TY - JOUR A1 - Schultz, C. A1 - Cunningham, Patrick A1 - Fan, J. A1 - Miller, S.A. T1 - Balancing the Mechanical Performance and Environmental Sustainability of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete N2 - Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) can have improved durability and tensile properties, potentially enabling the more efficient use of concrete and lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Yet, systematic quantifications of the environmental impacts of FRC, particularly when paired with changes to mechanical properties and the implications for material longevity, are limited. Herein, an assessment following the life-cycle assessment methodology for four common FRCs was performed, namely, those reinforced with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), steel (ST), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The analysis was bound to a cradle-to-gate scope, and solely virgin fiber material production was considered for the environmental impacts. Coupled changes in compressive and tensile strength, environmental impacts, and the role of material longevity and cost relative to unreinforced concrete were examined. Findings from this work show that, similar to unreinforced concrete, cement remains a key source of GHG emissions in FRC production. However, in FRCs fibers can drive additional emissions by up to 55%. Notably, PVA and ST led to the highest impacts and costs, which were minimal for inclusions of PP and PET. Yet ST contributed to the greatest benefits in flexural and compressive strengths. When the effects of longevity were integrated, FRC with PP reinforcement could offer desired emissions reductions with minimal increase in use period and cost, but the other fiber reinforcements considered may need to offer longer service life extension to reduce emissions compared with conventional concrete. These results indicate that FRC can enhance mechanical performance, but fiber type selections should be informed by the design life to achieve actual GHG emissions reductions. KW - Fiber-reinforced concrete KW - Greenhouse gas emissions KW - Concrete KW - Cement KW - Durability PY - 2025 DO - https://doi.org/10.1061/JMCEE7.MTENG-19454 SN - 0899-1561 VL - 37 IS - 7 SP - 04025178-1 EP - 04025178-11 PB - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) CY - Reston, VA AN - OPUS4-62987 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Munsch, Sarah Mandy A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Lorenzoni, Renata A1 - Telong, Melissa A1 - Grobla, Lili A1 - Lauinger, Robert A1 - Kruschwitz, Sabine T1 - Investigation of the hydration of clinker‑reduced cementitious binders by 1H NMR relaxometry N2 - In this paper, we demonstrate the value of 1 H NMR relaxometry for studying the hydration of clinker-reduced, climate-friendly cementitious binders. Our study includes white cement (WC), ordinary Portland cement (OPC), and samples incorporating reactive agro-waste based ashes and non-reactive biochars as supplementary cementitous materials (SCM). NMR measurements were performed over a period of up to 120 h during hydration with an echo time of 50 μ s and a relatively large sample size of 20 mL. The results were compared to heat flow calorimetry (HFC) data, and a detailed comparison with literature data was performed for pure OPC and WC. The results show that time-resolved NMR measurements, especially the analysis of individual NMR signal components assigned to defined 1 H reservoirs, are effective for studying hydration processes. They offer insights into the evolution of the microstrucure and specific chemical phases. NMR provides valuable information and serves as a good complement to HFC. The comparison with data obtained with shorter echo times (40 μs or around 15–45 μs with solid echo sequence) on much smaller samples showed almost identical developments with respect to the T2 distributions. For the SCM samples, NMR results indicated partially accelerated hydration processes compared to classical OPC hydration. One SCM sample acted as a highly reactive pozzolan, showing a similar hydration process to OPC with the strongest effect observed when superplasticizer was added. Adding biochar delayed C-S-H gel pore formation but significantly increased capillary pores and even free water, likely due to the sponge-like structure. KW - Nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry KW - Heat flow calorimetry KW - Cement KW - Hydration KW - Clinker reduction KW - Carbon emission KW - Kinetics PY - 2025 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-630284 DO - https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-025-02632-x SN - 1871-6873 VL - 58 IS - 137 SP - 1 EP - 23 PB - Springer Nature AN - OPUS4-63028 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lu, Z. C. A1 - Haist, M. A1 - Ivanov, D. A1 - Jakob, C. A1 - Jansen, D. A1 - Schmid, M. A1 - Kißling, P. A. A1 - Leinitz, Sarah A1 - Link, J. A1 - Mechtcherine, V. A1 - Neubauer, J. A1 - Plank, J. A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Schilde, C. A1 - Schröfl, C. A1 - Sowoidnich, T. A1 - Stephan, D. T1 - Characterization data of reference cement CEM III/A 42.5N used for priority program DFG SPP 2005 "Opus Fluidum Futurum - Rheology of reactive, multiscale, multiphase construction materials" N2 - Two types of cements were selected as the reference cement in the priority program 2005 of the German Research Foundation (DFG SPP 2005). A thorough characterization of CEM I 42.5 R has been made in a recent publication. In this paper, the characterization data of the other reference cement CEM III/A 42.5 N are presented from the aspects of chemical and mineralogical compositions as well as physical and chemical properties. The characterization data of the slag, which is the second main constituent of this specific cement besides the clinker, are presented independently. For all data received, the mean values and the corresponding errors were calculated. The data shall be used for the ongoing research within the priority program. Also, researchers from outside this priority program can benefit from these data if the same materials are used. KW - Cement KW - Slag KW - Characterization KW - DFG SPP 2005 PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-568980 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2020.105524 SN - 2352-3409 VL - 30 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam AN - OPUS4-56898 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cunningham, Patrick A1 - Mezhov, Alexander A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram T1 - Revealing Value from Bioderived Polymers: Effects of Locally Sourced Polysaccharides on the Rheology of Limestone Mixtures N2 - Admixtures are important constituents to enhance the performance of concrete. They allow for more efficient use of binders which can mitigate negative environmental impacts from producing cement-based materials. Commonly used rheology modifying agents like polycarboxylate ethers or cellulose ethers are synthetic or semi-synthetic, respectively. This requires additional energy consumption for their production and global supply chains particularly for many developing regions, which will be large consumers of concrete in the future. However, many locally available bio-based polysaccharides could be effectively used instead. These polymers are often overlooked by engineers and scientists due to their limited distribution and inherent complexity, yet they represent an underleveraged source of precursors for admixtures. This study investigates the action mechanisms of some bio-based rheology modifying agents, i.e., acacia gum and miscanthus gum, and provides a comparison to a conventionally modified starch. The results show that the mechanism of action of these polymers is closely related to the composition of the mixture, mixing regime, and the composition of the aqueous phase. Depending on the agent, either plasticizing or stabilizing effects on rheology can be revealed. T2 - ICBBM: International Conference on Bio-Based Building Materials CY - Vienna, Austria DA - 21.06.2023 KW - Polysaccharides KW - Superplasticizers KW - Hydration KW - Cement PY - 2023 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33465-8_60 SN - 2211-0852 VL - 45 SP - 782 EP - 792 PB - Springer Nature Switzerland AG CY - Switzerland AN - OPUS4-58726 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bessaies-Bey, H. A1 - Khayat, K. H. A1 - Palacios, M. A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Roussel, N. T1 - Viscosity modifying agents: Key components of advanced cement-based materials with adapted rheology N2 - Viscosity modifying agents (VMAs) are essential ingredients for the production of flowable cement-based materials. This paper presents an overview of commonly used VMAs and attempts to shed some light on the underlying physics at the origin of their mechanisms of action. The main molecular parameters of VMA controlling the rheological properties of the cement pore solution are highlighted. As the mechanisms of action of VMAs in cement-based materials are closely related to their affinity with the surface of cement particles, the adsorption of the main VMA types is discussed. The effect of VMAs on flow properties and stability of cement-based materials is presented for VMAs added without any superplasticizer, and then in systems incorporating both VMAs and superplasticizers. Finally, the effect of VMAs in enhancing concrete properties to secure adequate performance of different construction applications, and perspectives for future developments of novel cement-based materials made with VMAs are showcased. KW - Viscosity modifying agents KW - Cement KW - Stability KW - Rheology KW - Working mechanism KW - Compatibility PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2021.106646 VL - 152 SP - 1 EP - 20 PB - Elsevier AN - OPUS4-58396 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Kruschwitz, Sabine T1 - Investigation of the hydration of clinker-reduced cementitious binders by 1H NMR N2 - In this paper, we demonstrate the value of 1H NMR relaxometry for studying the hydration of clinker-reduced, more climate-friendly cementitious binders. The results were obtained on typical CEM I cements and samples containing two different reactive agricultural ashes as well as non-reactive biochars as supplementary cementitious materials. The findings prove that time-resolved NMR measurements provide valuable additional information when combined with classical heat flow calorimetry. T2 - ISEMA Down Under 2023 CY - Brisbane, Australia DA - 25.09.2023 KW - 1H NMR