Geopolymer Concrete for Green Construction Materials

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Geopolymer Concrete for Green Construction
Materials
Dr. Erez Allouche Trenchless Technology Center
Louisiana Tech University November 5, 2009
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Summary Statement

• Inorganic polymer concrete (geopolymer) is an
  emerging class of cementitious materials that
  aimed at utilizing one of the most abundant
  industrial by-products on earth, fly ash
  (800,000,000 tons per year), as a substitute for
  the most widely produced man-made material on
  earth, Portland cement (2,600,000,000 tons/yr).

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Research Context and Prior Work

• 49.6 of the US electrical energy production is
  fueled by coal (western USA has 250-year supply
  of recoverable coal)
• 72 M tones of fly ash are produced only 38.1 is
  recycled
• The US produce 110 million metric tones of
  cement, resulting in 90 million metric tones of
  carbon dioxide.
• Cement production contributes 7 of human CO2
  emissions
• Cement production - energy intensive process
  (heat raw materials to 2550 F)

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Re-Arranging the Equation
Cement Production
Power Generation
Refinery/Chemical industry
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Re-Arranging the Equation

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Accomplishments to Date

• Evaluate the geopolymerization potential of 28
  samples of fly ash collected from 18 power plants
  
• Develop chemical additives that enable the
  pouring of large volumes of geopolymer concrete
• Development of additives that enable pumping and
  spraying of geopolymer grout

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Accomplishments to Date

• We are on the verge of lunching our first
  commercially viable product sprayable
  geopolymer grout for the rehabilitation of
  manhole structures sewer pipes
• Develop formulation for stabilizing fly ash
  generated by waste-to-energy programs
  (incineration of municipal waste Vancouver,
  Canada)

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Plans for 2009-10 New Applications

• High-energy efficient, low-carbon footprint homes
  using geopolymer filled insulated concrete forms
  (ICF).
• High temp grout material for oil/gas wells casing
  (2,500 F 16,000 psi in 24 hrs)
• Development of Eco-Reef, ultra low cost
  artificial rock for aiding costal restoration
  production potential up to 30 million ton per
  year along AL-MS-LA-TX coastline)

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Value Proposition