Characterisation of Portland cement blended with pitchstone fines aiding carbon dioxide emission reduction

Climate change and global wanning present a significant challenge as unsustainable levels of greenhouse gas emissions arising from human activities continue to be emitted. The cement industry is responsible for between five and ten per cent of annual world carbon dioxide emissions; most arising from the manufacture of Portland cement (PC). An effective way of reducing emissions is by incorporating supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) as partial PC replacements. SCMs are silicate or aluminosilicate based pozzolanic materials which, in finely divided form, combine with water and calcium hydroxide (lime), liberated by cement hydration, to form compounds exhibiting cementitious properties. Pitchstone is such an aluminosilicate and has the potential to act as an effective pozzolan for partial replacement of PC. In North Queensland, Australia, a vast deposit of pitchstone is mined and processed for expandable perlite aggregate. During the classification stage of the excavated natural material, waste pitchstone fines (PF) less than 0.5 mm in size are generated. This study evaluates the waste PF as a viable, eco-friendly pozzolan for the partial replacement of PC. The reactivity of the PF is compared to fly ash (FA), using the pozzolanic compressive strength activity index (SAI) after seven, 28, and 91 days ageing at 20 per cent and 40 per cent PC substitutions. PF was found to be comparable to FA as a pozzolan at 20 per cent PC substitution at all ages tested. However, for the 40 per cent substitution blends significant strength was only achieved at 91 days ageing for the FA blend. The pozzolanic reactivity was also investigated using thermogravimetric analysis to determine the degree of free lime present after 91 days. In all cases where an SCM was added, the free lime was observed to be consumed with increasing age

Carbonation of concrete with construction and demolition waste based recycled aggregates and cement with recycled content

Durability is a major concern in concrete (particularly recycled concrete) structures exposed to carbonation-induced corrosion, given the social, economic, environmental and safety implications involved. This article explores carbonation performance in concrete with 25% or 50% mixed recycled construction and demolition waste aggregate, alone or in conjunction with cement containing 25% fired clay construction and demolition waste. Irrespective of cement type, the mean carbonation depth was slightly greater in materials with 25% or 50% recycled aggregate than in concretes with 100% natural aggregate, although the difference was not statistically significant for the 25% replacement ratio. In all the concretes studied, the carbonation coefficient was below the 4 mm/yr0.5 indicative of good quality. Based on the prediction model proposed in Spain’s concrete code, reinforcement passivity was guaranteed in all these types of concrete when exposed to class XC1 to XC4 carbonation environments for substantially longer than their 100 year design service life.This study was funded under research projects BIA 2013-48876-C3-1-R, BIA2013-48876-C3-2-R and BIA2016-76643-C3-1-R awarded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and grant GR 18122 awarded to the MATERIA Research Group by the Regional Government of Extremadura and the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. In 2016 University of Extremadura teaching and research personnel benefitted from a mobility grant (MOV15A029) awarded by the Regional Government of Extremadura and in 2018 from a José Castillejo (CAS17/00313) scholarship granted by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. Philip Van den Heede is since October 2017 a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO) (project number 3E013917) and acknowledges its support.Peer reviewe

Peat Soil Compaction Characteristic and Physicochemical Changes Treated with Eco-Processed Pozzolan (EPP)

