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Circular cement makes for strong and green concrete

Researchers have found a way to take waste concrete from demolition sites and turn it into fresh new concrete that has a strength not seen before from such a product. The breakthrough could lead to significant emissions reductions in the building sector.

The chemical processes involved in the formation of klinker creates carbon dioxide (CO2), a known greenhouse gas, as does the burning of fossil fuels needed to get the kilns hot enough to do their job. “Previously, if you only used thermoactivated recycled cement, it didn’t perform well enough to be an acceptable replacement,” said study co-author, Claire White from Princeton. “Construction waste typically ends up either in a landfill, or, if it’s recycled, will be used in low-grade applications such as in pavements or in soils,” said research leader Sérgio Angulo, from USP.

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