Evaluation of a Marine Dredged Sediment as Raw Material Compared to Volcanic Scoria for the Development of Lime-Pozzolan Eco-Binders

Abstract

In the context of global warming, the built environment offers relevant opportunities to reduce GHG emissions that underlie climate change. In particular, this can be achieved with the development of low-embodied energy building materials such as bio-based concretes. Hemp concrete has been the subject of many investigations in the field of non-load bearing infill walls in France since the early 1990s. In addition to hygrothermal performances, the use of crop by-products definitely helps to limit the carbon footprint. Hemp concretes are often produced by mixing the plant aggregates with lime-based binders. The latter have many benefits among which the water vapor permeability. However, CO2 emissions due to the decarbonation of limestone for the production of lime largely contribute to the overall environmental balance of these materials. The use of natural pozzolans (volcanic scoria) combined with hydrated lime goes back to the Greco-Roman period and reduces carbon emissions. Nonetheless, it does not necessarily meet the issue related to the depletion of granular natural resources. Hence, this study deals with the design of a new low-carbon binder based on marine dredged sediment seen as an alternative strategic granular resource that can be considered renewable. The sediment comes from the Port of Dunkirk in the North of France and is mainly composed of silt and quartz sand. It was finely ground and compared to a lowly reactive basaltic pozzolan. Lime-pozzolan pastes were prepared and stored in a moist environment under room (20°C) and high temperature (50°C). The hardening kinetics of pastes was followed through mineralogical studies (TGA, XRD) and compressive strength development. The results showed that the hardening of pastes including the marine sediment was suitable in the case of samples stored at 50°C and make it possible to use such a binder for precast bio-based concretes.