Title: Sustainable Ready Mixed Concrete Production Using Waste CO₂: A Case Study

Author(s): Sean Monkman

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 330

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 163-174

Keywords: concrete; carbon dioxide utilization; carbon footprint; environmental analysis; sustainability

DOI: 10.14359/51711248

Date: 9/26/2018

Abstract:

Meeting the cement and concrete industry sustainability goals requires approaches that simultaneously reduce associated carbon emissions and satisfy the increasing demand for concrete. The beneficial use of carbon dioxide in ready mixed concrete production has been developed and installed as a retrofit technology with industrial users. Extended operation has investigated the environmental benefit. An optimum dose of CO₂ is added to ready mixed concrete during mixing and batching; increased compressive strength prompts a producer to optimize their mix designs. The use of carbon dioxide along with a lower cement usage reduces the carbon footprint of concrete. One year of production saw an industrial user employ 9.4 tons (8.5 tonnes) of CO₂, and realize a savings of more than 449 tons (408 tonnes) of cement. Including the process emissions required to implement the technology, there was a net 488 tons (443 tonnes) of CO₂ emissions avoided.