A bio-inspired addition to concrete stops the damage caused by freezing and thawing

Concrete is one of the most abundant and durable building materials used in modern-day infrastructures, but it has a weakness -- ice -- which can cause it to crumble and spall. Now, inspired by organisms that survive in sub-zero environments, researchers in Colorado are introducing polymer molecules with anti-freezing abilities into concrete. The method, which tests if the new concrete can stop the damage caused by freezing and thawing, appears in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science on May 27.