Priority Programme “Net-Zero Concrete” (SPP 2436)
Deadline: 21. Oktober 2023
The production of concrete is responsible for approximately 7 percent of the global CO2 emissions. Hence, there is an urgent need to significantly cut back on CO2 emissions and to work on scientifically driven solutions for CO2 neutral (Net-Zero) concrete. For this, all common industrial procedures for cement and concrete production should be challenged from a materials perspective to significantly reduce its CO2 footprint, which are i.e. clinker production, cement composition, aggregate production, and carbon capture and utilisation.
Within this SPP, novel research pathways towards a climate neutral concrete will be pursued and explored. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary research approach, covering cement chemistry, concrete technology and related scientific areas such as physical chemistry (reaction thermodynamics and kinetics) and physics of materials, but also reusability and adaptability of resources and production procedures, is envisioned.
The proposed Priority Programme addresses the following main objective: pursuing a net-zero concrete based on alternative binders, renewable aggregates and carbonation strategies. The following three sub-objectives are considered to achieve this:
- Experimental and numerical research on alternative binders and novel clinker raw materials in terms of composition and reactivity of the individual phases and their CO2 interactions.
- Development of waste-based and/or renewable aggregate systems that have the potential to absorb CO2 and will be fully recyclable and/or reusable in an end-of-life scenario.
- Development of advanced concrete carbonation strategies to maximize CO2 uptake in concrete production as well as during and after service life.
Whenever exploring possible cutting-edge solutions for CO2 reductions, these components can be considered individually and/or as cumulative combinations, leading to the following three complementary research modules within the SPP.
- Module 1: Alternative and Carbon Neutral Binders
- Module 2: Construction Demolition Waste and Renewable Aggregates
- Module 3: Concrete Carbon Capture and Long-Term Carbon Sink
