Scientific Publications
Find all the scientific publications produced by SNUG partners, presenting the latest scientific findings of the project.
Authors
Carlos Rodriguez, Fernando Fernandez, Roberto Rodriguez, Marina Sanchez, Pablo Gómez, Felipe Martí, Miriam Hernández and Irene Beleña
Abstract
This research investigates the use of recycled diatomaceous earth (diatomite) from the wine, beer, and oil industries as supplementary cementitious materials in cement-based mixtures. This study aims to reduce embodied energy and promote circular economy practices by incorporating these industrial by-products. The research evaluates the compressive strength, durability, and pozzolanic activity of the mixtures over 7, 28, and 90 days of hydration. The results demonstrate that uncalcined diatoms from wine and oil showed lower compressive strength than natural diatomite, whereas calcination at 500 °C significantly improved performance. Beer diatoms exhibited the lowest mechanical strength because of the organic matter content in their composition. The incorporation of quicklime failed to induce pozzolanic activity in uncalcined diatoms; however, calcination at 500 °C led to improved long-term performance, highlighting the importance of heat treatment for activating diatoms’ pozzolanic properties. This study concludes that recycled diatoms, particularly when calcined, have potential as sustainable cementitious materials.
Type of publication
Journal paper
Publisher
Crystals
Authors
Carlos Rodriguez, Pablo Gómez, Felipe Martí, Sumit Srivastava, Marina Sanchez, Fernando Fernandez, Irene Beleña and Miriam Hernández
Abstract
The environmental impact of traditional construction materials has led to increasing interest in developing more sustainable alternatives. This study addresses the development of low-carbon autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) through the complete replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with ground granulated blast furnace slag (BFS), activated with lime and, in some formulations, supplemented with calcium carbide slag (CCS). Five different AAC mixtures were prepared and evaluated in terms of workability, foaming behavior, compressive strength, phase composition, density, thermal conductivity, and life cycle assessment (LCA). The BFS-based mixtures activated with lime exhibited good workability and foaming stability. After pre-curing, the addition of CCS significantly improved the formation of tobermorite during autoclaving. As a result, the BFS–CCS formulations achieved compressive strengths comparable to the reference OPC-based mix while maintaining low densities (420–441 kg/m3) and thermal conductivities in the range of 0.111–0.119 W/(m·K). These results confirm the technical feasibility of producing structural-grade AAC with a lower environmental footprint.
Type of publication
Journal paper
Publisher
Applied Sciences