greening of concrete trends & priorities

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GREENING OF CONCRETE:

TRENDS AND PRIORITIES

Prof. Abdul Rahim Sabouni PhD (Cornell), MSc (GWU), BSc (Honor)

FASCE, FACI, FCIOB, PEng, IAUP

CEO, Span Management Consulting Abu Dhabi, UAE

www.spanmc.com

12:30 pm

Thu 26 November 2015

Dubai, UAE

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SPEAKER

PROF. ABDUL RAHIM SABOUNI

CEO of Span Management Consulting (SMC)

PhD degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree from the George

Washington University in Civil Engineering, USA

35 years of professional experience in the US, Canada and the Middle East.

Ex-University President, and Prof. of Structural Engineering

Worked in Abu Dhabi Government as the Building's Design Expert of the Public

Works Department, then Projects Advisor of Abu Dhabi municipality

Contributed to numerous projects in several countries with some mega projects

in the UAE, including the Emirates Palace Hotel, and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque

Registered Professional Engineer in Ontario, Canada

Chartered Construction Manager, UK

Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Buildings

Fellow of the American Concrete Institute

First recipient of the George Winter Award from Cornell University, USA

Prof. Abdul-Rahim Sabouni, CEO Span M Consulting

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GREENING OF CONCRETE: TRENDS AND PRIORITIES

1. Introduction

2. Overview of concrete materials and the concrete industry

3. Introducing greening tools and strategies

4. Prioritizing actions for greening the concrete chain

5. The future of concrete versus the concrete of the future

6. The UAE experience

7. Conclusions


Introduction

• There is just no question about it: Concrete is the world's most important material.

• Each year, billions of tons of concrete become the stuff of buildings, highways, dams, sidewalks, and even artworks.

• Concrete is probably used more widely than any other substance except water. More than a ton of concrete is produced each year for every man, woman, and child on Earth. [Keim 2005]

• Yet concrete is one of the simplest materials. A typical mix of concrete simply consists of 60 to 75 percent sand and gravel or crushed stone, 15 to 20 percent water, and 10 to 15 percent cement, which is prepared by roasting limestone, clay, and other ingredients.

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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

Sustainability and buildings

• There are no universally accepted definitions for green

building, sustainability, or sustainable development.

• The most commonly referenced definition is from the

Brundtland UN Commission (Brundtland G., ed., 1987,

Oxford Press, UK)

• “Sustainable development is development that

meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to

meet their own needs.”

• This tenet encompasses far more than green

development or environmental issues, as it is generally

accepted to comprise three critical components affecting

social, economic, and environmental impacts

(sometimes referred as the “triple bottom line”.)

INTRODUCTION

GREENING OF CONCRETE: TRENDS AND

PRIORITIES

Introduction

• There is just no question about it: Concrete is the world's most important material.

• Each year, billions of tons of concrete become the stuff of buildings, highways, dams, sidewalks, and even artworks.

• Concrete is probably used more widely than any other substance except water. More than a ton of concrete is produced each year for every man, woman, and child on Earth. [Keim 2005]

• Yet concrete is one of the simplest materials. A typical mix of concrete simply consists of 60 to 75 percent sand and gravel or crushed stone, 15 to 20 percent water, and 10 to 15 percent cement, which is prepared by roasting limestone, clay, and other ingredients.

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Trends ….

• Concrete has recently become under attack for being not friendly enough

to the environment.

• New factors have been introduced to drive the research and

development of concrete material that had never been considered in the

past.

• After decades of concentrating almost exclusively on improving concrete

mechanics, factors like sustainability, carbon gas emission, greening, and

other environmental considerations started taking the lead in future

developments not only in use of concrete as a construction material, but

in the re-evaluation of the processes of manufacturing, mixing,

transporting, casting, and maintaining of concrete.

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Trends …..

Such trends are driven by two globally dominant factors:

• Newly introduced environmental regulations, due to the increasing awareness of environmental and sustainability concerns.

