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Supplementary Cementitious Materials in Construction -An Attempt to

Reduce CO2 Emission

Article in Journal of Environmental Nanotechnology · March 2018

DOI: 10.13074/jent.2018.06.182306

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 J. Environ. Nanotechnol.
Volume 7, No.2(2018) pp. 31-35
ISSN (Print): 2279-0748
ISSN (Online): 2319-5541
doi:10.13074/jent.2018.06.182306
Supplementary Cementitious Materials in Construction - An Attempt to
Reduce CO2 Emission
Vikas Srivastava1, Atul2, Ashhad Imam3, P. K. Mehta4, Satyendranath5, M. K. Tripathi6
1
Department of Civil Engineering, SHUATS (Formerly AAI-DU), Allahabad, U. P., India.
2,3
Department of Civil Engineering, SHIATS (Formerly AAI-DU), Allahabad, U. P., India.
4
Department of Civil Engineering, MNNIT, Allahabad, U. P., India.
5
Field Gun Factory, Kanpur, U. P., India.
6
Department of Environmental Sciences, SHIATS (Formerly AAI-DU), Allahabad, U. P., India.

Received: 28.12.2017 Accepted: 12.03.2018

Abstract

Owing to growing construction needed for increasing developmental activities massive burden is
being posed to the environment in terms of direct products and by products. Cement is prime
construction material and its huge production to meet out the demand is of great concern for
environmentalists. During the production of cement various harmful gases are emitted out of which CO2
is of prime concern. Several materials viz. fly ash, rice husk ash, GGBS, silica fume, metakaolin etc. can
be used as partial replacement of cement in construction. The use of Supplementary cementitious
materials in construction not only improves the mechanical property of cement matrix but also reduce
the burden from environment. In this paper an attempt is made to explore the possibility of use of
different materials as partial replacement of cement in construction.

Keywords: Compressive strength, Fly ash, Metakaolin, OPC, Pozzolan, Silica fume, Supplementary
cementitious materials, Workability.

1. INTRODUCTION best way is to search for alternative materials which

may be used as partial replacement of cementitious
In the fast growing economy, infrastructural materials as demand of cement can not be reduced at
development is key for the society. Industrialisation, all. Several materials (natural and byproducts) are
urbanisation and modernisation are tool for going available which can be used as partial replacement of
ahead. For any developmental activity new cement in concrete making. The materials used as
construction or modification of old one is prime partial replacement of cement and their effect on
requirement. This leads to the increasing construction properties of fresh and hardened concrete are discussed
activities rapidly. Cement is the prime construction here in after.
material and construction activities greatly depend on
it. The cement production is about 280 million metric 2. SUPPLEMENTARY CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS
tons in India and 4,100 million metric tons worldwide (SCMs)
which is expected to be increased substantially in the
light of growing demand due to the increasing Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs)
construction activities (1). It is a matter of great concern are materials which are added in cement matrix as part
of environmentalists that growing production of cement of the total cementing system. They may be used in
is a great threat to the environment in general and addition to or as a partial replacement of Portland
emission of carbon dioxide (CO 2) in particular. Since it cement or blended cement in cement matrix especially
is established that production of cement is liable for in concrete, depending on the properties of the
production of approximately same quantity of CO2 as materials and the desired effect. Basically all the
such it is inevitable that consumption of cement is to be
pozzolanic materials may be used as SCMs. Pozzolana
reduced to save the environment for our legacy. To
reduce the consumption of cementitious materials the is a siliceous or alumino-siliceous material that, in

*Vikas Srivastava
email: [email protected]
 Vikas Srivastava et al. / J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Vol. 7(1), 31-35, (2018)

finely divided form and in the presence of moisture,

chemically reacts with the calcium hydroxide released
by the hydration of Portland cement to form calcium
silicate hydrate and other cementing compounds.
Industrial wastes, such as blast furnace slag, fly ash and
silica fume are being used as supplementary cement
replacement materials. In addition to these, agricultural
wastes such as rice husk ash, wheat straw ash, and
sugarcane bagasse ash are also being used pozzolanic
materials as partial cement replacement material
(Zhang and Malhotra, 1996; Ganesan et al. 2007).
Depending on the type of SCM, their use as partial
cement replacement materials or as mineral additives Fig. 1: Fly Ash
have different effects on the properties of concrete.
This is because they possess different chemical and 2.2 Granulated Ground Blast Furnace Slag (Ggbs)
mineralogical compositions, as well as different
particle characteristics, which determine their water Ground granulated blast furnace slag, also called
requirement, packing ability, as well as reactivity when slag, is made from iron blast-furnace slag. It is a non-
used as part of binder for concrete. In general, the use metallic hydraulic cement consisting essentially of
of these materials in concrete has been associated with silicates and aluminosilicates of calcium developed in a
molten condition simultaneously with iron in a blast
the refinement of the concrete pore structure. This in furnace.
turn could affect the properties of concrete in the fresh
and hardened states, including strength, deformation
and durability performance (Bai et al. 1999; Guneyisi
and Gesoglu, 2008; Brooks and Megat Johari, 2001;
Koksal et al. 2008; Gesoglu and Ozbay, 2007). Some of
the pozzolanic materials which are used as SCMs are
discussed as under:

 Fly Ash
 Granulated Ground Blast furnace Slag
(GGBS)
 Silica Fume
 Metakaolin
Fig. 2: GGBS
2.1 Fly Ash
The molten slag at a temperature of about
Fly ash is a finely divided residue (a powder 1500°C is rapidly cooled by quenching in water to form
resembling cement) that results from the combustion of a glassy sand like granulated material. The granulated
pulverized coal in electric power generating plants. material, which ground to less than 45 microns, has a
During ignition in the furnace, most of the volatile surface area fineness of about 400 to 600 m2/kg. the
matter and carbon in the coal are burned off. The fly relative density is in the range of 2.85 to 2.95. The
ash is collected from the exhaust gases by electro-static bulk density varies from 1050 to 1375 kg/m3. The slag
has rough and angular-shaped particles, and in the
precipitators or bag filters.
presence of water and Ca (OH)2 or NaOH supplied by
Portland cement, it hydrates and sets in a manner
Class F fly ash is a low-calcium (less than 5% similar to Portland cement.
CaO) ash with carbon content less than 5%, but some
may be as high as 10%. Class C fly ash generally has 2.3 Silica Fume
carbon content less than 2%. Many Class C ashes when
exposed to water will hydrate and harden in less than Silica fume, a by-product is a result of the
45 minutes. CaO content is more than 10%. reduction of high-purity quartz with coal in an electric

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arc furnace in the manufacture of silicon or ferrosilicon Metakaolin is used in amounts between 5% and 15%
alloy. It rises as an oxidized vapour from the furnaces. by mass of the total cementing material. For high
When it cools, it condenses and is collected in huge performance and high strength concrete Metakaolin is a
cloth bags. Then it is processed to remove impurities good option. Metakaolin is high reactive pozzolana as
and to control particle size. such it can be used as partial replacement of both for
OPC as well as PPC. However, replacement level may
vary accordingly.

3. EFFECT OF SCMs ON FRESH CONCRETE

3.1 Water Requirements

Concrete mixtures containing fly ash generally

require less water (1% to 10% less) for a given slump
than concrete containing only Portland cement.
Similarly ground slag decreases water demand by 1%
to 10% depending on dosage. The water demand of
concrete containing silica fume increases with
Fig. 3 Silica Fume increasing amounts of silica fume, unless water reducer
or superplasticizer is used. Similarly metakaolin
Silica fume is used in amounts between 5% and increases water demand depending on dosage.
10% by mass of the total cementing material. It is used
in applications where a high degree of impermeability 3.2 Workability
is needed and in high-strength concrete. Also, in the
cases where the concrete must be deicer-scaling Workability is that property of freshly mixed
resistant. Silica fume is high reactive pozzolana as such concrete or mortar which determines the ease and
it can be used as partial replacement of both for OPC as homogeneity with which it can be mixed, placed,
well as PPC. However, replacement level may vary consolidated and finished. at a given water – cement
accordingly. ratio, the spherical shape of most fly ash particles
permits greater workability than conventional concrete
2.4 Metakaolin (CC). The increased ratio of solid volumes to water
volume produces a paste with improved plasticity and
Metakaolin is a manufactured product from more cohesiveness. Fly ash, GGBS, and some natural
selected kaolins, which refined and calcined under pozzolans generally improve the workability of
particular condition; it is a highly efficient pozzolona concretes of equal slump depending upon doses. While
that reacts with Ca(OH)2 produced during the silica fume and metakaolin may reduce the workability
hydration of Cement. Adding gel, i. e. C-S-H gel has a and contribute to the stickiness of concrete mix
pore blocking effect and therefore alters the pore depending upon doses.
structure and strength. It is reported that calcium
hydroxide can be virtually eliminated from the cement 3.3 Bleeding And Seggregation
matrix by using sufficient adapted metakaolin
concentrations. In air-entrained as well as non-air entrained
concrete mix, the use of fly ash reduces bleeding by
providing greater fines volume and lower water content
for a given workability owing to spherical particle
shape of fly ash. GGBS (with similar fineness as
cement) may increase the rate and amount of bleeding
with no adverse effect on segregation. GGBS finer
than cement reduces bleeding.

3.4 Setting Time

Fly ash, ground slags, and natural pozzolans will

generally increase the setting time of concrete. Silica
fume and metakaolin may reduce the setting time of
Fig. 4: Metakaolin concrete.

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concretes without silica fume. As the compressive

3.5 Plastic Shrinkage Cracking strength increases the tensile strength also increases,
but at a gradually decreasing rate. At 15% replacement
Silica fume concrete may exhibit an increase in level tensile strength of silica fume concrete found to
plastic shrinkage cracking due to the effect of low be increase in the range of 27 – 34% as compared to
bleeding characteristics. Proper protection against concrete without silica fume. Splitting tensile strength
drying is required during and after finishing. Other of concrete incorporating metakaolin is similar to that
supplementary cementing materials that significantly observed in concretes without metakaolin. As the
increase setting time can increase the risk of plastic compressive strength increases the tensile strength also
shrinkage. increases.

