Sustainable concrete incorporating low-grade metakaolin

The production of cement and concrete is estimated to account for 5-8% of globally man-made carbon dioxide emissions. The use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as metakaolin to partially replace Portland cement in concrete is the most effective method to reduce the carbon footprint of cement industry. Pure metakaolin, however, is expensive and not widely available. This research focuses on exploring the potential of using low-grade and locally available metakaolin in Canada as SCMs in concrete. Synthetic calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) will be used to accelerate the hydration of cement and enhance the reactivity of low-grade metakaolin, ultimately improving the properties of concrete. The expected results will advance our knowledge in terms of the synergistic effects of low-grade metakaolin and C-S-H seeds. The successful study of this research will also promote wider application of low-grade metakaolin in concrete, which will contribute to the reduction of the carbon emissions associated with the construction industr

Faculty Supervisor:

Rahil Khoshnazar

Student:

Partner:

École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Calgary

Program: