Abstract This paper, which is a contribution to the UNEP series on Eco-Efficient Cements, examines the role of material-based solutions to reducing CO 2 emissions from cement production considering factors that could influence implementation. Global urbanization has led to an increase in demand for cement and cement-based materials. With its growth in consumption, the associated CO 2 emissions from its production are raising concern. However, the role of mitigation strategies in a global context that account for regional material availability and degree of market adoption have yet to be considered. This work shows that the 2 °C scenario targets for 2050 can be met through increased use of calcined clay and engineered filler with dispersants. The introduction of new Portland clinker-based cement alternatives, use of alkali-activated materials, and improvement of efficiency of cement use could further contribute to reduction goals. There are currently-available technologies for reduction that could be rapidly implemented.
Abstract The negative impacts of cement-based material (CBM) production are way bigger than ever expected. To illustrate the scale of this phenomenon, all the forests in the world, regardless of the fact that they are disappearing at an alarming rate, are not enough to offset even half the environmental impact (EI) of global aggregates and cement production. Thus, it is necessary to promote scientific research and guide more researchers and professionals in the construction industry to investigate the undiscovered sustainability paths, namely for concrete before and after end-of-life. For that purpose, a global and extensive review is made here to provide an overall view of concrete sustainability in all possible paths. Then, each path is organized as follows: (i) brief introduction, (ii) presentation of non-traditional materials and techniques that can be used for the selected strategy, (iii) their limitations and (iv) future trends. The study also identifies what is already known to avoid putting valuable research resources into redundant scientific studies. The following paths of concrete production sustainability were identified: mix composition (e.g. reduce the EI and resources use of binders, aggregates, water and reinforcement), materials manufacturing (e.g. new production techniques of cement, aggregates and steel bars), concrete mixing (e.g. mixer type and mixing method), on-site application (e.g. regular casting and digital concrete/3D printing), and in-service performance (e.g. increase the durability of reinforced concrete and carbon capture and thermal conductivity). On most of these paths, many studies have been made on the same non-traditional materials and techniques and similar outputs were obtained. Yet, many other non-traditional materials and techniques have not been explored before, or are incomplete in terms of the characteristics analysed. More than providing definite solutions, this contribution intends to open the minds of the readers to the vastly unexplored world of “green concrete”.
Abstract The manufacture of cement is considered as a high energy consumption and environmental pollution process, and it is necessary to figure out a way to reduce the consumption of cement in construction industry. The waste clay brick is a kind of construction waste with pozzolanic activity, which could be used to prepare blended cement after grinding. However, the particle size of clay brick powder (CBP) will influence its pozzolanic activity and properties of blended cement, which needs to be clarified. Therefore, in this study, the pozzolanic activity of CBP and properties of blended cement containing CBP were investigated. The results show that with the increase of grinding time, the CBP particles tend to be refined and spherical, which will increase the specific surface area and pozzolanic activity of CBP. The decrease of CBP particle size in blended cement paste can accelerate the early-age hydration and decrease the setting time since the ultrafine CBP could become the crystallization nucleus. The compressive strength of mortars with 30% CBP is 10%–35% lower than that without CBP, and the smaller the CBP particle size, the faster the compressive strength grows. Moreover, the hydration products and pore structure results also prove that the CBP with smaller particle size will consume more calcium hydroxide to react, which could make the microstructure denser and obtain stronger compressive strength growth at later ages. Meanwhile, the environmental impact and cost calculations indicate that the energy intensity and CO2 emissions of blended cement are obviously lower than Portland cement. It could be concluded that the pozzolanic activity of CBP will be enhanced with the decrease of particle size, and this research provided the reference for application of waste clay brick to produce green construction materials.
Abstract The cement industry is presently facing the demanding challenge of reducing its large amount of carbon emissions in order to meet the targets set to fight climate changes. One recent, and very promising, approach to reduce the carbon footprint is the production of more eco-efficient recycled cement from cement-based waste materials. This study aims at comparing the difference in terms of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions between recycled cement and conventional clinker production. In a conservative scenario, the estimated carbon dioxide emissions from recycling cement was as low as 58%–74% of the clinker production. From the sensibility analysis, it was found that the most influencing factors for the carbon emissions from the recycled cement production are: i) the waste cement water content; ii) the fraction of cement paste on waste material; and iii) the dryer energy intensity. The main drawback of the recycled cement production process is the pretreatment stage related with washing and drying of waste materials. The carbon dioxide emissions from recycled cement production can be potentially reduced to only 13% of the emissions from clinker production, if these pretreatment stages are avoided by developing a dry process.
Abstract This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of recent trends in incorporating biomass ashes from agricultural waste in Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and geopolymer concrete. The material properties of different biomass ashes and their effect on fresh and hardened concrete properties (i.e., mechanical and durability properties) are reviewed. Partial replacement of OPC with byproducts, such as bamboo leaf ash, date palm ash, elephant leaf ash, banana leaf ash and plantain peel ash, rice straw ash, olive waste ash, wheat straw ash, and corn cob ash, escorts reduction in carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions and global warming. It will also contribute to the effort of achieving zero-waste technology and sustainable development. This paper provides essential background information on the global status, composition, and ash preparation procedures of green and sustainable cementitious materials and then explores their potential applications. This review also highlights the areas requiring further research and indicates the possible negative impacts of utilizing these non-traditional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). The findings from this review confirm the feasibility of using biomass ashes as pozzolanic materials in cement concrete or as alternative activators in geopolymer concrete, with the required properties of building materials. Also, it is expected that this review will provide a better insight into biomass ashes incorporated in concrete for the benefit of academic/fundamental research and the construction industry.
A. C. Martins, J. Carvalho, Laís Cristina Barbosa Costa
et al.
Abstract Steel slags are by-products generated in high volumes in the steel industry. Their main constituents are calcium, silicon, ferric, aluminum, and magnesium oxides. Larnite, alite, brownmillerite, and ferrite are also found. The presence of expansive compounds cause concern when used in cement-based composites; however, mitigating routes have been proposed. Activation techniques improve the binding properties of steel slag powder, potentiating its use as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM). As an aggregate, steel slag presents good morphological and mechanical properties. Promising mechanical and durability performances in cement-based composites encourage further research to promote the use of steel slag.
Paul Fennell is a professor of clean energy at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London. His work encompasses the decarbonization and re-thinking of industrial processes, including the production of iron and steel and cement manufacture. He also works in the broader field of industrial decarbonization, including synergies between industry and power generation. Steve Davis is a professor of Earth system science and civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine, where he researches trends and drivers of GHG emissions, net-zero emissions energy systems, and the environmental impacts of energy production, climate change, and international trade. Aseel Mohamed received an MSc in advanced chemical engineering from Imperial College London. Her research focused on investigating the various decarbonization technologies used to capture CO2 emissions in order to mitigate climate change effects.
Seyed Hasan Hajiabadi, Mahmoud Khalifeh, Anna Magdalena Stroisz
et al.
The long-term stability of wellbore sealants is crucial for the success of oil and gas operations. This study evaluates the performance of a low-calcium, granite-based two-part geopolymer (GP) system under hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-rich brine exposure. GP samples were immersed in H2S-saturated seawater at 100 °C and 11 bar for up to 12 months. Their mechanical, mineralogical, and microstructural integrity was assessed using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) testing, computed tomography (CT) scanning, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results showed a progressive increase in UCS and Young’s modulus during exposure, coinciding with changes in mass, density, and microstructural features. CT scanning revealed surface-localized density reduction and preserved interior structure, highlighting spatial zonation rather than temporal densification. XRD analysis indicated increased relative crystallinity in H2S-exposed samples compared to the initial cured state, while SEM-EDS revealed elemental redistribution and an increase in bulk sulfur content with exposure time, although no crystalline sulfur-bearing phases were detected within the resolution of XRD. The chemical form and binding state of sulfur could not be resolved with the applied techniques. Overall, the results indicate that the low-calcium, granite-based GP can retain mechanical integrity under prolonged H2S-rich brine exposure, with degradation largely confined to surface regions, suggesting its potential as an alternative wellbore sealant in sour environments while recognizing that further studies with chemically equivalent controls are required to fully resolve underlying mechanisms.
Abstract Manufacturing cement in the industry is responsible for most of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to the atmosphere, while producing biochar (BC) reduces CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. Replacing a portion of cement with BC will be a win-win alternative to curtail CO2 emissions and simultaneously lock up BC. However, the mechanical performance and properties of concrete with BC as a cement replacement, especially pervious concrete, have not been well understood. In this study, we comprehensively study the porosity, water permeability, water absorption, evaporation, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, solar reflectance, and microstructure morphology of pervious concrete samples that are prepared by replacing a portion of cement with pulverized BC. The replacement ratio, in weight, is set as 0%, 0.65%, 3.2%, 6.5%, 9.5%, and 13.5%, respectively. It is found that the BC content has little and/or no impact on the porosity and water permeability of the BC pervious concrete samples considered here, and that the water absorption increases with BC contents. BC pervious concrete samples show both the greater compressive strength and splitting tensile strength than conventional ones when the BC content is 0–6.5%, above which these strengths are compromised. The reason is that a small amount of BC will promote cement hydration, so hydration products generated in a higher amount respect to those without BC contribute to the development of the strength of pervious concrete. It is also found that 6.5% BC in the cement paste can decrease an albedo of 0.05, this decrease, however, can be compensated by the water absorption increment and strength improvement. Based on our findings, it is speculated that producing pervious concrete by replacing up to 6.5%, in weight, of cement by pulverized BC is feasible to curtail CO2 emissions and lock up BC.
