Lowering the Carbon Footprint of Concrete by Reducing Clinker Content of Cement

Significant efforts have been made to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with the manufacture of portland cement, primarily by making the process more energy efficient and increasing the use of alternative fuels. Further reductions in CO2 can be achieved by lowering the clinker component of the cement because the pyroprocessing used to manufacture clinker produces approximately 1 tonne of CO2 for every tonne of clinker. Traditionally reductions in the clinker content of cement have been achieved by producing blended cement consisting of portland cement combined with a supplementary cementing material (SCM). In Canada, it is now permitted to intergrind up to 15% limestone with cement clinker to produce portland limestone cement or blended portland limestone cement. Recent trials were conducted at the Brookfield cement plant in Nova Scotia to evaluate the performance of a blended cement containing 15% ground, granulated blast furnace slag (an SCM) with that of a blended portland limestone cement containing the same amount of slag plus 12% interground limestone. Performance was evaluated by the construction of a section of concrete pavement using concrete mixtures produced with the two cements and various amounts of fly ash (another SCM). A wide range of laboratory tests were performed on the concrete specimens cast on site during the placement of the concrete pavement. The results indicated that the cements were of equivalent performance.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.3141/2290-13
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Lowering+the+Carbon+Footprint+of+Concrete+by+Reducing+Clinker+Content+of+Cement&author=M.+Thomas&author=L.+Barcelo&author=B.+Blair&author=K.+Cail&author=A.+Delagrave&author=K.+Kazanis&publication_year=2012
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780309223300
• Authors:
  • Thomas, Michael
  • Barcelo, Laurent
  • Blair, Bruce
  • Cail, Kevin
  • Delagrave, Anik
  • Kazanis, Ken
• Publication Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 99–104
• Monograph Title: Concrete Materials 2012
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2290
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carbon dioxide; Clinkers; Concrete; Concrete pavements; Crushed limestone; Fly ash; Granulated slag; Greenhouse gases; Portland cement
• Candidate Terms: Blended cement
• Uncontrolled Terms: Supplementary cementing materials
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Materials; Pavements; I15: Environment; I32: Concrete;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01373635
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309223300
• Report/Paper Numbers: 12-0740
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 25 2012 2:33PM