• Realization of applicability of the “high-tech” advancements in science and technology to the traditional “low-tech” concreting Industry. Nanotechnology, Intelligent Structures, Smart Materials, Biomimicry, etc..

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But, are there better alternatives?

Steel, Timber, Masonry ….

• First: How do alternatives relate to the new growing Environmental Concerns?

• How friendly they are to the Environment?

• Second: How do they respond to the new growing and potential Environmental Hazards?

• How sustainable they are against the not-so-friendly environment

• How to withstand the grave natural and man-made hazards (Hurricanes, Tsunamis, Earthquakes, Terrorism, Biological and Chemical, Atomic Hazards, …)

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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

Historical Background

Concrete is very old in history, but reinvented by in its

modern form in the 19th century.

Concrete can be very durable and there are concrete

structures existing for thousands of years.

Introduction


PRIORITIES

11 Prof. Abdul-Rahim Sabouni, CEO Span M Consulting

• Early concretes were used by Syrians

around 6500 BC.(The Image is "One of

the dead towns in northern Syria.“) .

• Egyptians around 3000 BC used mud mixed with straw to bind dried bricks.

• Also furthered the discovery of lime and gypsum mortar as a binding agent for building the Pyramids.


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• However, it was the Romans who

refined the mixture's use. Even the word

"concrete" is derived from the Latin

"concretus," meaning "to grow

together."[Keim 2005]

• While lower grades were used in

everyday construction, the gems of

Roman engineering - the Appian Way

(312 AD) (which linked Rome to the

East), the aqueducts (80AD), the

Coliseum (82AD), and the Pantheon

(128AD), used a high-performance

concrete that derived its strength from

ashes emitted by Mount Vesuvius, near

Naples, Italy.


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• Vitruvius (born 80–70 BC, died after15 BC) master

engineer and architect to the Emperor Augustus wrote:

“This substance, when mixed with lime and rubble not

only lends strength to buildings of other kinds, but even

when piers of it are constructed in the sea, they set hard

underwater.”

• As the Dark Ages descended, Roman concrete mastery

was lost, for nearly 1500 years, till concrete was

rediscovered in the 19th century and became so popular

that it is now the most used construction material in the

world.

• Modern Concrete owes much to France's Joseph-Louis

Lambot who was the first to submit a patent for "ferro-

cement". This original reinforced concrete was used in

various applications: boats, apartment blocks, works of

art, etc.

Prof. Abdul-Rahim Sabouni, CEO Span M Consulting 13


A 1684 depiction of Vitruvius (right)

presenting De Architectura to

Augustus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Architectura

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Architectura

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus

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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

From Basic to Monumental Concrete Structures

Modern Concrete has evolved from a low-tech industry to

a very sophisticated leading the construction of modern

monumental structures

Introduction


PRIORITIES

Concrete Industry

• Giving up the traditional tow-tech

image to become at the for-front

of material high-tech industry.

• More responsive to

environmental concerns.

• More Economical, to meet the

new challenges of the societal

changes.


From the slum test to computerized smart monitoring of mixes.


Concrete Industry

Shifting from rules-of-thumb to rules of science

ADDING ONE GALLON OF WATER TO ONE CUBIC YARD OF FRESHLY MIXED CONCRETE WILL:

• Increase slump about one inch

• Decrease compressive strength about 200 to 300 psi

• Increase shrinkage potential about 10%

• Waste as much as 1/4 bag of cement


Concrete Industry

Historical Evidence

The Coliseum

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The Pantheon

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Historical Evidence


The Aqueducts

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Historical Evidence


Sydney Opera House


And Modern Evidence

Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center Tower

ADNEC


And Modern Evidence

Burj Khalifa


And Modern Evidence

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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

• Greening of concrete can be seen from various angles and

point of views

• There is no acceptable universal set of tools or strategies,

but a variety of combinations

Greening tools and strategies

GREENING OF CONCRETE: TRENDS

AND PRIORITIES

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Active Subject of Conferences, Committees, Research Publications …


