Life Cycle Assessment of the Sustainability of Alkali-Activated Binders

Abstract

Limiting the consumption of nonrenewable resources and minimizing waste production and associated gas emissions are the main priority of the construction sector to achieve a sustainable future. This study investigates the sustainability performance of newly developed binders known as alkali-activated binders (AABs). These AABs work satisfactorily in creating and enhancing the concept of greenhouse construction in accordance with sustainability standards. These novel binders are founded on the notion of utilizing ashes from mining and quarrying wastes as raw materials for hazardous and radioactive waste treatment. The life cycle assessment, which depicts material life from the extraction of raw materials through the destruction stage of the structure, is one of the most essential sustainability factors. A recent use for AAB has been created, such as the use of hybrid cement, which is made by combining AAB with ordinary Portland cement (OPC). These binders are a successful answer to a green building alternative if the techniques used to make them do not have an unacceptable negative impact on the environment, human health, or resource depletion. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) software was employed for choosing the optimal materials’ alternative depending on the available criteria. The results revealed that AAB concrete provided a more ecologically friendly alternative than OPC concrete, higher strength for comparable water/binder ratio, and better performance in terms of embodied energy, resistance to freeze–thaw cycles, high temperature resistance, and mass loss due to acid attack and abrasion.

Sustainability in a Sand-Depleted World: Identifying Barriers to Adoption of Sand Substitutes

“…With regards to availability/ease of use, for architects and engineers, using a material that is readily available and easy to work with can save time and money on a project. This aligns with prior research demonstrating that resource availability has a direct impact on construction project costs and timelines (Alhassan et al, 2023;Habert et al, 2020). Furthermore, it has been observed that when resources are readily available, it facilitates efficient construction processes and reduces the need to extensively search for alternative materials or methods.…”

Synthesis and Characterization of Eco-Efficient Alkali-Activated Composites with Self-Cleaning Properties for Sustainable Construction

“…Hence, FA often requires the use of higher activation temperatures, to the order of 60-90 • C. In addition, activation with strong hydroxides or a mixture of silicates and hydroxides often occurs. Otherwise, the compressive strengths obtained are very low, making the structural use of AAMs impossible [46,47]. Zeolites undergo polymerization even more difficult than that of FA; for example, in the work of Nikolov et al, zeolites were activated with sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate, and it was shown that the best parameters were obtained for activation with pure sodium silicate; nevertheless, the obtained compressive strengths were only a few MPa [42].…”

A Comprehensive Review of the Advances, Manufacturing, Properties, Innovations, Environmental Impact and Applications of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC)

“…Strength and durability can be improved using nanomaterials in conjunction with modified cement binders [182]. Therefore, a significant reduction in service and maintenance costs is expected [183].…”