Abstract:
The ready-mix concrete supply chain in the United Kingdom is actively innovating to provide piling concrete with lower carbon emissions. The recent BS 8500-2: 2023 Concrete - Complementary British Standard to BS EN 206 update now allows multicomponent cements to support a more sustainable future. This paper presents the composition of low-emission multicomponent cement CEM VI that was investigated and use for piling. Portland cement was replaced with 61% of other cementitious components comprising limestone (LL) and granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). This CEM VI multicomponent
cement has an embodied carbon of 200 kgCO2e per cubic metre of concrete. The concrete testing and field trial results obtained indicate the feasibility of wider use of ground limestone (LL) in cement composition for piling. This supports the supply chain to reduce demand on granulated blast furnace slag where there is limited market availability of granulated blast furnace slag. Durability characteristics of concrete (carbonation susceptibility, chloride ion permeation) made of CEM VI cement were also tested. Results of a field trial showed successful concrete placement in piles and installation of reinforcement cage.