Engineers Find New Ways to Connect Concrete Pieces for More Resilient Buildings

People have been using concrete for thousands of years, but scientists and engineers are still finding ways to improve this versatile material. Now, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed five new ways to securely connect large concrete pieces. These connection methods are intended for a type of material called “precast concrete,” in which parts such as beams and columns are made in a factory and assembled later at a construction site.