Measuring the impact of concrete from cradle to grave

EU researchers have developed a more accurate way of assessing the sustainability of concrete structures which takes into account that structures from so-called ‘green concretes’ can deteriorate faster than those from traditional concrete over time.

CLIMATCON, a project carried out at Heriot-Watt University (HWU) in Edinburgh, UK, with Marie Curie Fellow Xiao-Hui Wang as main researcher, has looked at how reinforced concrete beams carbonate when under load. It has compared the performance of conventional concrete, made with Portland cement, to that of ‘green’ concretes which contain fly ash or ground granulated blast-furnace slag, both by-products of industry.

Further details: Measuring the impact of concrete from cradle to grave