Cement composites are really awesome. First, they are very cheap and can be produced almost anywhere in the world using solely local materials. In addition, upon mixing of the solid components (mainly cement and aggregates) with water, a fresh cement composite is obtained. In such state, the material can even be pumped to the top of a skyscraper where it will acquire the shape of the mold where it is poured in. And then, after some time the material will harden at ambient conditions without human intervention. But the best of all is that the properties of the fresh and hardened material as well as the time it takes to become rock-solid can be tuned almost at wish. Nonetheless the development of cement composites with improved performance (strength, toughness, durability, thermal stability, etc.) never stops and it will be one of the main objectives of the LTC. The same applies to the development of novel functionalities (electrical conductivity, sensing capacity, self-healing, thermal properties, energy harvesting, etc.). Not to forget two of the main drivers of the last and coming years in Europe, the reduction of the environmental impact (and its quantification) and the digitalization of the industrial processes that will also be considered.
