The Advanced Development in Concrete Materials

Abstract

Concrete is regarded as the second most widely used material after water due to its many advantages. These include, but are not limited to, its low cost, low maintenance requirements, ease of moulding, low reliance on skilled labour, and strong resistance to fire and adverse weather conditions [1]. Therefore, there is no doubt that global concrete production reaches approximately 14 billion cubic metres, with a market value of around USD 440 billion [2]. Concrete itself may be considered a relatively sustainable material, with emissions of approximately 130 kg of CO2 per tonne, compared with other construction materials such as hot-rolled steel (1830 kg CO2 pertonne) andcold-formedsteel(680kgCO2 per tonne) [3]. However, its widespread use accounts for approximately 7% of the global carbon footprint [4]. This is primarily attributable to cement production, which is estimated to release more than 600 kg of CO2 per tonne of cement into the Earth’s atmosphere.

Keywords: Concrete Materials, Moulding, Skilled Labour, Global Carbon Footprint