Displaying items by tag: research and development

UK: Researchers at Newcastle University have developed a new mortar using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from plastic bottles and silica aerogel. The team says that the mortar conforms to construction standards 413-1:2011, ASTM C270-10, and AS 1012/AS 3700. They added that it additionally reduces heat loss in the spaces between blocks or bricks by 55%.

Team leader Lidija Šiller said “For the next step, we wish to find collaborators such as a construction company to apply for funding and build the house with our ‘recipe’ for mortar. This will allow us to provide the direct evidence of potential energy savings and assess the economics for masonry buildings applications.”

Finland: Betolar has analysed ash from utilities provider Alva’s power plants in Finland using its AI-driven SidePrime software to map its potential for use as a binder to replace cement in concrete production.

Betolar said that it sees potential for future integration of Alva’s ash into its material network.

Finland/Germany: Finland-based Carbonaide has cured 1kg of concrete with CO₂ captured using NeoCarbon’s direct air capture (DAC) method. The partners blended the CO₂ with other CO₂ from biogenic sources. They said that the project, called NeoDuo, successfully demonstrated concrete production with 50% reduced CO₂ emissions, and can also be used to produce carbon-negative concrete when cement is substituted with alternative binders.

The companies plan to scale this technology to achieve 1000t of CO₂ sequestered by 2026. They are reportedly on track to begin providing carbon removal credits to customers later in 2025.

India: A study at the DPG Institute of Technology and Management in Gurugram has investigated the effects of blending different concentrations of silica fumes to ground granulated blast furnace slag-based (GGBFS) geopolymer concrete. Findings reported in the Nature concluded that the addition of 10% silica fumes ‘significantly’ enhanced the durability and strength of the resulting concrete.

Singapore: A team at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has developed a new method for 3D printing concrete that incorporates steam and CO₂ from industrial by-products into the concrete mix. The team says that the process enhances the strength of concrete, while reducing the total volume used in construction.

UK: A team at Northumbria University in Newcastle has launched new research into 3D printing using a new Platypus 3D concrete printer supplied by ChangeMaker 3D and Australia-based Luyten 3D. The university received funding for the equipment from national scientific academy the Royal Society.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Readymix and Finland-based Betolar have launched two new reduced-CO₂ concretes, produced using ground granulated blast furnace slag and natural pozzolans with Betolar’s Geoprime technology. One of the products is cement-free and the other has an ultra-low (2.5%) cement content. TradeArabia News has reported that the dual launch concludes a successful partnership between the companies, which began in 2023.

Saudi Readymix technology and strategy director Chris Leptokaridis said "Saudi Readymix has been at the forefront of developing new technologies to meet our customers' increasing demand for eco-friendly, low-CO₂ solutions. Our partnership with Betolar has enabled us to successfully deliver on this goal, offering groundbreaking concrete recipes that significantly reduce carbon emissions."

Betolar senior researcher Ahmad Alzaza said "This project pushed the boundaries of innovation by bringing low-carbon technology into the ready-mix concrete space. We are proud to have contributed to a solution that will help advance sustainable construction across Saudi Arabia."

US: Princeton University researchers Shashank Gupta and Reza Moini have developed an extra-strength hollow concrete based on the tubular structure of the femur bone. The concrete offers 5.6 times greater strength than conventional concrete by isolating cracks. BGR News has reported that the developments are applicable to commercial concrete production through 3D printing or precast concrete casting.

US: The City of Syracuse, New York, is pilot-testing a new method of infrastructure construction by incorporating recycled glass as a cement substitute in concrete, reports CNY Central newspaper. A patented process by recycling company KLAW Industries crushes glass into fine powder, reportedly replacing 20% of the cement in concrete from recent projects, including upgrades to pavements. The approach follows successful implementations in the City of Binghamton and by the New York State Department of Transportation, with support from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Clarkson University.

Department of Public Works Commissioner Jeremy Robinson said "We’re always looking for the most effective and sustainable approaches to constructing and maintaining city infrastructure. Based on the results of this testing, we can determine if the solution can be expanded to more sidewalks and, possibly, other applications.”

Finland: Betolar has procured a patent for a new accelerator solution for use in CEM III/B slag cement mixes. The company says that the product enables the achievement of conventional demoulding times in the production of concrete elements using slag cement with a clinker content of 20 – 34%. It will also enable its use in hollow-core slabs and as shotcrete in the mining industry.

President and CEO Tuija Kalpala said "Our patented innovation paves the way for the large-scale use of cement mixtures in the production of concrete elements and products, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions."