Techno-socio-economic aspects of Portland cement, Geopolymer, and Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) composite systems: A-State-of-Art-Review
Balamurali Kanagaraj, N. Anand, R. Samuvel Raj, Éva Lublóy
Abstract
The demand for cement-based binder material increases due to the growth of infrastructural development. Cement consumption and concrete production have been found to impact sustainability the most. The current study proposes an outline for the sustainability assessment in terms of cost, carbon emission (CO2-e), and energy demand for concrete production. The assessment of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) concrete is compared to conventional cement-based concrete (OPC) and Geopolymer concrete (GPC) in terms of mechanical strength and sustainable performance. The study examines the energy demand for producing OPC, GPC, and LC3 concrete of normal (M40) and high-strength (M70) concrete. The assessment shows that selecting concrete mix ingredients can substantially influence the energy demand and CO2-e of OPC, GPC, and LC3 concrete. Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the major contributor to energy and CO2-e, accounting for 88% of energy requirement and 95% of the CO2-e of OPC concrete. In the case of GPC, the Alkaline medium is the major contributor to energy and CO2-e. Based on the sustainability index analysis, the LC3 system was a more cost-effective, energy-effective, and carbon-effective material than GPC and OPC-based concrete. The present study shows that compressive strength is directly related to cost, energy demand, and carbon emission. Furthermore, the analysis indicates how concrete mixture is adopted for particular concrete grades to achieve sustainability and eco-friendly practices.