Sustainable concrete containing supplementary cementitious materials

Cement manufacturing is responsible for up to 8% of global CO2 emissions. This is due to the high energy required for the calcination process and the decomposition of limestone. Therefore partial replacement of cement with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as industrial by-products or other manufactured materials that require less energy to produce would reduce CO2 emissions and contribute toward the sustainability of our environment. Industrial by-products include coal fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and silica fume. Manufactured materials include calcined clay and bio-ash. Other materials include natural pozzolan. This chapter reports the properties of concrete containing selected SCMs. These materials are metakaolin, flue gas desulphurization residues, municipal solid waste incineration ash, ceramic waste powder, calcium carbide residue, and natural pozzolana. A summary of the main properties of concrete containing these SCMs is made at the end.