Sustainability of Concrete

The pressure to make the production of concrete more sustainable, or “greener”, is considerable and increasing. This requires a wholesale shift in processes, materials and methods in the concrete industry. Presenting the latest advances in the science of concrete, this book focuses particularly on sustainability, durability, and economic factors. It explores the potential for increased sustainability from the initial mixing right through to the concrete substance’s behavior in complex structures exposed to different types of loads and aggressive environments.

Production of Portland cement is responsible for about seven percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. The pressure to make the production of concrete more sustainable, or "greener", is considerable and increasing. This requires a wholesale shift in processes, materials and methods in the concrete industry. Pure Portland cement will need to be replaced by more complex binary, tertiary or even quaternary binders, including other types of cementitious materials. We can expect an increasing use of high performance concrete, primarily because of its high sustainability and durability. Much more attention will have to be paid to the proper curing of the concrete if we want to improve its life expectancy.

Presenting the latest advances in the science of concrete this book focuses particularly on sustainability, durability, and economy. It explores the potential for increased sustainability in concrete from the initial mixing right through to its behaviour in complex structures exposed to different types of loads and aggressive environments.