Peat soil was defined as the highly organic surface layer derived primarily from plant remains. Peat, on the other hand, was the subsurface of wetland systems, consisting of unconsolidated superficial layers with a high non-crystalline colloid (humus) content. Peat soils have a low shear strength of 5 to 20 kPa, a high compressibility of 0.9 to 1.5, and a high moisture content of >100%. The purpose of the study was to prognosticate the potential of Eco-Processed Pozzolan (EPP) as peat soil stabilization material with improved technique and its consequence of the methods, which was the peat soils index properties and analyse the characteristics of the peat soil stabilization before and after treatment using Eco-Processed Pozzolan (EPP). The soil was mixed with 10, 20, and 30% Eco-Processed Pozzolan (EPP) and then compacted (compaction test) in a metal mould with an internal diameter of 105 mm using a 2.5 kg rammer of 50 mm diameter, freefalling from 300 mm above the top of the soil Three layers compaction of approximately equal depth and 27 blows spread evenly over the soil surface for each layer. The expected result to accomplish the main purpose was to prognosticate the potential Eco-Processed Pozzolan (EPP) as peat soil stabilization material with improved technique and its consequence of the methods. According to the findings, peat soil treated with EPP will transform its qualities from peat to usable soil. However, the presence of moisture will reduce the mixture's ability. According to the findings of this study, the optimum EPP for stabilizing peat soils was 30-40%. Correspondingly, the elemental composition of peat soil mixed with EPP improved regardless of Carbon, Ca composition. Comparatively, the amount of Silicon, Si increased from 6.5% (Peat + EPP 10%) to 12.9% (Peat + EPP 40%) due to the crystallization of EPP and peat. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2023-09-01-07 Full Text: PD

Acoustic absorption of hemp-lime construction

Hemp-lime concrete is a sustainable alternative to standard wall construction materials. It boasts excellent hygrothermal properties in part deriving from its porous structure. This paper investigates the acoustic properties of hemp-lime concrete, using binders developed from hydrated lime and pozzolans as well as hydraulic and cementicious binders. To assess the acoustic absorption of hemp-lime walls, as they are commonly finished in practical construction, wall sections are rendered and the resulting impact on absorption is evaluated. Hemp-concretes with lime-pozzolan binders display superior acoustic properties relative to more hydraulic binders. These are diminished when rendered, as the open surface porosity is affected, however hemp-lime construction offers the potential to meet standard and guideline targets for spaces requiring acoustic treatment

Corrosion Behavior of Steel Reinforcement in Concrete with Recycled Aggregates, Fly Ash and Spent Cracking Catalyst

The main strategy to reduce the environmental impact of the concrete industry is to reuse the waste materials. This research has considered the combination of cement replacement by industrial by-products, and natural coarse aggregate substitution by recycled aggregate. The aim is to evaluate the behavior of concretes with a reduced impact on the environment by replacing a 50% of cement by industrial by-products (15% of spent fluid catalytic cracking catalyst and 35% of fly ash) and a 100% of natural coarse aggregate by recycled aggregate. The concretes prepared according to these considerations have been tested in terms of mechanical strengths and the protection offered against steel reinforcement corrosion under carbonation attack and chloride-contaminated environments. The proposed concrete combinations reduced the mechanical performance of concretes in terms of elastic modulus, compressive strength, and flexural strength. In addition, an increase in open porosity due to the presence of recycled aggregate was observed, which is coherent with the changes observed in mechanical tests. Regarding corrosion tests, no significant differences were observed in the case of the resistance of these types of concretes under a natural chloride attack. In the case of carbonation attack, although all concretes did not stand the highly aggressive conditions, those concretes with cement replacement behaved worse than Portland cement concretes.Authors thank to University of Alicante and Generalitat Valenciana the financial support given to this research through projects GRE11-27 and GV/2013/021

The influence of rice husk ash addition on the properties of metakaolin-based geopolymers

This paper investigates the replacement of metakaolin (MK) with rice husk ash (RHA) in the production of alkali-activated binders or geopolymers. The influence of the RHA addition on compressive and flexural strength, as well as water absorption and apparent porosity were determined, in terms of the percentage of RHA in the mixture and molar ratios of the mixes. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were carried out to assess the changes in the microstructure of the geopolymer matrices with the RHA addition. Results have shown that RHA may be a supplementary precursor for geopolymers. The composition of the geopolymer matrices containing 0-40% RHA is very similar, which indicates that the additional Si provided by RHA is not incorporated to the geopolymer matrix. In addition, geopolymers with RHA content higher than 40% present a plastic behavior, characterized by extremely low strength and high deformation, which can be attributed to the formation of silica gel in formulations containing variable Si/Al ratio

Management and valorisation of wastes through use in producing alkali-activated cement materials

