We are building the future now!
COLUMN: Concrete is discussed in many forums today. But few know what concrete really is, what we use it for, and why research into alternative binders for concrete is so important. Katarina Malaga is a professor of sustainable construction and has a PhD in chemical and mechanical decomposition of stone and concrete. In this article, she will providing us with answers.
In the BETCRETE 2.0 project, RISE collaborates with around twenty leading concrete suppliers, construction contractors, industry bodies, and government agencies to produce a carbon neutral concrete for wide market availability as early as 2030, and which will be used as standard throughout Sweden by 2045.
We understand that to significantly reduce emissions, today’s Portland cement (most common type of cement in general use) will need to be mixed with a new binder that produces considerably less or no CO2 emissions. Cement can be mixed with fly ash or slag. This is called climate-enhanced concrete. However, there are technical limitations to the amount of alternative materials that can be used in concrete to guarantee quality. For some applications, we can replace up to 35 percent of cement with slag and for others up to 65 percent. This presents major opportunities to achieve a good climate profile with optimal performance. There are, however, applications for which we have stringent requirements and where we have to use cement that will ensure robust and durable concrete structures for over a 100 years, such as bridges. It is important to identify the right material for the right use and to take the entire life cycle of the material into consideration, not just production. The best building materials are those that last longest.
/Katarina Malaga, professor in sustainable construction
