Experimental Investigation of Carbon Dioxide Adsorbing Concrete Blocks Incorporating Zeolite and Dunite as Sustainable Mineral Admixtures
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
The construction sector is facing growing challenges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopting environmentally sustainable construction materials with lower carbon footprints. Among the emerging solutions, carbon dioxide (CO₂)-adsorbing concrete has attracted considerable attention because of its ability to capture atmospheric CO₂ while maintaining the engineering properties required for structural applications. This study experimentally evaluates the potential of developing sustainable concrete blocks with enhanced CO₂ adsorption capacity through the partial replacement of conventional materials with natural zeolite and Dunite. Concrete mixes containing different replacement proportions were prepared and assessed for both fresh and hardened properties. Workability, compressive strength, water absorption, and density were determined in accordance with the relevant Indian Standard specifications. In addition, the CO₂ adsorption capacity of the concrete blocks was evaluated to examine the effect of these mineral additives on carbon sequestration performance. The findings reveal that incorporating zeolite and Dunite improves the CO₂ adsorption capability of concrete while preserving satisfactory mechanical properties when used within optimal replacement limits. However, higher replacement levels reduce workability and compressive strength, primarily due to increased pore volume and weaker cementitious bonding within the concrete matrix. Overall, the results indicate that a balanced combination of zeolite and Dunite can produce sustainable concrete blocks with enhanced carbon capture potential and acceptable structural performance. The outcomes of this research provide valuable insights into the development of eco-friendly construction materials that can contribute to carbon mitigation efforts while supporting the long-term sustainability of the built environment.
Downloads
References
British Cement Association. (2013). Properties of Portland pozzolana cement. British Cement Association.
Indian Standards Institution. (1963). IS 2386 (Part 3): Methods of test for aggregates for concrete—Specific gravity, density, voids, absorption and bulking. Bureau of Indian Standards.
Indian Standards Institution. (1991). IS 1489 (Part 1): Portland pozzolana cement—Specification. Bureau of Indian Standards.
Lee, Y. L., Koh, H. B., Alona, C. L., Ahmad Karim, A. T., Wimala, M., & Ng, C. (2018). CO₂ uptake model of biomass silica foamed concrete. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 431(8), 082008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/431/8/082008
Madandoust, R., Sobhani, J., Ashoori, P., & Fakoor, M. (2014). The mechanical properties and durability assessment of concrete containing natural zeolite as a highly reactive supplementary cementitious material. Construction and Building Materials, 51, 329–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2013.10.054
Meyer, C. (2009). The greening of the concrete industry. Cement and Concrete Composites, 31(8), 601–605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2008.12.010
Monkman, S., & Shao, Y. (2010). Assessing the carbon uptake of concrete during its service life. Cement and Concrete Composites, 32(10), 817–823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2010.09.004
Najimi, M., Sobhani, J., Ahmadi, B., & Shekarchi, M. (2012). An experimental study on durability properties of concrete containing zeolite as a highly reactive natural pozzolan. Construction and Building Materials, 35, 1023–1033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.04.038
Papadakis, V. G. (2000). Effect of supplementary cementing materials on concrete resistance against carbonation. Cement and Concrete Research, 30(2), 291–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(99)00249-5
Scrivener, K. L., John, V. M., & Gartner, E. M. (2018). Eco-efficient cements: Potential economically viable solutions for a low-CO₂ cement-based materials industry. Cement and Concrete Research, 114, 2–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2018.03.015
Snellings, R., Mertens, G., & Elsen, J. (2012). Supplementary cementitious materials. Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 74(1), 211–278. https://doi.org/10.2138/rmg.2012.74.6
Subramani, T., & Sumathi, C. (2015). Experimental investigation of partial replacement of cement with fly ash and sand with bottom ash and glass used in concrete. International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering & Management, 4(5), 245–253.
Wang, M., Lawal, A., Stephenson, P., Sidders, J., Ramshaw, C., & Yeung, H. (2011). Post-combustion CO₂ capture with chemical absorption: A state-of-the-art review. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 89(9), 1609–1624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2010.11.005
Yilmaz, B., & Uçar, A. (2011). Properties of zeolitic concrete containing natural zeolite as a supplementary cementitious material. Construction and Building Materials, 25(11), 4270–4275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.04.026
Zhang, D., Shao, Y., & Ling, T. C. (2017). Carbonation curing of cement-based materials: A review. Journal of CO₂ Utilization, 21, 119–131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2017.07.003
Zhang, T., Castel, A., & François, R. (2009). Carbonation of concrete with supplementary cementitious materials. Cement and Concrete Research, 39(12), 1180–1188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2009.07.01
Habert, G., Miller, S. A., John, V. M., Provis, J. L., Favier, A., Horvath, A., & Scrivener, K. L. (2020). Environmental impacts and decarbonization strategies in the cement and concrete industries. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(11), 559–573. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-020-0093-3
Lothenbach, B., Scrivener, K., & Hooton, R. D. (2011). Supplementary cementitious materials. Cement and Concrete Research, 41(12), 1244–1256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2010.12.001
Pade, C., & Guimaraes, M. (2007). The CO₂ uptake of concrete in a 100-year perspective. Cement and Concrete Research, 37(9), 1348–1356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.06.009
Sanjuán, M. Á., Andrade, C., Mora, P., & Zaragoza, A. (2020). Carbon dioxide uptake by cement-based materials: A Spanish case study. Applied Sciences, 10(1), 339. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10010339
Shi, C., Jiménez, A. F., & Palomo, A. (2011). New cements for the 21st century: The pursuit of an alternative to Portland cement. Cement and Concrete Research, 41(7), 750–763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2011.03.016
Van den Heede, P., & De Belie, N. (2012). Environmental impact and life cycle assessment (LCA) of traditional and "green" concretes: Literature review and theoretical calculations. Cement and Concrete Composites, 34(4), 431–442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2012.01.004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles published in our journal are licensed under CC-BY 4.0, which permits authors to retain copyright of their work. This license allows for unrestricted use, sharing, and reproduction of the articles, provided that proper credit is given to the original authors and the source.