Displaying items by tag: research and development

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."

Poland: Heidelberg Materials has inaugurated its new construction and demolition materials (CDM) recycling plant at Katowice, Silesia. The plant will use a patented crusher to separate and sort 100t/hr of CDM. It will then recycle the materials in new concrete using its ReConcrete circular concrete production technology.

Chief sustainability officer Nicola Kimm said "Thanks to our strong commitment to continuous innovation, we are now introducing a revolutionary and commercially viable technology combining circularity with decarbonisation on our path to net zero. Innovations like this help to accelerate our transformation and highlight our ambition of closing the loop offering circular alternatives for 50% of our concrete products by 2030.”

US: Heidelberg Materials North America has won up to US$5m from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the development of a web-based tool to generate environmental product declarations (EPDs) for ready-mix concrete and other building materials. The finances are part of a total US$160m in EPA funding for the decarbonisation of building materials.

Heidelberg Materials North America president and CEO of Chris Ward said "With this funding, Heidelberg Materials can accelerate the push for more sustainable construction materials and transparency across the industry, while also helping our customers make more informed decisions when choosing products with a lower carbon footprint."

US: Premier Graphene has despatched test samples of its proprietary graphene suspension to ‘one of the largest essential materials companies.’ Graphene-Info News has reported that Premier Graphene expects the samples to confirm its findings of a 32% increase in compressive strength after 28 days, compared to concrete produced without its graphene.

President Pedro Mendez said "Our internal tests have confirmed multiple advantages that position our green cement product strongly in the market. These include increased strength with reduced cement usage, substantial carbon footprint reduction and enhanced durability. We anticipate strong market adoption driven by our cost-effective graphene production methods and established, remarkable efficacy. Our strategy encompasses both graphene colloids for customised mixing by manufacturers and the development of graphene-based products like epoxies and lubricants. This phased approach minimises capital expenditure while maximising product innovation.”

US: The Department of Transportation has announced a US$5m initiative to investigate the use of steel slag in cement and concrete. This will take the form of a collaboration between the Department of Transportation and a selected US-based steel producer and university partner. The initiative seeks to reduce CO₂ emissions in the production of building materials. Prospective participants may view the grant opportunity here.

Transport secretary Pete Buttigieg said "We're proud to make this funding available to help develop the next generation of construction materials so that the future of our transport infrastructure is more resilient, more sustainable and made in America.”

Robert Hampshire, deputy assistant secretary for research and technology and chief science officer, said “This funding initiative will develop and advance innovative materials and technologies that support the nation’s goals to decarbonise the transportation sector by 2050, strengthen resilience of the nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address adverse environmental impacts created by the transportation system.”

Germany/North America: INFORM has announced new collaborations with two other software developers for the ready-mix concrete sector. US-based BCMI Corp and Canada-based Marcotte Systems will work with INFORM to develop AI tools for despatching ready-mix concrete.

INFORM senior vice president Thomas Bergmans, who concluded the deals at World of Concrete in the US, said “In addition to offering our proven AI-powered transport planning and execution software, we are very excited to see that these collaborations will further speed up the wide-spread use of our AI algorithms beyond our traditional markets.” Bergmans said that the collaboration with BCMI Corp will provide ready-mix producers with ‘enhanced decision-making tools, real-time logistics optimisation and intelligent automation, ultimately elevating operational performance and customer satisfaction.’ Regarding the collaboration with Marcotte, he said “By combining Marcotte's robust experience in concrete production management with INFORM’s AI capabilities, this ready-to-use solution will empower ready-mix producers.”

China: Switzerland-based Sika has opened its new Suzhou Technology Centre in Jiangsu Province. The centre will help Sika to develop its sustainable and high-performance technologies in order to grow it market potential throughout the Asia/Pacific region. By strategically expanding its research and development activities across all core technologies, Sika aims to further strengthen its global innovation leadership.

Chief innovation and sustainability officer Patricia Heidtman said "With our new technology centre, we are strengthening our innovation capabilities in the Asia/Pacific region and are fostering synergies in sustainable construction and environmentally friendly mobility. We have created the ideal framework for close collaboration between our research teams. It will thus enable us to develop forward-looking technologies for our customers that combine sustainability with performance."