Concrete has a massive CO2 footprint. A researcher at the University of Auckland is working to reduce it by examining old Roman techniques. With natural volcanic materials and industrial by -products, it contains pims and mussels to create an environmentally friendly, traditional alternative.
In the Structures Testing Laboratory in Newmarket, New Zealand, Enrique Del Rey Castillo connects Vulkanian ash and Kaimoana mussels as a replacement in the cement manufacturing process and use their self-healing properties that can repair cracks over time through natural chemical reactions.
This initiative is of crucial importance, since concrete is one of the most environmentally harmful materials, with global cement production constitutes 8% of total carbon emissions and contributes to increasing global temperatures and increasing health risks.
Del Rey Castillo has tested for years how local materials can serve as sustainable alternatives. After concentrating on conventional substitutes such as flight ash, he switched to natural materials nearby.
“I realized that in New Zealand we have great potential with natural volcanic materials and by -products from the primary industry,” said Del Rey Castillo.
Concrete is essential for the construction of bridges, streets, dams and buildings, but its production finds more than 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year. Calcinate cement primary materials at 1,500 degrees Celsius in a oven emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and create chemical reactions. Each pound of concrete releases 0.93 pound of carbon dioxide.
However, BIMSICE does not require the energy -intensive calculation process. It only has to be dried at 100 degrees Celsius to remove moisture before it is ground into a fine powder. “The CO2 footprint corresponds to about 8-10% of the CO2 cement expression,” said Del Rey Castillo.
It is the first to thoroughly researched the use of pumice and mussels, which the indigenous Māori people use historically for their potential in concrete production. Inspired by the old Roman technology that was used burned limestone and volcanic ash, he suggests to suspend the patterns that were trapped a long time ago.
The Māauranga Māori tradition of environmental protection and structure for future generations is of central importance for this approach. Del Rey Castillo estimates that 50,000 tons of mussel waste from sea urchins and mussels, which are generated by the New Zealand aquaculture industry, can be used in cement.
This new cement can reduce production costs, improve concrete performance and use alternative materials that require less time, work and resources. This leads to cheaper products, houses and repairs as well as savings for consumers and at the same time the long -term health risks through carbon pollution.
The new material also has the potential to heal itself, such as based on Roman lime, which triggered chemical reactions from water and lime to produce crystals, sealed gaps and enabled it up to centuries.
New Zealanders can see this material until the end of the decade. The self -healing level is one year away, but the use of pumice has already proven to be effective. Del Rey Castillo begins with small applications such as footpaths and foundations of the small house and believes that he can build from there to build sustainable foundations for the future.
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