Sustainable Development of Human Society in Terms of Natural Depleting Resources Preservation Using Natural Renewable Raw Materials in a Novel Ecological Material Production

Abstract

In the last few years, the building industry experienced a significant development as a response to the demographic growth of human society and to the increasing demand for housing. Their construction involves the traditional use of concrete as a material that provides added strength to the finished building. This is manufactured respecting standard recipes depending on the way of its use. Anyway, all concrete recipes involve the use of mineral aggregates extracted from the riverbed, as is happening in Romania, or rock blocks crushing, as reported in other countries. Under these conditions, the rationalization of the use of natural mineral resources and the identification of new possibilities to reduce their consumption through their replacement with vegetal waste has become an important research issue. In this study, two types of vegetal waste—namely, shredded corn cobs and sunflower stalks—were used to manufacture novel ecological concretes. The vegetal wastes, both in untreated and treated forms (with 20% and 40% of sodium silicate solution), were used to replace 50% of the river (mineral) aggregate volume. The obtained concretes were tested, and the values of some important parameters in the concrete characterization (such as bulk density, water adsorption capacity, compressive strength and splitting tensile strength) were compared with the concrete contains cement CEM II/A-LL 42.5R. The obtained results show that these vegetal wastes have the potential to be used in the manufacturing of new ecological concrete. In addition, this alternative material meets the requirements for the sustainable and healthy development of the environment, offering low-polluting solutions in the context of an increasing demand for constructions.

Decarbonization and Circular Economy in the Sustainable Development and Renovation of Buildings and Neighbourhoods

“…In this context, looking for alternatives that minimize the extraction of raw materials, incorporate recycled materials and reduce the energy consumption related to the manufacture of construction products is another way to move towards decarbonization and a circular building sector. This approach is addressed by the article written by Cătălina Mihaela Grădinaru, Radu Muntean, Adrian Alexandru S , erbănoiu, Vasilică Ciocan and Andrei Burlacu [18]. Focused on the manufacture of concrete, they present how to rationalise its use of natural mineral aggregates and reduce its energy consumption by replacing mineral resources with vegetal waste for non-structural concretes.…”

Sunflower Stalks versus Corn Cobs as Raw Materials for Sustainable Concrete

“…After drying up to a constant mass, vegetal aggregate recipes were made with these aggregates. The treatment of plant aggregates is presented in more detail in a previously published study [ 37 ].…”

“…The aim of this research is to realize a comparison between concrete with aggregates from corn cobs and concrete with aggregates from sunflower stalks. The method applied for obtaining and treating the aggregates was approached similarly to that presented in detail in a previous study [ 37 ]. A microconcrete composition with a diameter of mineral aggregates of max 8 mm was realized.…”

The Synergy between Bio-Aggregates and Industrial Waste in a Sustainable Cement Based Composite

“…The dried vegetal aggregates were used in the composite mixes. The method for obtaining vegetal aggregates is presented in detail in previous research, Grădinaru et al, 2020 [ 31 ].…”