Warda Ashraf, Ph.D., P.E.
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering
University of Texas at Arlington
Low-Carbon Future of Concrete: Inspired by Ancient Roman Technology
Roman concrete stands strong against the harsh maritime conditions even after 2000 years of construction. In comparison, today’s Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) concrete shows degradation within a few weeks of exposure to seawater. The highly durable ancient Roman construction material was produced using locally available volcanic ash, tuff, slaked lime, and seawater. Combinations of these raw materials also offer a lower carbon footprint and less freshwater consumption compared to OPC. In this research, we are mimicking the reaction mechanisms of ancient Roman concrete to develop highly durable, resilient, and sustainable concrete that can be used to construct a variety of marine structures. Specifically, we are using calcined clays with blended minerals, including kaolinite and montmorillonite, as an alternative to volcanic ash. Our findings revealed that these calcined clay blends, when activated using slaked lime and alkaline seawater, produce microscopic features similar to those of Roman concrete but offer superior mechanical performance.
Warda Ashraf, Ph.D., P.E. Bio
Dr. Warda Ashraf received her Ph.D. from Purdue University in 2017. Her work on sustainable infrastructure materials led to her receiving Purdue’s College of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Research Award. She has also received the DARPA Young Faculty Award and the ASCE ExCEEd (Excellence in Civil Engineering Education) Teaching Fellowship in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Dr. Ashraf’s research activities are supported by several federal and state agencies, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Her research interests include the development of sustainable infrastructure materials, nanoengineered construction materials, and durability performances of concrete.