New CD laboratory for more resistance and sustainability of building materials

03.03.2023: Portland cement is by far the most widely used binder in modern construction, but it is susceptible to corrosion, which can lead to high maintenance costs for the structures built with it. Likewise, the current production of building materials leads to high environmental impacts, both in terms of the enormous greenhouse gas emissions it produces and in terms of the massive amounts of mineral waste generated, much of which is landfilled, resulting in the loss of valuable resources and large (landfill) areas.

This is where Head of Laboratory Cyrill Grengg, his team at the new CD Laboratory at TU Graz and no less than eight commercial partners (voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH, Brantner Österreich GmbH, CharLine GmbH, Forschungsverein Steine-Keramik, Gemeinschaft Steirischer Abwasserentsorger - GSA, Kirchdorfer Fertigteilholding GmbH, MM Kanal-Rohr-Sanierung GmbH, Stahl- und Walzwerk Marienhütte Gesellschaft m.b.H.) come into play: In the Christian Doppler Laboratory for waste-based geopolymer construction materials in the CO2-neutral circular economy, research regarding new types of residue- and geopolymer-based building materials that have the potential to counteract the aforementioned problems in a highly effective way is being conducted.

Firstly, they are more stable (which also leads to a lower financial burden) and secondly, they allow mineral waste, secondary raw materials and residual materials to be used as the main binding agent, which further reduces the burden on landfills and thus the environment - whereby the latter thirdly also benefits greatly from the fact that the global warming potential here is much lower than would be the case with Portland cement-based building materials!

Further information on the CD Laboratory

Press release (TU Graz)

 

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