Experimental Study of Fresh and Harden Properties of Concrete Infused with Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

Concrete is a key material in the construction industry but the cement major ingredient of concrete is alone responsible for 5% of the world’s annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Carbon dioxide has been found as a beneficial admixture to freshly hydrating cement concrete. One recent technology infuses CO2 during concrete production itself. The carbonation reaction between CO2 and the hydrating cement forms nanosize calcium carbonate partials. The CO2 can be infused into conventional concrete production through a simple gas cylinder and pressure control system. The feasibility of using CO2 at the time of concrete production was investigated. A detailed experimentation evaluation of CO2-infused concrete was conducted. The effect of the CO2 on fresh properties of concrete was assessed in terms of workability, and effect on harden properties was assessed through compressive strength and split tensile strength. The comparison between the conventional concrete batch and batch infused with CO2 (by weight of cement) was made to understand the behaviour of CO2-infused concrete. The CO2-infused concrete technology delivers valuable input to the concrete production while reducing the concrete’s environmental impact.