Bio-based Energy-efficient materials and Structures for Tomorrow

Project Information

BEST

Grant agreement ID: 101086440

DOI

10.3030/101086440

EC signature date 13 October 2022

Start date 1 March 2023

End date 28 February 2027

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 726 800,00

Coordinated by

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DARMSTADT
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BEST (Bio-based Energy-efficient materials and Structures for Tomorrow)

Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2025-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

BEST Summary and objectives:

The construction sector is one of the most energy intensive and raw-material demanding human activities and, hence, it is considered to contribute to a significant share of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Therefore, making the construction sector “greener” is one of the main challenges for policy makers, involved companies and the scientific community. Therefore, the Bio-based Energy-efficient materials and Structures for Tomorrow (BEST) project aims at investigating the potential of bio-based composites to realise innovative materials and elements characterised by both energy efficiency and structural capabilities.

The BEST project proposal will deal with the following bio-based materials: (i) Fibres and fabrics of vegetal origin, such as fibres obtained from leaves or stems of tropical plants, as well as fabrics made out of such fibres; (ii) Bio- aggregates obtained from waste and residuals of agricultural activities; (iii) Self-healing agents for concrete and other cement-based composites; (iv) Supplementary cementitious materials obtained by incinerating organic waste.

Therefore, the materials and composites considered in this project proposal are supposed to have potential to tackle the main challenges for the constructions of tomorrow:

- Facing climate change phenomena, by promoting “circular economy” practices;
- Reducing the amount of raw materials requested by the construction sector;
- Contributing to the development of local economies, by means of recycling locally-available waste in response to global challenge.

The BEST project foreseen a comprehensive methodological approach including both experimental activities and theoretical modelling, as it is intended at both advancing the fundamental knowledge in one of the emerging research topics in the field of construction and building materials and paving the way toward the marked uptake.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Main activities performed during the first review period are in line with the project description and run according to schedule. In short the following objectives are performed/achieved:

O1 - Establish data management and ethics structures (M1 - M6): Status - Completed (D8.1 D8.2 D8.3 and D8.4 submitted)

O2 - Identify and classify bio-based materials suitable for use in composites (M1 - 12): Status - Completed (D1.1 & D1.2 submitted, materials reviewed and selected)

O3 - Launch dissemination framework and initial communication actions (M1 - M18): Status - Completed (Website launched, visual identity created, Net-Zero Future 2024, SMAR 2024 and RILEM Spring convention - Special Sessions held, at the moment 19 open access publications released)

O4 - Experimental validation of thermal, mechanical and durability properties (M7 - M28): Status - Ongoing, testing started under WP2, WP3, and WP4, results included in deliverables and partially included in publications.

O5 - Start preparation of numerical models for performance prediction (M13 - M36): Status - Ongoing (Modeling activities started in WP2, WP3, and WP4; simulations under development)

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The results that go beyond the state of the art are mostly on the selection of those bio-based materials that are suitable to be used in construction mateirals and potential applications. Among these the following four families of natural materials have been identified:
• Vegetal fibers and fabrics (e.g. flax, jute, abaca, coconut, sisal),
• Bio-aggregates from agricultural waste (e.g. rice husk, hemp shives, bamboo),
• Self-healing agents (mainly bacterial-based systems for cementitious applications),
• Supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) such as rice husk ash and biomass ash.
Each material group was assessed based on its availability, origin, mechanical and thermal potential, compatibility with cementitious systems, and sustainability profile. Treatments commonly applied to improve performance—such as alkali pre-treatment or thermal activation show so far great performance and will be further analysed in the second review period. Demonstrations, commercialization and potential IPR will be considered in the second review period.