Carbon Dioxide Uptake by Cement-Based Materials: A Spanish Case Study

Abstract

The European parliament has declared a global “climate and environmental emergency” on 28 November 2019. Given that, climate change is a clear strategic issue all around the world. Then, greenhouse gas emissions are reported by each country to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every year. In addition, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the “2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories” give the procedure to calculate and manage the national greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. However, these guidelines do not provide any method to consider the net carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere (released in clinker fabrication minus those due to concrete carbonation) by the Portland cement clinker industry. This topic should be implemented in the climatic models of the next IPCC assessment report. This paper provides an easy procedure of estimating net CO2 emissions proposed in the “recarbonation project” (simplified method); that is to say, carbon dioxide uptake during the service-life stage is considered as the 20% of the CO2 released by the calcination (process emissions), whereas the end-of-life and secondary usage is only the 3% of the CO2 released by calcination. The outcome of this study reveals that 31,290.753 tons of carbon dioxide will be absorbed by the cement-based materials produced in Spain with the cements manufactured from 2005 to 2015.

Carbon Dioxide Uptake by Mortars and Concretes Made with Portuguese Cements

“…In addition, the growth path of carbon dioxide uptake is represented by a growing curve for each considered application (civil engineering, building and mortars). As expected, the higher the surface/volume (S/V) ratio and carbonation coefficient (k co2 ), the higher the carbon dioxide uptake [23]. Figure 11.…”

Sustainability Analysis of the M-30 Madrid Tunnels and Madrid Río through the MIVES Method After 14 Years of Service Life

“…It should be highlighted that noise and pollutant emissions are, again, indicators independent from the materials selected in the structure. However, recent studies have shown that cement-based materials can absorb CO2 during their lifecycle [12,50], 51]. In particular, during its lifecycle concrete can absorb 20% of the CO2 produced by calcination to manufacture the cement [12].…”

“…However, recent studies have shown that cement-based materials can absorb CO2 during their lifecycle [12,50], 51]. In particular, during its lifecycle concrete can absorb 20% of the CO2 produced by calcination to manufacture the cement [12]. Therefore, the buried M-30 solution will have a greater CO2 uptake compared with the non-buried solution, as the volume of concrete used to build the structure is bigger.…”

“…Thus, the park offered not only an improvement of the environmental conditions but also eliminated the previous road barrier, linking the south with central Madrid, thus producing extensive urban regeneration of the area [11]. The materials used to build the tunnels should also be taken into account, as it is known that cement production contributes to global warming with 7-8% of global CO2 emissions [12]. The most effective ways to reduce emissions caused by such production entail incorporating by-products or waste materials as aggregates or reducing the amount of cement used and thus substituting part of the cement with by-products such as, among others, fly ash [12,13].…”

“…The materials used to build the tunnels should also be taken into account, as it is known that cement production contributes to global warming with 7-8% of global CO2 emissions [12]. The most effective ways to reduce emissions caused by such production entail incorporating by-products or waste materials as aggregates or reducing the amount of cement used and thus substituting part of the cement with by-products such as, among others, fly ash [12,13]. In this case, the tunnels were built by using conventional concrete.…”