Departamento de Ingeniería en Obras Civiles

Concrete is the most widely used material in construction in Chile and around the world. However, its production involves high environmental and economic costs, which call for innovative solutions to optimize its performance.

Current chemical additives and cement replacement materials offer improved properties and sustainability. However, high industry requirements demand even more advanced alternatives. This has led to the exploration of bio-concrete, which is valued for its ability to self-repair cracks, thereby significantly extending the material's useful life.

In one of the greatest tragedies in recent UK history, a fire broke out in Grenfell Tower, a 24-story residential building in London, on June 14, 2017. The fire, which claimed 72 lives, highlighted a major crisis in building safety and led to a nationwide re-evaluation of fire safety regulations and housing standards.

The fire, caused by an electrical fault in a refrigerator, spread rapidly up the exterior of the building. The recently installed cladding, a highly flammable plastic panel, acted as a fuel, causing the flames to engulf the entire tower within hours.

Cross-laminated timber (CLT), often referred to as “superwood,” is at the forefront of a new construction trend. In recent years, countries such as the United States, Canada, and several European nations have begun promoting its use in high-rise buildings. This system’s exceptional strength and stability come from its manufacturing process, which involves joining layers of wood at cross angles.

In Chile, around 6.6 million tires are thrown away every year, according to data provided by the Ministry of the Environment. Of these, only 17% are managed in an environmentally responsible way, while the rest end up in illegal dumps or disappear from the records, creating a serious environmental problem. 

In Chile, around 6.6 million tires are thrown away every year, according to data provided by the Ministry of the Environment. Of these, only 17% are managed in an environmentally responsible way, while the rest end up in illegal dumps or disappear from the records, creating a serious environmental problem. 

The project entitled “Advancing mass timber and precast concrete-timber building research by multi-physics and multi-scale engineering computations and large-scale experimental studies,” led by Erick Saavedra, was awarded an ANID Technology Ring with the potential for transforming the construction industry.

“We propose to research building, wood, concrete, and hybrid structures that mix the two. Today, construction in Chile is dominated by concrete, which is highly polluting,” stated the Civil Works Engineer.