Investigation of Global Warming Potential of Concrete with Silica Fume and Blast Furnace Slag

Building materials in the construction industry, particularly concrete and cement, are one of the parameters that cause an increase in global CO2 emissions. Cement production is responsible for 5-8% of these emissions, being a key factor in global warming potential (GWP). This underscores the need for scholarly attention to the reduction of cement consumption and CO2 emissions. Correspondingly, this study investigates the GWPs (CO2-equivalent emissions) and environmental assessment of concrete with different dosages and mineral additives through experiments. Seven different concrete mixtures were prepared at two different dosages (300 kg/m3 and 400 kg/m3), replacing different proportions of cement with blast furnace slag (BFS) and silica fume (SF). The GWPs of the concrete mixtures were obtained using life-cycle assessment (LCA). The results demonstrated 8-11% lower GWP values for concrete containing SF than the concrete without SF. In addition, replacing the cement with BFS reduces the GWP by approximately 8-39%. Both experimental and numerical outcomes highlighted the importance of replacing cement with mineral additives to reduce CO2 emissions, thereby promoting sustainable practice in the construction sector. In addition, an environmental assessment demonstrated that the main criteria air pollutants generally increase with the increasing use of cement.

Automated summary

Building materials in the construction industry, particularly concrete and cement, contribute significantly to global CO2 emissions. This study investigates the GWP and environmental assessment of concrete with different dosages and mineral additives, revealing the importance of replacing cement with mineral additives to reduce CO2 emissions.