Contextualizing embodied carbon emissions of concrete using mixture design parameters and performance metrics

Helsel, Michelle A.; Rangelov, Milena; Montanari, Luca; Spragg, Robert; Carrion, Migdalia

doi:10.1002/suco.202200634

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 20 publications

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“…Fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) can be a potential engineering option as a substitute of steel to mitigate corrosion and consequent deterioration of concrete structures. According to the results obtained by Helsel et al, 5 the cement as a construction material is the most influential predictor of global warming potential (GWP), and GWP savings can be achieved considerably by reducing and replacing cement without compromising the performance of concrete. In view of this, replacing the cement, the potential source of anthropogenic carbon in concrete with the ultra‐high performance innovative binding material such as zero cement concrete (STC‐ZERO) 6 is expected to be a revolutionary solution for low carbon sustainable construction industry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life cycle assessment of next generation non‐metallic bridges

Zerin

Kasuga

2023

Structural Concrete

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Employments of highly durable low carbon technologies are crucial for mitigation of climate change ensuring sustainable infrastructures. In this perspective, a challenging initiative for ultra-high durability low carbon prestressed concrete bridges utilizing sustainable zero cement concrete (STC-ZERO) and nonmetallic reinforcement is undertaken. STC-ZERO exhibiting high strength, low shrinkage, and low creep reduces carbon emission up to 70% compared to the conventional concrete as cement is entirely replaced. Aramid fiber PC tendons have no factor of deterioration of concrete thanks to nonexistence of corrosion. Accordingly, an AASTHO-PCI BT-72 PC girder bridge and a butterfly web bridge are designed incorporating this combination and compared with corresponding conventional bridges with respect to whole life carbon emissions. Since there are no repair and rehabilitation requirements, the whole life carbon emissions of next generation non-metallic bridges are expected to be reduced by around 70%.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life cycle assessment of next generation non‐metallic bridges

Zerin

Kasuga

2023

Structural Concrete

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Sensitivity of Concrete Embodied Carbon Emissions to Cement Production and Material Transportation

Cooper,

Mukherjee

2024

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation R

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The objective of this study is to assess the sensitivity of concrete’s embodied global warming potential (GWP) to life-cycle assessment (LCA) parameters. Specifically, the study investigates the concrete mixture development stages of an LCA dealing with materials extraction, transportation to the production facility, and mixing at the production facility. These same stages are used to estimate a concrete mixture’s environmental impacts within environmental product declarations (EPDs). This study explores the framework of a spring-and-dashpot model to represent the carbon emissions from concrete production. The spring-and-dashpot model is introduced and verified in this work. The model identifies the two parameters within an LCA that most affect the GWP of a concrete mixture. Using this framework, the study investigates the sensitivity of a concrete mixture’s carbon emissions to those two most influential parameters. This model was used to assess the uncertainty of model-, laboratory-, and field-based concrete mixture designs. The mechanical performance and durability of concrete mixtures from laboratory and field data sets were compared with their calculated concrete GWPs and displayed no correlation, even accounting for GWP’s uncertainty, suggesting that a strong and durable concrete can also be sustainable.

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Assessing durability properties of ultra-high performance concrete-class materials

Saladi,

Montanari,

De la Varga

et al. 2023

Mater Struct

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Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a class of concrete materials that has received significant attention from the infrastructure community due to its favorable mechanical and durability performance. As the use of UHPC in infrastructure projects is becoming more common, there is an increasing interest in identifying appropriate testing techniques to assess the durability properties of UHPC-class materials. The dense microstructure of UHPC-class materials and the presence of a high concentration of fiber reinforcement have made it difficult to rely on existing standard testing approaches for concrete durability assessment. This study explores the application of various conventional-concrete durability test methods to UHPC, including electrical resistivity (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) TP 119-22), freeze–thaw (ASTM C666), water absorption (ASTM C1585), and rapid chloride migration test (NT BUILD 492). The selected tests are meant to qualify and quantify the microstructural penetrability of UHPC to ions and fluids, a surrogate property commonly used as an indicator of durability. The findings from this study indicate that electrical resistivity can be used as a durability indicator for UHPC-class materials. Moreover, strong correlation between electrical resistivity and the chloride migration coefficient is identified, a potential benefit given that chloride migration can be used to estimate service lives of UHPC-class materials. Other tests, including freeze–thaw and water absorption, although identifying the favorable performance of UHPC relative to conventional concrete, were unable to provide insightful information through which the performance of individual UHPCs could be differentiated.

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Contextualizing embodied carbon emissions of concrete using mixture design parameters and performance metrics

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

Life cycle assessment of next generation non‐metallic bridges

Life cycle assessment of next generation non‐metallic bridges

Sensitivity of Concrete Embodied Carbon Emissions to Cement Production and Material Transportation

Assessing durability properties of ultra-high performance concrete-class materials

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