There is a growing global interest in maximising the re-use and recycling of waste, to minimise the environmental impacts associated with waste treatment and disposal. Use of high-volume wastes in the production of blended or novel cements (including alkali-activated cements) is well known as a key pathway by which these wastes can be re-used. This paper presents a critical overview of the urban, agricultural, mining and industrial wastes that have been identified as potential precursors for the production of alkali-activated cement materials, or that can be effectively stabilised/solidified via alkali activation, to assure their safe disposal. The central aim of this review is to elucidate the potential advantages and pitfalls associated with the application of alkali-activation technology to a wide variety of wastes that have been claimed to be suitable for the production of construction materials. A brief overview of the generation and characteristics of each waste is reported, accompanied by identification of opportunities for the use of alkali-activation technology for their valorisation and/or management

International Conference on Research in Construction Housing: past, present and future

On the occasion of Science Week, the Fundación Eduardo Torroja will be organising an international conference on construction research entitled “Housing: past, present and future”, in conjunction with the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Science, the Fundación Juanelo Turriano and the Technical University of Madrid. The conference is being called to support research, history and innovation and to raise public awareness of the importance of these disciplines and of their transmission through education. Following in the footsteps of Eduardo Torroja, the conference will revolve around a philosophy and praxis that advocate a view of architecture and engineering as parts of the same engine, built in the factory of innovation and serving society by driving progress. The conference will be a forum for international refl ection and debate on the past, present and future of housing, the prime architectural space for social well-being. The general theme will be its evolution and its fate in today’s world, in which sustainability and the generation of clean and inexpensive energy are regarded as keys to ongoing development. The intention is to encourage dialogue among researchers, professionals, builders, ancillary industries and the university, sharing experiences and building relationships among the various actors involved in the development required by a society characterised by relentless change. An exhibition entitled “Eduardo Torroja and Post-World War II Housing Industrialisation / 1949” will be held in parallel with the conference, highlighting its specifi c subject. This showing of an unknown and signifi cant milestone in the history of Spanish building will feature the strategy followed by Eduardo Torroja to break the ground for industrialised construction techniques in Spain, in an age of acute shortage of economic and material resources, severely aggravated by the country’s post-war political isolationCon motivo de la celebración de la Semana de la Ciencia, la Fundación Eduardo Torroja ha organizado unas Jornadas Internacionales de investigación en construcción bajo el título “Vivienda: pasado, presente y futuro / Housing: past,present and future, en cuya organización han colaborado; el Instituto de Ciencias de la Construcción Eduardo Torroja, la Fundación Juanelo Turriano y la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, trabajando estrechamente unidos en pro de la investigación, la historia y la innovación, así como su difusión y enseñanza. El objetivo de las Jornadas es continuar trabajando tras las huellas de Eduardo Torroja, difundiendo su modelo específi co de pensamiento y actuación, en el que la Arquitectura y la Ingeniería se unen como eslabones de una misma cadena, forjada con la innovación como motor de su progreso al servicio de la sociedad. Las Jornadas servirán de lugar de encuentro para la refl exión y el debate internacional sobre el pasado, el presente y el futuro de la Vivienda, el espacio arquitectónico fundamental del bienestar social, poniendo de manifi esto una relevante parte de su evolución y destino en un mundo que hoy, entre otros, reclama la sostenibilidad y la producción de energía limpia y económica, como factores necesarios de desarrollo. Se pretende por ello, generar el necesario diálogo entre investigadores, profesionales, constructores, industria auxiliar y la universidad, compartiendo experiencias y creando relaciones entre los diferentes actores que intervienen en el desarrollo que demanda la sociedad en su continua evolución. Como parte de la específi ca temática de las Jornadas, se integrara la exposición “Eduardo Torroja y la industrialización de Viviendas tras la Segunda Guerra Mundial/1949”. Un desconocido y relevante hito en la historia del desarrollo de la construcción española, a través de la cual podemos reconstruir la estrategia seguida por Eduardo Torroja para iniciar el camino hacia la industrialización en España, en unos momentos de gran escasez de recursos económicos y materiales, que se vieron gravemente afectados por el aislamiento político que España soportaba en aquella época.Peer reviewe