Ultra-sustainable concrete with high SCM content

Pushing the boundaries of low-carbon concrete technology

Challenge

Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the main binder for concrete and the second biggest contributor to carbon emissions after fossil fuels. By replacing 50% of OPC content of its concrete with supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as ground granulated blast-furnace flag (GGBFS) as binder, Boral has created a lower carbon concrete that performs as well as conventional concrete. Yet, there is significant potential to lift the replacement rate of OPC and push the low carbon boundaries further.

Proposed Solution

In collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Southern Highland Concrete Construction, Boral will develop advanced technology for manufacturing, placing and curing novel ultra-sustainable concrete.

The aim of the two-year research project is to produce and test new ultra-sustainable concrete with an increased binder content of 70% SMC.

Researchers at the UTS Boral Centre for Sustainable Building at UTS Tech Lab will evaluate the effectiveness of proposed manufacturing approaches to tackle strength development and improve surface finishing techniques. Once lab-tested, the low-carbon concrete will be trialled on construction sites to ensure it meets industry workability, durability and strength requirements.