India's growing population and economy have significantly increased the demand and consumption of natural resources. As a result, the potential benefits of transitioning to a circular economic model have been extensively discussed and debated among various Indian stakeholders, including policymakers, industry leaders, and environmental advocates. Despite the numerous initiatives, policies, and transnational strategic partnerships of the Indian government, most small and medium enterprises in India face significant challenges in implementing circular economy practices. This is due to the lack of a clear pathway to measure the current state of the circular economy in Indian industries and the absence of a framework to address these challenges. This paper examines the circularity of the 93-textile industry in India using the C-Readiness Tool. The analysis comprehensively identified 9 categories with 34 barriers to adopting circular economy principles in the textile sector through a narrative literature review. The identified barriers were further compared against the findings from a C-readiness tool assessment, which revealed prominent challenges related to supply chain coordination, consumer engagement, and regulatory compliance within the industry's circularity efforts. In response to these challenges, the article proposes a strategic roadmap that leverages digital technologies to drive the textile industry towards a more sustainable and resilient industrial model.
This paper highlights the significance of resource-constrained Internet of Things (RCD-IoT) systems in addressing the challenges faced by industries with limited resources. This paper presents an energy-efficient solution for industries to monitor and control their utilities remotely. Integrating intelligent sensors and IoT technologies, the proposed RCD-IoT system aims to revolutionize industrial monitoring and control processes, enabling efficient utilization of resources.The proposed system utilized the IEEE 802.15.4 WiFi Protocol for seamless data exchange between Sensor Nodes. This seamless exchange of information was analyzed through Packet Tracer. The system was equipped with a prototyped, depicting analytical chemical process to analyze the significant performance metrics. System achieved average Round trip time (RTT) of just 12ms outperforming the already existing solutions presented even with higher Quality of Service (QoS) under the transmission of 1500 packets/seconds under different line of sight (LOS) and Non line of sight (NLOS) fadings.
Machine translation (MT) has become indispensable for cross-border communication in globalized industries like e-commerce, finance, and legal services, with recent advancements in large language models (LLMs) significantly enhancing translation quality. However, applying general-purpose MT models to industrial scenarios reveals critical limitations due to domain-specific terminology, cultural nuances, and stylistic conventions absent in generic benchmarks. Existing evaluation frameworks inadequately assess performance in specialized contexts, creating a gap between academic benchmarks and real-world efficacy. To address this, we propose a three-level translation capability framework: (1) Basic Linguistic Competence, (2) Domain-Specific Proficiency, and (3) Cultural Adaptation, emphasizing the need for holistic evaluation across these dimensions. We introduce TransBench, a benchmark tailored for industrial MT, initially targeting international e-commerce with 17,000 professionally translated sentences spanning 4 main scenarios and 33 language pairs. TransBench integrates traditional metrics (BLEU, TER) with Marco-MOS, a domain-specific evaluation model, and provides guidelines for reproducible benchmark construction. Our contributions include: (1) a structured framework for industrial MT evaluation, (2) the first publicly available benchmark for e-commerce translation, (3) novel metrics probing multi-level translation quality, and (4) open-sourced evaluation tools. This work bridges the evaluation gap, enabling researchers and practitioners to systematically assess and enhance MT systems for industry-specific needs.
Giovanna Takano Natti, Érica Regina Takano Natti, Paulo Laerte Natti
We present a review of the current and future industrial applications of neutrinos. We address the industrial applications of neutrinos in geological and geochemical studies of the Earth's interior, in monitoring earthquakes, in terrestrial communications, in applications for submarines, in monitoring nuclear power plants and fusion reactors, in the management of fissile materials used in nuclear plants, in tracking nuclear tests, among other applications. We also address future possibilities for industrial applications of neutrinos, especially concerning communications in the solar system and geotomography of solar system bodies.