3.6 Curing 4.3 Flexural Strength

Concrete containing supplementary cementing Flexural strength of concrete incorporating silica

materials need proper curing. The curing should start fume is similar to that observed in concretes without
immediately after finishing. A seven-day moist curing silica fume. At 15% replacement level flexural strength
or membrane curing should be applied. Some of silica fume concrete found to be increase in the
organizations specify at least 21 days of curing for all range of 52 - 65% as compared to concrete without
concrete containing pozzolanic materials. silica fume. Flexural strength of concrete incorporating
metakaolin is similar to that observed in concretes
4. EFFECT OF SCMs ON HARDENED CONCRETE without metakaolin. Flexural strength attained by
STRENGTH metakaolin concrete at 1 day corresponds to the
strength attained by control concrete at 3 days and
All supplementary materials contribute to the flexural strength attained by metakaolin concrete at 3
strength gain of concrete. However, the strength of days corresponds to the strength attained by control
concrete containing these materials can be higher or concrete at 28 days.
lower than the referral concrete.
4.4 Drying Shrinkage and Creep
4.1 Compressive Strength
When used in low to moderate contents, the
Strength of concrete with SCMs is affected by effect of supplementary materials on the drying
several factors viz. type of cement, quality and shrinkage and creep is small and of little practical
proportion of SCMs and curing temperature. Concrete significance.
containing class F fly ash may develop lower early
strength however it gives higher ultimate strength, if 4.5 Permeability and Absorption
properly cured. Slow gain of strength is due to
relatively slow pozzolanic action of fly ash. The main With adequate curing the concrete with
contribution of silica fume to concrete strength supplementary materials will reduce the permeability
development at normal curing temperature takes place and water absorption. Silica fume and other pozzolanic
from about 3 to 28 days. Silica fume inclusion materials can improve the chloride resistance.
increases compressive strength significantly (6-57%).
Increase in compressive strength depends upon 4.6 Sulfate Resistance
replacement level. Increased compressive strength by
15-50 % (depending on metakaolin type, w/c and age) The damaging effect of sulphate and sea water
as compared to control mixture is reported for on concrete can be reduced significantly by using fly
concretes produced with metakaolin. The higher ash, ground slag, silica fume and metakaolin. The
surface area metakaolin yielded the highest strength improvement can be reached by reducing the
and the fastest rate of strength gain. The positive in- permeability and reducing the reactive materials such
fluence of the metakaolin fineness on compressive as calcium needed for expansive sulphate reactions.
strength was more apparent at the later ages (i.e. 7 days
or more). 4.7 Corrosion Of Embedded Steel

4.2 Tensile Strength The improvement in corrosion resistance of

concrete can be achieved by reducing the permeability
Splitting tensile strength of concrete and increasing the electrical resistivity of concrete. Fly
incorporating silica fume is similar to that observed in ash can reduce the permeability of concrete to water,

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 Vikas Srivastava et al. / J. Environ. Nanotechnol., Vol. 7(1), 31-35, (2018)

air, and chloride ions. Silica fume greatly reduces the Brooks, J. J. and Megat Johari, M. A., Effect of
permeability and increases the electrical resistivity. metakaolin on creep and shrinkage of concrete,
Cement Concrete Comp., 23(6), 495–502(2001).
From the above discussion it may be visualise
doi:10.1016/S0958-9465(00)00095-0
that more the use of supplementary cementitious
materials less the emission of CO 2. If only 25 % Ganesan, K., Rajagopal, K. and Thangavel, K.,
cement could be replaced with different supplementary Evaluation of bagasse ash as supplementary
cementitious materials about 70 million metric cementitious material, Cement Concrete Comp, 29,
tons CO2 may be prevented to be assimilated in 515–524(2007).
environment in India only. doi:10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2007.03.001
Gesoglu, M. and Ozbay, E., Effects of mineral
5. CONCLUSION
admixtures on fresh and hardened properties of self-
From the above study following conclusions may be compacting concretes: binary, ternary and
drawn. quaternary systems, Mater. Struct., 40, 923–
937(2007).
1. Use of supplementary cementitious materials doi:10.1617/s11527-007- 9242-0.
reduces the emission of CO2 due to reduction in
production of cement. Guneyisi, E. and Gesoglu, M. A., Study on durability
2. The use of Supplementary cementitious properties of high-performance concretes
materials reduces the cost of construction. incorporating high replacement levels of slag,
3. Partially solves the environmental pollution Mater. Struct., 41, 479–493(2008).
problems by consuming different wastes. doi:10.1617/s11527-007-9260-y
4. Generally the waste materials are stabilized in https://www.statista.com/statistics/219343/cement-
concrete matrix.
5. Use of Supplementary cementitious materials in production-worldwide/.
concrete improves mechanical properties and Koksal, F., Altun, F., Yigit, I. and Sahin, Y., Combined
durability characteristics and quality of matrix. effect of silica fume and steel fiber on the
mechanical properties of high strength concretes,
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