Last month Conference on Green Concrete in Dubai Oct 12-13, 2015

Options of Greening Concrete Materials’ view

• Greening the mix design: Optimized particle packing

• Portland limestone cement

• Self Compacting Concrete

• Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)

• Pulverized fly ash (Pfa)

• Rice husk ash cement

• Rice husk cement

• Natural pozzolana and volcanic ash

• Cement free concrete

• Concrete wood

• Low cost substitute construction materials


Options of Greening Concrete R/C Durability view

• Fiber reinforced concrete

• High-strength concrete

• Cathodic Protection

• Admixtures and additives

• Epoxy coated re-bars

• Durability enhancing sealants

• ……..

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Options of Greening Concrete Manufacturing view


Options of Greening Concrete R/C Innovative view

Options of Greening Concrete R/C Designer’s view

Options of Greening Concrete Regulator view

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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

Greening from Cradle to Grave

A holistic approach of greening of concrete shall include

all angles an all views.

It has to cover the entire chain of the concrete

construction: concrete production, innovation, materials,

reinforcement, design, codes, construction methods,

maintenance, repair, re-building, demolishing and waste.

Prioritizing actions for greening the

concrete chain


PRIORITIES

A Holistic View of Greening Cradle-to-Grave vs Cradle-to-Cradle

C2C

• Going green means solving complex problems in new and creative ways. Its not just about the final product – it means taking a holistic view of design and considering the entire life cycle of a product from the get-go.

• A new concept has emerged to define this way of thinking: cradle-to-cradle design. In the past, designers have adhered to the conventional cradle-to-grave method, in which products are simply designed with the assumption that they will ultimately be thrown away when they’re no longer useful.

• A cradle-to-cradle approach, on the other hand, makes no such assumption. The end of a product’s life cycle is just the beginning of another cycle, as waste is recovered and transformed into inputs for new products. It’s been called the ‘circular economy,’ a concept born in the nascent field of industrial ecology.


A Holistic View of Greening

from Cradle-to-Grave to Cradle-to-Cradle


Greening Cradle-to-Cradle


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Energy Use in the US

Residential

& Commercial 50 %

Transportation

Industry/

Manufacturing 32%

29%

Residential 21%

Commercial 18%

Transportation

2007 2030

The Building sector currently

representing around 40% of total use

energy use in the US. It is the single

biggest sector making contribution to

energy saving in the US.


Repair vs Re-Build

• A survey of 11 states (Staley and Barlaz 2009) estimates that 4.2 lbs (1.9 kg) of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is generated per person per day. Figure shows the average breakdown of solid waste from data in the survey.

• Construction & demolition (C&D) waste was estimated at 20% of the total solid waste,

• Some states indicating C&D as nearly 30% of their solid waste.

• In 2003, renovation was estimated at 42% of the C&D waste (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2003).

• Making concrete last longer-as well as having more durable repairs-can help reduce this waste stream.

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Improved mechanical properties leads to a reduction of materials needed

Greening and Codes


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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

•The future of concrete is greening, and the concrete of

future is green.

•The vehicle is innovation.

The future of concrete versus the

concrete of the future


PRIORITIES

More Innovative, to think out of the traditional concrete box.

Innovation

The scientists at Delft University of Technology’s Center for Materials say the

technology makes it possible to produce concrete that repairs itself, thereby

reducing maintenance costs and improving the safety of concrete structures. “We

have mixed several of these bacteria into a cement paste and, after a month,

found the spores of three particular bacteria were still viable,” the scientists report.


http://www.citg.tudelft.nl/index.php?id=17205&L=1

Self-Healing Concrete

Civil engineer Prof. Victor Li designed

a bendable concrete that repairs its

own cracks.

• Li's self-healing concrete is based on a

material he came up with in 1990 called

engineered cementitious composite. It

has some of the same ingredients as

portland cement, except the coarser bits

of the mix are replaced by microfibers.

