The problem of loss of strength caused by the conversion reaction with calcium aluminate cements (CAC) is well known. It has been shown that the addition of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) to CAC inhibits the conversion process. Different slags can have a different chemical and mineralogical composition depending on their origin and production process, which can significantly influence their reactivity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: The aim of this study is to evaluate how much the changes in the concrete mix design, which enable carbon footprint reduction, are impacting mechanical properties and predicted service life of concrete structure. The starting point of this study was concrete mix used in a recent reinforced concrete Pelješac Bridge in the Adriatic. In the first round of experiments the amount of cement in this initial mix was significantly lowered, without jeopardising workability of the mix.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecently, much attention has been paid to the reuse of bauxite residues from alumina production, also known as red mud, in the cement industry. Red mud bears the potential to improve concrete properties due to its favourable chemical composition and particle size. In this work, the synergy between locally available red mud and common supplementary cementitious materials such as fly ash, slag, calcined clay and limestone in cement mixes is investigated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSince ash from wood biomass mostly ends up in landfills, recent research has focused on finding its economic and environmental added value as a potential new raw material in the construction industry. However, for wood ash to be used on an industrial scale in construction, a strategy for its proper storage must be defined. Proper storage of WBA is important to ensure quality control for applications in cementitious composites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReduced maintenance costs of concrete structures can be ensured by efficient and comprehensive condition assessment. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been widely used in the condition assessment of reinforced concrete structures and it provides completely non-destructive results in real-time. It is mainly used for locating reinforcement and determining concrete cover thickness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is an urgent need to apply available technologies to reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry. One of the possible solutions that can be implemented immediately is the industrial symbiosis between the waste-producing industries on the one hand and the cement industry, which consumes enormous amounts of raw materials for its production, on the other. In order for the industry to accelerate the use of these available materials and technologies, the potential of these materials must be disclosed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaterials (Basel)
November 2020
The low environmental impact and high long-term performance of products are becoming imperative for the sustainable development of the construction industry. Alkali-activated materials (AAMs) are one of the available low-embodied-carbon alternatives to Portland cement (OPC). For their application in the marine environment or where de-icing salts are used, it is of utmost importance to demonstrate their equal or better performance compared to OPC.
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