US Based CHASM Advanced Materials and Saudi Readymix Concrete Company have completed a field trial of carbon nanotube (CNT)-enhanced concrete at Saudi Readymix’s headquarters site in Dammam, marking a test of lower-carbon concrete using locally sourced materials.
The demonstration involved two adjacent 4 m x 4 m concrete pads poured at the site — one using a standard concrete mix and the other incorporating CNTs supplied by CHASM Advanced Materials. The pads will be monitored over time to assess performance under local conditions.
The companies said the trial was designed to explore whether CNT-enhanced concrete could reduce the carbon footprint of construction in Saudi Arabia without relying on imported supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash or ground-granulated blast-furnace slag, which are limited in availability in the Kingdom.
According to the project partners, the CNT-enhanced mix was produced using Saudi Readymix’s existing batching process and maintained comparable workability to conventional concrete. The evaluation will focus on indicators such as strength development, durability and resistance to cracking.
Saudi Arabia’s construction sector faces challenging environmental conditions, including high temperatures, large day-night temperature variations and elevated salinity levels in coastal areas such as Dammam, Jubail and Khobar. The trial aims to assess whether CNT-modified concrete can better withstand these stresses over time.
Mohammed Abuzaid, managing director of Saudi Readymix, said the company was continuing to invest in research and development to support lower-carbon construction practices aligned with national sustainability goals.
David Arthur, chief executive and co-founder of CHASM Advanced Materials, said the trial demonstrated how CNT technology could be evaluated within local supply chains and production systems.
The companies said the Dammam trial could inform further assessments of CNT-enhanced concrete across different regions of Saudi Arabia, including potential applications in large-scale infrastructure projects.
