Sustainable Concrete Construction Research Articles

Modelling corrosion propagation in reinforced concrete structures – A critical review

Abstract The adoption of corrosion initiation as a limit state to define service life of RC structures has been challenged by researchers and engineers alike in light of the advancements in the concrete construction industry: improved reliability and safety, reduction in costs, and conservation of both materials and energy, which contribute towards sustainable concrete construction. The corrosion propagation phase is now appreciated as a significant component in the service life of RC structures and a good understanding of the propagation process is paramount. Various models have been developed to simulate and/or predict the propagation phase. This paper presents a critical review of some of the available models for corrosion propagation, and proposes ways forward to overcome some of these problems. Salient issues including the modelling techniques, input parameters and limit states are covered. Emphasis is also placed on the usefulness of the propagation models as tools to aid in the repair and maintenance of corrosion-damaged RC structures.

Safe, high-tech and sustainable concrete construction

Concrete has the status of a prime construction material in many parts of the world, owing to the number of benefits it can provide, such as economy of construction, ability to take any shape and form, inherent fire resistance, low energy demand in its production, saving of energy during the service life of the building afforded by insulation properties of concrete and so on. It may seem, however, that the making of concrete is a low-tech process and that any rapid depletion of the sources of natural constituents of concrete would jeopardise principles of continuing sustainability. Such issues are addressed through research and development in high-tech precast concrete construction and modern mix design, including alternative sources for the constituents. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that progress in these fields will not jeopardise the safety and durability of structures. This paper draws attention to some important issues associated with making concrete construction safe, high-tech and sustainable.

Sustainable concrete construction by service life design

As the premier construction material across the world, concrete has a major determining role on the effects, good or bad, of construction on the environment. Working towards a more sustainable form of concrete construction, within an overall strategy for more sustainable construction, can, therefore, have major environmental benefits. ‘Sustainable concrete construction’ is, however, a multi-faceted objective and demands many diverse approaches. This paper examines how the objectives and themes of sustainable concrete construction can be met by using the concepts of service life design.

Sustainable concrete construction by service life design

Sustainable concrete construction by service life design

Evaluation of Sustainable Concrete Production and Construction Cost Implication in Nigeria

Sustainable concrete provides a considerable solution to the increasing cost of conventional concrete production in the world. Though, it is generally described as cheap, however it’s design and cost implications for low income communities needs to be evaluated. Hence, this paper evaluates the production of sustainable concrete and its cost implication in Nigeria. Experimental design of high strength concrete made with steel fibre and bamboo fibre as reinforcement having a targeted compressive strength of 50 Mpa was considered. The steel and bamboo fibres were proportioned at 1 % each. From the experimental mix design and cost analysis conducted, it was realized that steel fibre reinforced concrete are most expensive per cubic metre, costing about seven times as much as plain concrete of the same volume, but bamboo is a low cost alternative to steel as a reinforcing material.Key words: affordable housing, bamboo fibre, concrete, steel fibre, sustainability