Abstract
Africa is urgently in need of adequate basic infrastructure and housing, and it is one of the continents where massive construction activities are on the rise. There is a vast variety of potentially viable resources for sustainable construction on the continents, and consequently, the continent can bring innovative, greener technologies based on local sources effectively into practice. However, unlike established concrete constituents from industrialised countries in the global North, most of the innovation potentials from the African continent have not yet been the focus of intensive fundamental and applied research. This clearly limits the implementation of more sustainable local technologies.
 This paper presents a case for the need to first appreciate the rich diversity and versatility of the African continent which is often not realistically perceived and appreciated. It discusses specific innovation potentials and challenges for cementitious materials and concrete technology based on local materials derived from sources on the African continent. The unique African materials solutions are presented and discussed, from mineral binders over chemical admixtures and fibres to reinforcement and aggregates. Due to the pressing challenges faced by Africa, with regards to population growth and urbanisation, the focus is not only put on the technological (durability, robustness and safety) and environmental sustainability, but also strongly on socio-economic applicability, adaptability and scalability. This includes a review of alternative, traditional and vernacular construction technologies such as materials-saving structures that help reducing cementitious materials. Eventually, a strategic research roadmap is hypothesised that points out the most relevant potentials and research needs for quick implementation of more localised construction materials.
Highlights
Construction materials have enormous direct and indirect impact on the global climate, for the huge energy consumption and the massive emissions of greenhouse gasses
While cement production in China has reached its maximum peak, the production in other emerging countries is expected to grow from the current 26% to 37% in 2050 [4]. This is because mineral binders such as cement are an essential component of concrete, which is the material used to build structures and infrastructures in the rapidly developing global South as well as for maintenance and retrofitting of the built environment in developed countries of the global North
This paper proposes and advances a number of relevant and innovative potential research‐based solutions in the field of construction materials with specific African and global relevance that goes beyond the purely technical aspects
Summary
Construction materials have enormous direct and indirect impact on the global climate, for the huge energy consumption and the massive emissions of greenhouse gasses. 1a and 1b were calculated based on country data from 2018 provided by [11], which were sourced from Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, United States This low per capita carbon budget gives Africa an enormous potential, and a high responsibility to become a global green pioneer. It is important to notice that materials and construction have socio‐economic, cultural, historic, and future determining components since building activities and human developments have always been mutually interacting [17] Research in these areas can spark new research frontiers of social and cultural relevance. The overview paper aims at inspiring and triggering future research activities within a broader context, including the link between materials and socio‐economic implications, with relevance for more sustainable, climate friendly, and local construction
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