A significant new report has come to the conclusion that using leftover sand and brick in the production of concrete was significantly lower the U.K. construction industry’s carbon footprint.
Experts from the University of Dundee, led by the Mineral Products Association ( MPA ), have demonstrated that U.K. reclaimed clays and finely ground brick powder can be used as calcined clays in cement and concrete manufacturing to deliver lower emissions compared to the market-leading CEM I cement, led by the Mineral Products Association ( MPA ).
The study discovered that using leftover clay and cement for cement production may lessen the object’s embodied carbon by up to 30 %.
The studies also confirmed that calcined soils from these sources, if adopted by the U.K. construction industry, could potentially distract 1.4 million lots of stuff from possible waste streams.
Researchers from the University’s Concrete Technology Unit, based within its School of Science and Engineering, are widely recognized as officials in the screening of building materials. For this job, they studied the long-term strength of cooled clay concretes, including eligibility for areas near or even in the ocean.
” Assisting the U.K. development industry to expand on the actions it is taking to become more responsible and contribute to the President’s legally bound net zero target is a top priority,” said Dr. Moray Newlands.
” Calcined clay is a substance that has the potential to significantly reduce pollution.
Our research demonstrated that Portland cement can be used as a long-lasting, tough low carbon concrete for a variety of applications, including bridges, maritime structures, and onshore renewable infrastructure.
The results of this job will also aid in the establishment of a steady supply chain for calcined clay in the United Kingdom, giving the construction sector confidence when choosing materials to use.
In the United Kingdom, clay is a naturally abundant resource that can provide an alternative to industrial by-products like ground granulated blast furnace slag ( GGBS ) and fly ash, which have been traditionally used to lower the embodied carbon of cement. As the energy and material industries decarbonize, U.K. production of both components is declining.
Cacained clays are used as a secondary cementitious material in other parts of the world, but they have n’t been thoroughly tested in the U.K.
The commonly used circular kilns and the more cutting-edge “flash warming” were both tested as heating methods for the preparation of the clay for use in concrete and concrete. No discernible difference exists between the two methods, which have been shown to make high-quality cooled soils.
The job has been supported by Heidelberg Materials UK, Tarmac, Imerys Supplies, Forterra, University College London, as well as the University of Dundee.
” Brick misuse and reclaimed clays will not only lower carbon and reduce waste but have the potential to create a whole new business if these clays become widely used in the building industry, helping to maintain economic benefit in the U.K., secure jobs, and bring purchase,” said Dr. Diana Casey, Executive Director, energy and climate change at the MPA.
One of the seven essential components of MPA U.K. Concrete’s Roadmap to Beyond Online Zero is the development of low-carbon cements and concretes. The roadmap builds on the company’s commitment to decarbonize the U.K. concrete and cement industry by 53 % since 1990 and sets out the country’s commitments to achieving net zero.
Citation: UK report builds bases to minimize construction’s carbon footprints (2024, September 6) retrieved 6 September 2024 from
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