Experimental Investigation on Low Carbon Concrete

Abstract

The construction industry is one of the largest contributors to global carbon dioxide (CO?) emissions, primarily due to the production of Portland cement, a key ingredient in conventional concrete. This report explores the development and implementation of low carbon concrete as a sustainable alternative to traditional concrete, aiming to reduce its environmental impact. Low carbon concrete incorporates materials such as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), including fly ash, slag, and silica fume, as well as innovative technologies like geopolymer concrete and carbon capture and storage (CCS) techniques. These methods not only lower CO? emissions during production but can also improve the material’s strength, durability, and overall performance. Despite the promising potential, the widespread adoption of low carbon concrete faces challenges, including economic barriers, material availability, and the need for industry-wide standardization. This report examines current trends, performance considerations, and future innovations in the field, with a focus on overcoming barriers and accelerating the transition to more sustainable construction practices. Ultimately, low carbon concrete represents a critical step toward reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment and supporting global sustainability goals.

Introduction

Low-carbon concrete is designed to reduce the high CO? emissions caused by traditional concrete production, mainly from cement manufacturing, which accounts for about 8% of global CO? emissions. It achieves this by partially or entirely replacing Portland cement with alternative binders and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as fly ash, slag, and silica fume—often industrial by-products with lower carbon footprints. Innovations like geopolymer concrete eliminate cement use entirely. Other strategies include carbon capture during curing and using recycled aggregates to reduce resource extraction and emissions.

Environmental Impact:

• CO? Emission Reduction: Replacing cement with SCMs lowers emissions significantly. Some concretes capture CO? during curing.

• Recycled Aggregates: Use of recycled concrete and industrial waste reduces resource depletion and emissions.

• Optimized Mix Design: Mixes use minimal cement with additives for strength, durability, and sustainability, including lightweight concretes that reduce cement and transport emissions.

Future Prospects:

• Wider adoption is expected due to stricter carbon regulations and demand for sustainable construction.

• Research continues on carbon sequestration methods and novel binders to further reduce carbon footprint.

• Lifecycle assessment tools and green certifications will promote low-carbon concrete use.

• Scaling production and improving cost-efficiency will enhance accessibility.

• Global policies like carbon pricing and new standards will support market growth.

Literature Review Highlights:

• Research confirms SCM substitution reduces emissions without sacrificing concrete quality.

• Advances in self-healing concrete could improve durability and sustainability.

• Studies show concrete production contributes significantly to global emissions and resource depletion.

• Innovations focus on improving concrete’s mechanical properties, resource efficiency, and building energy performance.

Methodology Summary:

The project involved a thorough literature review, identification of sustainable materials (SCMs such as fly ash, slag), laboratory testing of material properties, designing concrete mixes, and evaluating their strength and durability compared to traditional concrete.

Theoretical Context:

Concrete production depletes natural resources and uses energy-intensive processes, generating substantial CO? and pollutants. Cement production alone releases roughly 1 ton of CO? per ton of cement. The construction sector contributes nearly 38% of global CO? emissions, with significant impact from materials and building operations.

Results:

An M30 grade concrete mix was developed using Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) with a water-cement ratio of 0.45, achieving targeted strength and durability suitable for general construction.

Conclusion

The present study on “Experimental Investigation on Low Carbon Concrete” was carried out with the primary objective of analyzing the conventional M30 grade concrete in terms of its mix design characteristics and associated carbon footprint. The project involved a methodical approach beginning with an extensive literature review, followed by a standard M30 concrete mix design based on IS 10262:2019, and concluded with a carbon emissions assessment to identify the environmental impact of each component in the concrete mix. The mix design adopted in this study achieved a target mean strength of 38.25 MPa, ensuring that the concrete satisfies both structural integrity and serviceability criteria. The proportions used—400 kg of OPC, 180 liters of water, 700 kg of fine aggregate, and 1200 kg of coarse aggregate per cubic meter—resulted in a balanced and workable concrete mix suitable for medium exposure conditions commonly encountered in construction. However, the environmental evaluation revealed a significant finding: the cement component alone contributed to nearly 87% of the total carbon footprint, resulting in approximately 372 kg of CO? emissions per m³ of concrete. Combined with minor emissions from aggregates and water, the total carbon footprint of M30 conventional concrete was found to be approximately 429.09 kg CO? per cubic meter. This underscores the fact that even though traditional concrete is effective from a performance standpoint, it poses a substantial environmental burden, primarily due to the high emissions involved in the production of Ordinary Portland Cement. These findings emphasize the urgent need for sustainable alternatives in the construction industry. The high carbon intensity of OPC makes it imperative to adopt greener materials, such as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) like fly ash, GGBS, silica fume, and other industrial by-products, which offer the potential to reduce CO? emissions without compromising mechanical properties. Additionally, innovative practices such as recycled aggregates, performance-based mix design optimization, and water-efficient construction techniques can further enhance the sustainability of concrete. In conclusion, this study highlights that while conventional M30 concrete fulfills structural requirements, its environmental impact is substantial. The outcomes of this investigation serve as a benchmark for future research aimed at developing and testing low carbon concrete alternatives, which not only meet strength and durability standards but also significantly reduce the carbon footprint of construction practices. Moving forward, the project can be extended to include experimental trials of concrete mixes incorporating SCMs, recycled aggregates, or carbon-capturing additives to achieve the dual goals of performance efficiency and environmental responsibility.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Bharat Gautam Dhuldhule, Krishna Ravindra Kharat, Hrutvik Ishwar Jamdar, Rushikesh Gangadhar Dude, Aditya Ambika Kale, Ganesh Ravindra Wagh. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.