relaxometry KW - Heat flow calorimetry KW - Clinker reduction, carbon emission KW - Cement KW - Hydration PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58569 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram T1 - Potentials for the use of renewable and recyclable materials and how they can be incorporated in the supply stream N2 - Concrete is a major contributor to global energy demand and CO2-emissions, necessitating mitigation strategies. Utilising bio-based resources like polysaccharides, pozzolanic ashes from agricultural waste, and bio-based fibres and aggregates can reduce carbon footprints. However, implementation is hindered by standards favouring scarce and traditionally European materials like fly ash and slag. This highlights the need to diversify resource streams to benefit the global South's abundance of bio-based resources and arable land. An inclusive approach recognizing bio-based resources is required through innovation and regional adaptation. T2 - 11. Jahrestagung des DAfStb mit 63. Forschungskolloquium der BAM Green Intelligent Building CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 16.10.2024 KW - Renewable and recyclabe materials KW - Cement KW - Concrete KW - Climate KW - Carbon footprint KW - Bio-based resources KW - Bio-char PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-61801 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram A1 - Kanjee, J. A1 - Motukwa, G. A1 - Olonade, K. A1 - Dodoo, A. T1 - A snapshot review of future‑oriented standards for cement, admixtures, and concrete: How Africa can spearhead the implementation of green urban construction materials N2 - The existing cement and concrete standards are not capable of making full use of the current technology capacity due to strong focus on conventional concrete and thus they are not fit for the current and future challenges of construction industry. The paper highlights shortcomings with regard to the implementation of the existing standards. It can be seen that future-oriented standards are generally required to contribute to a lower-carbon footprint of the industry. These changes are significantly more relevant in sub-Saharan Africa, due to the rapidly increasing urbanisation challenge and the enormous potentials to develop lower-carbon technologies than elsewhere in the world. KW - Future‑oriented standards KW - Green urban construction KW - Cement PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-582563 DO - https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00563-9 SN - 2731-5894 VL - 4 IS - 8 SP - 557 EP - 565 PB - Springer International Publishing CY - Springer Nature Switzerland, Cham AN - OPUS4-58256 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mezhov, Alexander A1 - Zhang, K. A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram T1 - Interactions of Biobased Rheology Modifying Agents with Superplasticizer in Cement Paste N2 - Organic admixtures are an indispensable component of modern concrete. Thus, their purposeful application is not only technically and economically viable but in addition an inevitable tool to make concrete more environmentally friendly. In this context, the use of polysaccharides has increasingly gained interest in the built environment as sustainable resource for performance enhancement. However, due to its origin, biopolymers possess a vast variety of molecular structures which can result in incompatibilities with other polymers present in concrete, such as superplasticizers. The present study highlights effects of the joint application of different types of starches and polycarboxylates with respect to their influence on cement hydration and structural build-up of cement pastes. KW - Polysaccharides KW - Superplasticizers KW - Hydration KW - Cement PY - 2022 DO - https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/CTA.1.563 SN - 2674-1237 SP - 563 EP - 568 PB - Trans Tech Publications Ltd, Switzerland CY - Basel, Switzerland. AN - OPUS4-58325 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cunningham, Patrick A1 - Schmidt, Wolfram T1 - Cement and clinker imports: embodied carbon, carbon costs, and the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) N2 - When the European Union (EU) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) comes into force, importers of Portland cement and clinker will be required to purchase carbon allowances for their goods. Herein, the trade flows into the EU are mapped by country and the equivalent carbon dioxide (CO2-eq) emissions from production is modeled. Using average allowance prices, the additional cost passed to the consumer if carbon allowances had been purchased for imports in the modeled years are estimated. Together, this retrospective analysis provides insights into CBAM and the potential implications of carbon allowances on the cost of imported goods. KW - Carbon border adjustment mechanism KW - Carbon allowances KW - Cost of carbon KW - Cement KW - Impact shifting PY - 2025 UR - https://www.zkg.de/en/artikel/cement-and-clinker-imports-embodied-carbon-carbon-costs-and-the-eu-carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism-cbam-4252088.html SN - 2748-8330 VL - 78 IS - 3 SP - 54 EP - 58 PB - Bauverlag BV GmbH CY - Gutersloh, Germany AN - OPUS4-63333 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -