The sustainability of concrete

Coyle, Seamus (2014) The sustainability of concrete. Bachelors thesis, Dundalk Institute of Technology.

PDF (This work is made available on the understanding that the reader will not publish in any form either the whole or any part of it without permission from the author. This work may not be copied. The copyright of this work belongs to the author.) - Accepted Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (1MB)

Abstract

While Ireland has many deposits for the manufacture of concrete products there is increasing pressure and concern about the environmental impact of emissions from the concrete industry in particular the production of cement the main constituent of concrete. The Irish construction industry has obviously seen an abrupt decline in new developments, which has resulted in a sharp decline of secondary materials such as cement. The market will rebound so CO2 emissions must still be kept at the forefront for the industry to compete and also help Ireland to a more sustainable future. The EPA has reported recently of there been an 18% rise in CO2 emissions in 2012 compared to the 2011 from the cement industry within Ireland which shows this subject is still relevant now. This dissertation reports mainly on the use of substitution materials within cement. “Cement typically contributes some 90 per cent of the carbon footprint of concrete”. (Ecocem, 2013). Research was carried out into the process of making cement more sustainable and also into recently developed materials that will put the industry on the right path to reducing CO2 emissions. Companies in Ireland will also be examined to determine if they are progressing towards a more sustainable choice in the reduction of emissions and also in terms of the overall sustainable sense. Ireland was examined for its current trend in cement production and also the changes that have been and will be made in industry to reach the European targets for sustainable development. This Dissertation was compiled from an extensive review of the relevant literature and by contacting personnel within the concrete and cement production industries. This Dissertation concludes that the construction industry in Ireland needs to move towards a more sustainable future from various changes that will and are taken place in the industry to help towards the 2050 roadmap of between 80 and 95% Greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990. More R & D must be carried out as many studies show that the current measures can only take CO2 reduction so far.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelors)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Concrete; Environmental issues.
Subjects:	Engineering
Research Centres:	UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User:	Sean McGreal
Date Deposited:	29 Jul 2015 14:31
Last Modified:	29 Jul 2015 14:31
URI:	https://eprints.dkit.ie/id/eprint/432

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads