Understanding the mechanical properties of low CO2 concrete

PI: John Fox

Co-PI(s): Paolo Bocchini and Clay Naito

University: Lehigh University

Industry partner: Buzzi Unicem

Globally, concrete is the second most widely utilized material, only second to water. In 2019, the global CO2 emissions from cement production reached 2300 MMTCO2 or 7% of global CO2 emissions. Supplemental cementitious materials, including pozzolanic materials can reduce the CO2 footprint of concrete. In the United States, supplemental cementitious materials (SCM), such as fly ash, granulated blast-furnace slag, and silica fume are widely utilized. Coal fly ash is the most commonly utilized SCM, however, shift to gas-based fuels instead of solid fuels used in the electric generation market has led to a decreased availability of fly ash. Advancing understanding of SCMs that simultaneously reduce CO2 emissions from Portland cement is critical to lowering the carbon footprint of concrete.