Scientists replaced 40 percent of cement with rice husk cinder, limestone crushing waste, and silica sand, giving concrete a rubber-like quality, six to nine times more crack-resistant than regular concrete. It self-seals, replaces cement with plentiful waste products, and should be cheaper to use.

[u/mvea]

https://newatlas.com/materials/rubbery-crack-resistant-cement/

[u/rly_weird_guy]

Do you have any sources/papers on this?

Would love to read more about it

[u/leno95 → u/rly_weird_guy]

I don't have any sources aside from what I was taught at university and from my experience in industry unfortunately.

However it shouldn't be too hard to find a paper on this, as it'd be discussing properties of concrete.

Edit: the main reason would typically be that concrete retains around 2%-5% of the water used in it's formation, and this would freeze and cause expansion, and later cracks (spalling).

The same thing plagues brickwork and other masonry where the material has small voids where water can collect.

[u/rly_weird_guy → u/leno95]

Do they use any alternative materials in areas with extreme temp difference?

Are concrete and brick structures rare in these area?

[u/WormwoodandBelladona → u/rly_weird_guy]

Just FYI, concrete is used everywhere regardless of these temperature differentials. The damage affects the over all service life, but there are supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), and alternative cementitious materials (ACMs).

Both SCMs and ACMs can be used in places where specific types of degradation/performance issues can occur. Niche cements, like magnesium oxychloride cements, can be used when the conditions are not favorable For “traditional” OPC placement. But there are ranges of admixtures and different things to try to make cements work almost everywhere