When the composite is stressed, it bends

without fracturing. If it does crack, the

cracks tend to be less than 50 microns

wide--thinner than a human hair. These

tiny cracks have the ability to heal

themselves.


Photocatalyzing Cement Titanium dioxide-based additive

Smog-eating Cement

• In laboratory conditions, the additive, under the influence of sunlight,

binds the nitrogen oxide particles emitted by car exhausts and turns them

into harmless nitrates.

• Nitrogen oxides, produced by industry and motor vehicles, are among the main air pollutants that lead to acid rain and smog.

• With one rain shower everything is washed clean.

Self-Cleaning Concrete

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Self-Cleaning Concrete


Translucent Concrete

Invented by Hungarian architect

Aron Losonczi in 2001

• When someone stands in front of it and light

is shone from behind, the person's shadow

can be seen clearly on the other side.

• The translucent blocks are made by mixing

glass fibers into the combination of crushed

stone, cement and water.

• Is being used now in projects like the

Japanese Embassy in Washington, DC


The NANO , what does it mean?

Nano is Greek for “dwarf”

It refers ro manipulation of matter on <100nm Scale:

• 1 nanometer = 10-9 meter

• 1 nanometer = a row of 10 hydrogen atoms

• Much smaller than a living cell

• 1/10,000th the size of a bacterium

• A human hair is 80,000 nanometers wide.


Nanotechnology Concrete

• Makes it possible to study the properties of cementitious materials at micro/nano-scale.

• The better understanding of the structure and behavior of concrete at micro/nano-scale could help to improve concrete properties and prevent the illness.

• Addition of nanoscale materials into cement could improve its performance.

• Adding even a small amount of carbon nanotube (1%) by weight could increase both compressive and flexural strength.



DEFINITION OF NANO-CONCRETE

•Nano-concrete is defined as a concrete made with Portland cement particles that are less than 500 nano-meters as the cementing agent.

•Currently cement particle sizes range from a few nano-meters to a maximum of about100 micro meters.

• In the case of micro-cement the average particle size is reduced to 5 micro meters.

•An order of magnitude reduction is needed to produce nano-cement.



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General Description

The most popular nano-tubes are carbon nano-

tubes, discovered by the Japanese Scientist

Sumio Iijima in 1991.

The elastic modulus values range from 270 to

3600 GPa. Theoretical predictions indicate that

the modulus can be as high as 5000 GPa.

In tension mode, the reported strain at failure is

as high as 12% and the strengths vary from 10

to 63 GPa.



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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

Greening of concrete as part of sustainability standards

• LEED as international standard.

• Estidama as a leading UAE (Abu Dhabi) standard

• Dubai Green Building Regulations

The UAE Experience

GREENING OF CONCRETE: TRENDS

AND PRIORITIES

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The US Green Building Council has developed a rating system for the Federal Government as a guide for green and sustainable design. This system, called “Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design”(LEED), has become a standard adopted by several governmental agencies in its original form or some modified versions of it.

It assigns points in five different categories: 1. Sustainable Sites, 14 possible points 2. Water Efficiency, 5 possible points 3. Energy & Atmosphere, 17 possible points 4. Materials & Resources, 13 possible points 5. Indoor Environmental Quality, 15 possible points 6. Innovation & Design Process, 5 possible points

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Sustainability Standards


Project Rating: 1. Projects require at least 26 out of the total of 69 points to become

“Certified”

2. Projects with 33 points are “Silver”-rated

3. Projects with 39 points are “Gold”-rated

4. Projects with 52 points are “Platinum”-rated, which is the highest

rating.

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Sustainability


Four Challenges:

Concrete industry has become a victim of its own success and therefore is now faced with the following tremendous challenges:

1. Reduction of required natural resources;

2. Reduction of energy consumption;

3. Reduction of CO2 emissions;

4. Reduction of water consumption.

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Five Strategies:

1. Increased reliance on recycled materials.

2. Improved durability., by doubling the service life of our structures.

3. Improved mechanical properties which leads to a reduction of materials needed.

4. Increased use of supplementary cementitious material, especially those that are byproducts of industrial processes, such as fly ash and slag..

5. Reuse of wash water.



Concrete in Abu Dhabi 2030


Concrete is a key player in the Abu Dhabi 2030, but …… which Concrete?



ESTIDAMA



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ESTIDAMA


Concrete in Abu Dhabi 2030 (Items most pertinent to sustainability)

E–6 Pursue green building standards for design and construction that

responds to the local climate and is based on sustainable building

practices (e.g. solar orientation, xeriscaping, life cycle materials)

and create an Abu Dhabi Green Building Council to this end, in

cooperation with the Environmental Agency.

E–7 Pursue sustainable infrastructure technologies for managing

energy, waste, and water. Develop a Sustainable Waste and Resources

Strategy.

E–8 Pursue green practices in all industrial activities.

E–9 Promote Abu Dhabi as a model environmentally responsible

community, including its research, application of evolving best

practices, eco-tourism, eco-business and education, and to this

end, support and expand the Masdar Initiative.

E–10 Create and enforce a Smog Certification program for all boat

traffic traveling in waterways around Abu Dhabi Islands and the

National Park System.

E–11 Establish a network of environmental education programs and

facilities throughout Abu Dhabi (e.g. education centers, school

programs, island and desert eco-adventure activities, sustainable

building and living demonstrations, incentives for green living

choices such as public transit or photovoltaic installation).

E–6 Pursue green building standards for design and construction that

• Concrete life cycle materials • Concrete Production • Concrete Mix • Nonotechology

E–7 Pursue sustainable infrastructure technologies for managing • From Low-tech to high-tech concreting • Recycled gravel, sand and concrete

E–8 Pursue green practices in all industrial activities.

E–9 Promote Abu Dhabi as a model environmentally responsible • Innovative Concrete • Translucent concrete • Self-healing Concrete

E–10 Create and enforce a Smog Certification program for all boat • Nanotechnology • Self-cleaning Concrete

E–11 Establish a network of environmental education programs and

• Sustainable concrete • Concrete Research


Estidama Guidelines Credit System

Chapter Criterion Credits attainable

3. Water 30

4. Energy 20

5. Indoor Environmental Quality 15

6. Ecology 7.5

7. Management 5

8. Transport 5

9. Pollution 5

10. Materials 5

11. Waste Management 5

12. Land Use 2.5

Total 100

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ESTIDAMA


Concrete in Dubai 2011-2020


GREEN BUILDING REGULATIONS

MANDATORY FOR ALL PROJECTS

1. In line with the commitment of

Dubai to become a world leading

'green' city and to make Expo 2020

an environmentally sustainable

event

2. The Green Building Regulations

were issued by Dubai Municipality in

2011 and were immediately

mandatory for government bodies

and optional for private developers.

3. Following the publication of Dubai

Municipality Circular No. (198) of

2014, the Green Building

Regulations are now also

mandatory for all private

developments with effect from 1

March 2014.

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1. Introduction






7. Conclusions

Conclusions GREENING OF CONCRETE: TRENDS AND

PRIORITIES

Conclusions

• Construction is the largest industry in many countries in terms of its environmental impact

• Greening of concrete is one part of the overall construction sustainability

• Greening of concrete has to be addressed throughout the building process, and the notion of cradle-to-grave has to become cradle-to-cradle.

• Innovative concrete developments that improve concrete performance contribute positively to its sustainability.

• Concrete greening is viewed differently by various professionals involved: Architect, Engineer, Material specialist, Concrete manufacturer, Regulator, etc..

• The UAE is taking the lead in imposing strict regulations for sustainable concrete construction


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Prof. Abdul Rahim Sabouni PhD (Cornell), MSc (GWU), BSc (Honor)

FASCE, FACI, FCIOB, PEng, IAUP

CEO, Span Management Consulting Abu Dhabi, UAE

www.spanmc.com

GREENING OF CONCRETE: TRENDS AND PRIORITIES THU 26TH NOV 2015