The urgent need to minimize the use of natural resources, while reducing the environmental impacts of human activity is a challenge that implies a radical change in industrial processes. Such is the case of the construction sector, and more particularly, of the highly valuable and omnipresent material of structural concrete. The developments made on the theme of the performance of structural concretes containing waste-based alkali-activated binders have, according to the reviewed literature, upgraded these family of materials from a mere possibility to a viable alternative to ordinary Portland cement binders. In fact, as this chapter shows, as long as proper curing conditions and material proportions are implemented, granulated blast furnace slag or fly ash-based concretes may be used to produce structurally sound beams, columns, walls, tunnel panels, or even, railway sleepers. Furthermore, the high ductility, high temperature resistance, lower CO2 emissions involved in their fabrication, and the enhanced ability to incorporate waste proves the suitability of these materials for, at the very least, niche structural applications.

Structural Performance of Waste-Based Reinforced Alkali-Activated Concrete

Colangelo F.;Farina I.;Travaglioni M.;Salzano C.;Cioffi R.;Petrillo ANTONELLA
2021-01-01

Abstract

The urgent need to minimize the use of natural resources, while reducing the environmental impacts of human activity is a challenge that implies a radical change in industrial processes. Such is the case of the construction sector, and more particularly, of the highly valuable and omnipresent material of structural concrete. The developments made on the theme of the performance of structural concretes containing waste-based alkali-activated binders have, according to the reviewed literature, upgraded these family of materials from a mere possibility to a viable alternative to ordinary Portland cement binders. In fact, as this chapter shows, as long as proper curing conditions and material proportions are implemented, granulated blast furnace slag or fly ash-based concretes may be used to produce structurally sound beams, columns, walls, tunnel panels, or even, railway sleepers. Furthermore, the high ductility, high temperature resistance, lower CO2 emissions involved in their fabrication, and the enhanced ability to incorporate waste proves the suitability of these materials for, at the very least, niche structural applications.
2021
9780323854696
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11367/137484
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