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Why cement emissions matter for climate change

Why cement emissions matter for climate change

By daniele

In circular economy, Concreteโ€™s environmental impact, like climate change and its manufacturing and application, is complicated. Some effects are harmful, while others are positive. Many things are contingent on the situation. Cement is a major component of concrete, and it has its own environmental and social implications in addition to those of concrete.

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Carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, is produced in large quantities by the cement industry.

  • concrete is one of the most effective instruments for flood control since it can be used to dam, divert, and deflect floodwaters, mudflows, and other natural disasters. Because of its increased albedo, light-colored concrete can help lessen the urban heat island effect.
  • The most common materials used in constructing roads, highways, bridge deck surface layers, and pavements in airports and other regions with heavy wheel roads are asphalt and cement concrete.ย 

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While asphalt has the advantages of a quick drying time, high skin resistance, and ease of maintenance as compared to concrete, it also has lower fatigue durability, raveling, and rutting owing to repetitive concentrated loads, as well as vulnerability to temperature fluctuations and moisture.

  • On the other hand, concrete pavements are initially costly, provide less driving comfort, and are prone to cracking owing to volume variations and salt damage.
  • By blending bitumen emulsions and a cementitious substance, a material with low environmental effects and benefits of both asphalt and concrete can be created.ย 
  • microtomography was used to analyze the microstructure of the mixes in detail. Cement helps the hardening of cold asphalt mixes, according to the findings, by building cement paste bridges between the particles and by eliminating water from the mixtures through cement hydration. Although their hardening rate needs to be enhanced, asphalt and cement composites look promising materials for use in actual pavements.
  • Building demolition and natural disasters can produce a lot of concrete dust, a major cause of harmful air pollution. Because of their toxicity and (typically naturally existing) radioactivity, various compounds in concrete, including both valuable and undesired additives, might create health risks.ย 
  • Because wet concrete is highly alkaline, it should always be handled with caution. As a result of increased environmental consciousness, law, and economic factors, concrete recycling is rising. On the other hand, concrete reduces the usage of alternative building materials such as wood, which is a natural carbon sink.

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