SAIT students may have found a way to combat Calgary's cracked sidewalks
SAIT students in the Civil Engineering Technology program believe they have created the right mix of concrete and graphene to combat the city's growing sidewalk problem, due to freeze-thaw cycles.
"Yesterday was, what? 20 C. It's going to probably snow tonight or tomorrow. That really affects our sidewalks, with the soil base underneath, to cause all these cracks and fractures," said student Derrick Leung, who started the project with three of his classmates.
"So with graphene, it's supposed to make it more durable, more flexible than conventional crushed concrete."
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon, which is strong, flexible and has high resistance.
Leung, along with Tony Ly, Pinyo Sirisettanan and Chi Kin Wong, began researching the benefits of graphene in concrete before doing a lab test.
The hope is to save money and reduce the city's carbon footprint.
As part of their capstone project, the students poured two concrete slabs in February, one with graphene and one without, to compare the differences.
It turns out the one with graphene made the concrete stronger.
"We applied our theory to potentially make it stronger. The increase in strength could also reduce the amount of cement used, so there was a sustainability components added on top of that."
Ly says the group worked with several industry partners, including the City of Calgary, on what is expected each time a sidewalk is poured.
"There's a lot of sidewalks in the City of Calgary, so even if you're saving, these are not the exact numbers, but even if you're saving five per cent on costs, and you multiply it by all the sidewalks that we do in Calgary, that adds up," he said.
"That's a lot of like public funds that could be used in other aspects."
SAIT students Derrick Leung, Tony Ly, Pinyo Sirisettanan and Chi Kin Wong believe they have created the right mix of concrete and graphene to combat Calgary's cracked sidewalks. Rick Duchscher is the Connector Lead in the Connector Lab at SAIT, where the students did much of the work on the project.
"It's very much like a library where we're not tied to any particular program or course," said Duchscher.
"If a student has an assignment or a project that they need some assistance with, they will come here and we will help them connect with all kinds of different resources."
The City of Calgary spends between $12 million and $15 million on repairs and replacement of concrete infrastructure as part of the city's annual sidewalk programs.
"The city continues to work with SAIT students on potential commercial usage of graphene in city sidewalks," read a statement from Chris McGeachy with the city's mobility department.
"The city continues to evaluate viability, performance and cost effectiveness of this project, which currently resides at SAIT. We look forward to continuing to provide industry expertise as we work with these students."
The city says it has not made a decision to introduce graphene into future concrete mixes just yet, but says there are benefits.
"The overall goal of the project is to reduce carbon through concrete mix design, and at the same time, make sidewalks more resilient to changes in climate," said McGeachy.
"In recent years, the city has also increased the use of green (low carbon) cement, aligning with construction industry's standards to adopt sustainable materials which provide equivalent or better performance while reducing environmental impacts."
The students will present their project on April 26.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
'Nobody should be getting away with murder': Grieving mother speaks out after son killed in North Preston, N.S.
A grieving mother is speaking out after her 36-year-old son was shot and killed in North Preston, N.S., Wednesday night.