Innovative Solutions for Concrete with Reduced Environmental Impact
Uspenskaya, Elizaveta (2019)
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112722965
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112722965
Tiivistelmä
The aim of the final year project was to study the process of concrete production and its effects on the environment. The case study featured in this thesis focused on the environmental impacts caused by the production of concrete for a typical concrete panel residential building in Moscow. The estimations were based on a life cycle assessment of the building. The results of the LCA show that over 375 tons of carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere, over 200 tons of water and over 3,4 GJ of energy were consumed by the production of the concrete for the building.
The results of the study are important because the studied K7 building belongs to a group of typical panel buildings constructed widely during 1960’s in the USSR. Therefore, the analysis of this building can help to estimate the hazardous impacts caused by industrial construction to the environment in almost any city around Russia and the post-Soviet territories.
Two innovative solutions for concrete were studied in the thesis: organic concrete, and porous concrete. Both are based on replacing Portland cement with organic and nonorganic materials including burnt magnesia, fly ash, and slag. The innovative concretes are nearly carbon neutral compared to the regular one using Portland cement. However, none of them can be used alone in a building construction yet due to reduced strength, but both can be used for non-bearing elements such as elevations and roof tops.
The results of the study are important because the studied K7 building belongs to a group of typical panel buildings constructed widely during 1960’s in the USSR. Therefore, the analysis of this building can help to estimate the hazardous impacts caused by industrial construction to the environment in almost any city around Russia and the post-Soviet territories.
Two innovative solutions for concrete were studied in the thesis: organic concrete, and porous concrete. Both are based on replacing Portland cement with organic and nonorganic materials including burnt magnesia, fly ash, and slag. The innovative concretes are nearly carbon neutral compared to the regular one using Portland cement. However, none of them can be used alone in a building construction yet due to reduced strength, but both can be used for non-bearing elements such as elevations and roof tops.