Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the best tool available to evaluate the environmental impact of alkali-activated cements and concretes (AACC). However, recently published LCAs provide conflicting results. We propose a new way to compare AACC with conventional concrete able to emphasize the intrinsic quality of the binder. This method is based on the Feret equation, which requires the concrete strength and a constant volume of paste (cement+water). Results show that not all alkali-activated cement mixes have a lower global warming potential (GWP) than current alternatives provided by blended cements. When environmental impacts other than GWP are considered, the environmental benefit of alkali-activated cement is drastically reduced. The three future trends of AACC are hybrid cement, one part-geopolymer and bricks.
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