bio-enhanced carbon Sequestrated constrUction and demolition waSTe-based self-heAling carbon-negatIve coNcrete

Descripción del proyecto

Soluciones concretas para el carbono y los residuos de la construcción

Alrededor del 10 % de las emisiones mundiales de CO2 son el resultado de la industria de la construcción. Los residuos de la construcción y demolición constituyen un problema grave. El equipo del proyecto SUSTAIN, apoyado por las Acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, tiene como objetivo minimizar estos residuos mediante el reciclaje del hormigón. Más específicamente, combina la precipitación de calcita inducida microbianamente con la carbonatación acelerada para crear un nuevo tipo de hormigón autorreparable que es carbono negativo y CO2 fósil negativo. Este material no solo captura CO2, sino que también repara sus grietas con el paso del tiempo. En general, en SUSTAIN se apoya el Pacto Verde Europeo y se trabaja por lograr una construcción sostenible.

Objetivo

Excessive carbon emissions and management of construction and demolition waste (CDW) are critical challenges that the EU seeks to overcome to achieve climate neutrality. Portland cement (PC), an indispensable material for modern infrastructure construction, is responsible for approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while CDW represents the largest waste stream in the EU, accounting for more than a third of all waste. The SUSTAIN project addresses these issues by absorbing carbon emissions through integrated bio-mineralisation and accelerated carbonation of CDW materials and utilising it to develop novel self-healing carbon-negative concrete. The project is interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in nature, aiming to carbonate recycled concrete powder (RCP) and recycled aggregates (RA) through a synergistic process that combines CO2 absorption with microbial-induced enhancement. This process aims to meet the cement demand in the construction sector by repurposing RCP as supplementary cementitious material and improving the quality of RA to enable their full replacement of natural aggregates. Additionally, this treatment will give self-healable properties to concrete, allowing it to autonomously repair cracks through microbial-induced carbonate precipitation during its service life. This project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and the European Green Deal, thus enhancing EU scientific excellence. The researcher will receive extensive training to advance his career by learning new analytical and experimental skills, effective management, advanced training, supervision skills, publishing papers, writing EU patents, and funding proposals. The project will play a vital role in achieving net-zero CO2 emissions, offering climate-neutral construction materials, and equipping the researcher with cutting-edge skills to catalyse future leadership roles in academia and industry.