Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DETOCS (Data to Enable Transformation and Optimisation for Concrete Sustainability)
Berichtszeitraum: 2023-09-01 bis 2025-08-31
DETOCS addresses a critical environmental challenge in cement production, which accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions, mainly from clinker made by limestone processing. Clinker can be partially replaced by Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) such as clays, ashes, slags or recycled concrete fines, which have a much lower carbon footprint. Reducing clinker use is one of the most effective ways to decarbonize cement. However, scaling up SCM use requires not only larger volumes but also novel sources, as traditional supplies are limited. Cement chemistry is complex, and higher SCM contents can affect performance, limiting adoption in construction.
DETOCS proposes a new approach to expand SCM use in existing cement facilities. It leverages digital tools to predict and control the quality of blends with much higher SCM levels than current standards. The project aims to build the scientific foundation for producing high-quality SCMs and modeling their role in low-carbon cement and concrete. The goal is to cut clinker factor from ~70% today to 40% by 2030 and 25% by 2035, targeting 0.2 t-CO2/tonne cement. DETOCS will deliver first-of-its-kind solutions to decarbonize cement and concrete.
For more information and project updates, visit our website: www.detocs.eu
DETOCS proposes a new approach to expand SCM use in existing cement facilities. It leverages digital tools to predict and control the quality of blends with much higher SCM levels than current standards. The project aims to build the scientific foundation for producing high-quality SCMs and modeling their role in low-carbon cement and concrete. The goal is to cut clinker factor from ~70% today to 40% by 2030 and 25% by 2035, targeting 0.2 t-CO2/tonne cement. DETOCS will deliver first-of-its-kind solutions to decarbonize cement and concrete.
For more information and project updates, visit our website: www.detocs.eu
On clinker and cement production: progress has been made in thermodynamic modelling and process understanding. A CALPHAD-based model was developed to predict clinker mineralogy, benchmarked against experimental data (XRF, XRD), and integrated with industrial datasets. Work has also focused on quantifying the influence of minor elements on clinker phase development and on linking clinker phase assemblage models with hydration kinetics models.
On SCM activation and quality prediction: thermal, mechanical, and chemical activation routes were systematically explored. Advances include quantification of the thermochemical process of kaolinitic clay calcination, the design and operation of a wet carbonation reactor to study carbonation behaviour of recycled cement paste and steel slags, and correlations between grinding parameters and the reactivity of mechanically activated clays—generating data for model development.
At the concrete scale, the core of the Concrete Mix Database (>4k mixes) has been finalized, along with data standardization pipelines enabling machine learning workflows for strength prediction. Work is ongoing to evaluate the impact of material variability using concrete production data, and significant progress has been made in chloride testing at paste scale—contributing towards establishing multi-scale durability correlations.
On the digitalization front: latent-variable models (PLS) have been developed to predict alite fraction from process data, and hybrid ML and causality-based approaches are being applied to clinker quality prediction and mix optimization. RFID performance for material traceability has been successfully evaluated, while a mini-scale carbonation unit with integrated RGB-D monitoring has been designed and validated, setting specifications for decentralized SCM process models.
On process and product sustainability: a first study has been completed on low-carbon cement market formation in Latin America, alongside preparation of firm-level diffusion analyses. A disaggregated life cycle inventory of alternative cementitious materials has also been compiled, supporting transparent multi-criteria evaluations of their technical, environmental, and economic performance.
On SCM activation and quality prediction: thermal, mechanical, and chemical activation routes were systematically explored. Advances include quantification of the thermochemical process of kaolinitic clay calcination, the design and operation of a wet carbonation reactor to study carbonation behaviour of recycled cement paste and steel slags, and correlations between grinding parameters and the reactivity of mechanically activated clays—generating data for model development.
At the concrete scale, the core of the Concrete Mix Database (>4k mixes) has been finalized, along with data standardization pipelines enabling machine learning workflows for strength prediction. Work is ongoing to evaluate the impact of material variability using concrete production data, and significant progress has been made in chloride testing at paste scale—contributing towards establishing multi-scale durability correlations.
