mechanics of Concrete; Applications. The conference co-chai rmen were Professor S. P. Shah, Northwestern Uni versity and Professor S. E. Swartz, Kansas State University with the able assistance of Professor K. P. Chong, University of Wyoming. The conference theme was Fracture Mechanics Applications to Cracking and Fracture of Concrete (plain or reinforced) and Rock Subjected to Uniaxial or Complex Stress States with Static- or Dynamic-Loading Rates. This theme was chosen in recognition of parallel efforts between the rock mechanics community and researchers working in the application of fracture mechanics methods to the problem of cracking and fracture of concrete.

Session 1: Fracture of Ceramics with Process Zone.- Fracture Properties of SiC-Based Particulate Composites.- Crack Bridging Processes in Toughened Ceramics.- Fracture Process Zone in Concrete and Ceramics - A Matter of Scaling.- Report on Session 1: Fracture of Ceramics with Process Zone.- Session 2: Fracture in Concrete and Rock.- Microcracking and Damage in Concrete.- Cracking, Damage and Fracture in Stressed Rock: A Holistic Approach.- Test Methods for Determining Mode I Fracture Toughness of Concrete.- Report on Session 2: Fracture in Concrete and Rock.- Session 3: Theoretical Fracture Mechanics Considerations.- Rate Effect, Size Effect and Nonlocal Concepts for Fracture of Concrete and Other Quasi-Brittle Materials.- Micromechanics of Deformation in Rocks.- Asymptotic Analysis of Cohesive Cracks and its Relation with Effective Elastic Cracks.- Reporter's Summary: Session 3, Theoretical Fracture Mechanics Considerations.- Session 4: Experimental Observations.- Microstructure, Toughness Curves and Mechanical Properties of Alumina Ceramics.- Creep Damage Mechanisms in Hot-Pressed Alumina.- Study of the Fracture Process in Mortar with Laser Holographic Measurements.- Reporter's Comments on Session 4 - Experimental Observations.- Session 5: Experimental Methods to Assess Damage.- The Fracture Process Zone in Concrete.- Characterization of the Fracture Behavior of Ceramics Through Analysis of Crack Propagation Studies.- A Review of Experimental Methods to Assess Damage During Fracture of Rock, Concrete and Reinforced Composites.- Similarities Between Fracture Processes in Concrete, Rock and Ceramics: Recorders Report to Session 5 'Experimental Methods to Assess Damage.- Session 6: Theoretical Micromechanics Based Models.- A Review of Some Theories of Toughening Mechanisms in Quasi-Brittle Materials.- On the Form of Micromechanical Models of the Brittle Deformation of Solids.- On the Relationship Between Fracturing of A Microcracking Solid and its Effective Elastic Constants.- Report of Session 6: Theoretical Micromechanics Based Models.- Session 7: Fracture Process in Fiber Reinforced Ceramics.- Determination of Fiber-Matrix Interfacial Properties of Importance to Ceramic Composite Toughening.- Quasi-Ductile Behaviour of Carbon-Reinforced Carbon.- The Fracture Resistance and Brittle Matrix Composites.- Session 7 Discussion.- Session 8: Fracture Toughness of Fiber-Reinforced Cement Composites.- Research Challenges in Toughness Development of Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites.- Failure Characterisation of Fibre-Reinforced Cement Composites with R-Curve Characteristics.- Characterization of Interfacial Bond in FRC Materials.- Summary of Session 8: Fracture Toughness of Fiber-Reinforced Cement Composites.- Session 9: Strain Rate, Thermal, Time and Fatigue Effects.- Growth of Discrete Cracks in Concrete under Fatigue Loading.- Creep and Creep Rupture of Structural Ceramics.- Fracture of Concrete at High Strain-Rate.- Summary of Session 9: Strain Rate, Thermal, Time, and Fatigue Effects.- Author Index.

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