Case study - Sustainable concrete development: Assessing social, environmental, and performance factors of geopolymers and CEM-I concretes

This study evaluates the environmental impacts of geopolymer concrete mixtures activated by alkali activators compared to traditional CEM-I concrete mixtures using the life cycle assessment method. The study employs the Environmental Product Declarations framework to evaluate the raw material supply chain, ensuring data comparability. Environmental Cost Indicator (ECI) is used to determine relevant environmental impact categories. New concrete mixtures are developed to increase technical performance and identify suitable applications for geopolymer concrete. The compressive strength of developed geopolymer concrete mixtures after material composition analysis is evaluated and compared to traditional CEM-I concrete mixtures. The social supply chain due diligence of the concrete mixtures is also investigated and evaluated within the context of existing or upcoming regulations for the construction sector. show that all geopolymer concrete mixtures indicate lower environmental impacts, particularly in terms of Global Warming Potential and ECI. The reduction in ECI for different geopolymer concrete mixtures ranges from less than 20 % to above 60 % compared to studied CEM-I recipes. Despite the lower strength of the developed geopolymer concrete mixtures in comparison to CEM-I concrete mixtures, their performance was sufficient to meet the strength class for precast non-structural elements. The social supply chain due diligence analysis indicated potential social risks along the supply chain that may increase with the use of alternative non-cementitious binders or other additives. The study suggests a source-specific analysis of raw materials integrated with EPDs to expand them into Environmental-Social-Performance-Product-Declarations. This study provides insights into the environmental and social impacts of geopolymer concrete mixtures.