Sustainable Concrete – 8 Eco Friendly Concrete Mixes
Concrete is the third most utilized material in construction today, but the standard production process harms the environment greatly through the release of CO2 during cement production.
But for more green concrete to become more prevalent in construction, advances in sustainable concrete mixes are being made.
At this section, current trends in sustainable concrete and its role in a sustainable environment is also discussed.
The Environmental Cost of Traditional Concrete
The creation of concrete has well described as a high carbon emitter, mostly because of the method through which it manufactures a product known as Portland cement.
One ton of cement produces nearly one ton of CO2 and this cement industry contributes to about 7.5% of the total emissions.
This paper aims at arguing that the call for more environmental friendly products has never been more important given the current construction industry’s search for sustainable and efficient materials to develop green buildings that will not compromise on their strength.
Low-Carbon Cement Alternatives
1. Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3)
LC3 is currently one of the most advanced low-carbon cementation methods in the process of development.
This new mix comprises limestone and calcined clay to partially replace clinker which is the most carboniferous material in ordinary cement.
Relative to OPC, LC3 can promote CO2 reductions up to 40% making it a viable candidate for scale up.
2. Geopolymer Concrete
Geopolymer concrete replaces cement and is prepared using waste materials such as fly ash or slag.
This type of concrete create 80% less carbon emission than ordinary cement into the environment.
Apart from the requirements of sustainability in manufacturing geopolymer concrete it is fire resistant, chemically and mechanically resistant concrete required in many constructional applications.
Carbon Capture and Utilization in Concrete
3. CO2-Injected Concrete
There of the most effective approaches towards sustainable concrete is the addition of CO2 into the concrete during the hardening stage.
This method immobilises the CO2 within the concrete and thereby lowers the cement’s total emissions.
It is called carbon sequestration; it reduces CO2 emission while at the same time increasing the material’s compressive strength.
These two advantages make the CO2-injected concrete advantage to be the suitable and environmentally sustainable option for the future constructions.
4. Carbon Cure Technology
Carbon Cure is an important player in the field of carbon capture solutions for concrete and additives that allow for the direct infusion of CO2 into fresh concrete during the mixing process.
Some of the injected CO2 combines with calcium ions in the concrete to form calcium carbonate that reinforces the structure while at the same time ‘locking’ in emissions.
The case studies of Carbon Cure technology indicate that the projects that integrate the technology record reduced emissions and enhanced sustainability measures.
Recycled and Waste Materials in Sustainable Concrete Mixes
5. Recycled Aggregates
There is an increasing use of recycled concrete aggregates derived directly from the demolition of buildings and numerous construction wastage.
Financialized sustainability of building materials support reduction in virgin aggregate consumption, environmental conservation, and decreased landfill waste.
Recycled aggregates, however, provide a high strength and durability that is adequate for most construction works while promoting a renewed use cycle of construction materials.
6. Plastic Waste Integration
Concrete production studies employing plastics wastes in the preparation of concrete are increasing.
The companies set out to shred and incorporate the plastics into eco friendly concrete mixes in an effort to save on the quantity of cement needed and at the same time provide a purpose to non-recyclable plastics.
Although it remains at the experimental stage, this method may deal not only with the contamination by plastics but also with emissions from concrete production.
Bio-Concrete and Future Innovations
7. Self-Healing Concrete
Bio-concrete or self-healing concrete is a product of advanced construction innovation.
It contains limestone-forming bacteria that react with water and air to form a limestone layer that can close the selvage cracks leading to the elongation of the structure’s life expectancy.
This product minimizes repairs and maintenance frequency and consequently reduces resource utilization over the life cycle of such buildings.
In that case, bio-concrete also contributes to the durability of structures hence reducing the time gaps taken for reconstruction hence sustainability.
8. Hempcrete
Hempcrete consists of the core dowels of the hemp plant combined with the hydrophilic binder.
Although less arranged compared to common concrete, hempcrete for thermal insulation and is carbon-negative since it soaks up more CO2 than it releases during its making.
It can be used in walls where the structure does not count and in homes, therefore being suitable for some sustainable construction applications.
Challenges and Future Outlook for Eco-Friendly Concrete
There is a great advancement in the production of eco friendly concrete mixes, but there are several limitations set for the application, affordability, and implementation by the construction industries.
For instance, materials can be more costly than others, some may need new methods of construction, or changes in current legislation such as bio-concrete and geopolymer concrete.
Nonetheless, the current research activities and raised awareness of climatically sensitive problems continue to drive the industry away from pollution-intensive solutions.
With consistent advancement in the utilization of environmentally conscious technologies and policies on constructions, the use of sustainable concrete could be the new generation of these elemental and primary infrastructural structures to a more sustainable and disaster-resistant construction.
Conclusion
The voices urging the production of sustainable concrete mixes stem from the fact that construction is now recognized as a significant emitter of CO2.
These innovations include; LC3, Geopolymer Concrete, CO2-injected concrete, bio-concrete, and hempcrete materials.
As these technologies grow and appear more sustainable economically, further development with new practical technologies reveals a positive efficient future for green construction and architectures.
Also read: Natural Building Materials for Sustainable Architecture