On the digitalization front: latent-variable models (PLS) have been developed to predict alite fraction from process data, and hybrid ML and causality-based approaches are being applied to clinker quality prediction and mix optimization. RFID performance for material traceability has been successfully evaluated, while a mini-scale carbonation unit with integrated RGB-D monitoring has been designed and validated, setting specifications for decentralized SCM process models.
On process and product sustainability: a first study has been completed on low-carbon cement market formation in Latin America, alongside preparation of firm-level diffusion analyses. A disaggregated life cycle inventory of alternative cementitious materials has also been compiled, supporting transparent multi-criteria evaluations of their technical, environmental, and economic performance.
Achievements to Date
- Clinker and SCM Processing – CALPHAD-based models are being refined to predict clinker mineralogy with >95% target accuracy, supporting optimal burning conditions and energy savings.
- SCM Reactivity – Mechanical, thermal, and chemical activation methods have increased reactivity by up to 28%, enabling clinker factor reductions of 20% and beyond.
- Digitalization – Hybrid machine learning frameworks for clinker quality prediction, anomaly detection, and cement mix optimization show potential for 10–15% clinker reduction through digital control.
- Rapid Testing – Computer vision-based metrics for SCM reactivity are being validated, reducing qualification timelines for new SCM sources.
- Concrete Database and Durability Framework – A dataset of >4k concrete mixes and preliminary chloride resistance thresholds provide a basis for performance-based optimization at concrete scale.
- Traceability – RFID-embedded aggregates and RGB-D monitored carbonation processes have been validated in the lab, paving the way for field testing and digital material passports.
Anticipated Impact
- CO2 Reduction – Achieve 30–50% cuts in clinker-related emissions through SCM activation, clinker factor reduction, and process optimization.
- Faster Market Uptake – Performance-based design tools, durability models, and regulatory insights will shorten time-to-market for low-carbon binders.
- Digitalization – Hybrid modelling and traceability technologies form the backbone of Industry 4.0 solutions, improving transparency and enabling data-driven operations.
- Societal Benefits – Durable, resource-efficient concrete supports the EU Green Deal, circular economy goals, and UN SDGs, ensuring safe and affordable decarbonization.
- Career Development – Trains a new generation of experts equipped to drive sustainable construction innovation.
- Clinker and SCM Processing – CALPHAD-based models are being refined to predict clinker mineralogy with >95% target accuracy, supporting optimal burning conditions and energy savings.
- SCM Reactivity – Mechanical, thermal, and chemical activation methods have increased reactivity by up to 28%, enabling clinker factor reductions of 20% and beyond.
- Digitalization – Hybrid machine learning frameworks for clinker quality prediction, anomaly detection, and cement mix optimization show potential for 10–15% clinker reduction through digital control.
- Rapid Testing – Computer vision-based metrics for SCM reactivity are being validated, reducing qualification timelines for new SCM sources.
- Concrete Database and Durability Framework – A dataset of >4k concrete mixes and preliminary chloride resistance thresholds provide a basis for performance-based optimization at concrete scale.
- Traceability – RFID-embedded aggregates and RGB-D monitored carbonation processes have been validated in the lab, paving the way for field testing and digital material passports.
Anticipated Impact
- CO2 Reduction – Achieve 30–50% cuts in clinker-related emissions through SCM activation, clinker factor reduction, and process optimization.
- Faster Market Uptake – Performance-based design tools, durability models, and regulatory insights will shorten time-to-market for low-carbon binders.
- Digitalization – Hybrid modelling and traceability technologies form the backbone of Industry 4.0 solutions, improving transparency and enabling data-driven operations.
- Societal Benefits – Durable, resource-efficient concrete supports the EU Green Deal, circular economy goals, and UN SDGs, ensuring safe and affordable decarbonization.
- Career Development – Trains a new generation of experts equipped to drive sustainable construction innovation.