Geomaterials in construction and their sustainability: understanding their role in modern society

Abstract

Inorganic raw materials, here termed geomaterials, derived from the Earth's crust and used in construction after appropriate processing make a genetically and functionally varied group of mineral resources. Although their basic functions have remained almost unchanged for centuries, some new attributes, meanings and impacts on society are still emerging. Geomaterials for construction were among the first mineral raw materials exploited, processed and used by man. They helped in the development of technological and artistic skills of humankind. Accessibility, workability and serviceability are considered here as their main functional attributes, being connected with man's skills to find their occurrence, extract and process them, and then use them in the correct way. However, serviceability is a more complex functional attribute as it also encompasses durability of a material in construction. Durability, that is the ability to withstand the action of weathering/decay processes, is an expression of the dynamic interactions between material and the surrounding environment encompassing not only gradual adaptation of materials to current environmental conditions, but also interactions between materials in construction, the history of maintenance/conservation of the structure and the impact of a polluted environment. In the modern world, sustainable use of raw materials, specifically those exploited in the largest volumes such as geomaterials for construction, raises questions of reducing extraction of primary resources and thus minimizing impacts on natural systems, and also employment of materials and technologies to produce less emission of deleterious substances in to the atmosphere. Use of secondary materials such as waste produced during extraction of primary raw materials and/or re-use of existing structural elements and re-or down-cycling can be considered as modern approaches to reducing the pressure on primary resources.

Sustainability of the global sand system in the Anthropocene

“…Aggregates do not typically complete a geological rock cycle over a human lifetime and are generally considered to be nonrenewable, finite resources. 25 Unconsolidated sand and gravel can be mined from terrestrial or marine deposits and are also part of the geomaterials excavated during construction activities. The geology and genetic origin determine the distribution, size, and composition of natural stocks.…”

Investigation and Mapping of Geological Construction Materials in Parts of Chemoga River Sub Basin, Debre Markos, Ethiopia

“…Geomaterials are extracted from the upper parts of the Earth's crust and are used for construction purposes in a wide range of application. Geomaterials suitable for constructional purposes represent a broad group of mineral raw materials that were formed by various genetic processes, reveal diverse properties and thus are suitable for many applications (Přikryl, 2016). Many naturally occurring Earth materials, such as clay, sand, aggregates, crushed stone and dimension stones are used in the construction of commercial and residential buildings.…”

“…Site characterization is a major component of site investigation (Hatheway et al, 2005). Geomaterials for construction were among the rst mineral raw materials exploited, processed and used by man (Přikryl et al, 2016). Geological construction materials have a wide range of application in construction, manufacturing, chemicals industries, metallic minerals (ores), non-metallic minerals, agriculture, glass, ceramics industries.…”

Proposal of Sustainability Indicators for the Design of Small-Span Bridges

“…The potential environmental impacts must be measured by indicators because the sustainability of bridges includes the extension of maintenance and the end of the bridge's life [6]. The social pillar must be observed considering its positive and negative impacts [7].…”

“…Regarding social analysis, there are a variety of criteria that indicate a lack of consensus and for which there is less certainty and discussions regarding the selection of more representative criteria are triggered [53]. Some of the important aspects of sustainability are associated with the extraction of construction raw materials, having direct positive and negative impacts on the environment, the economy and the social context as a whole [7].…”