Project description
Greener construction using recycled concrete
Concrete is essential for modern construction, but its production heavily affects the environment. Its key components – natural aggregates and cement – are major sources of CO2 emissions. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the RECO2-CONC project plans to develop fully carbonated recycled aggregate concrete using 100 % carbonated recycled aggregates and by partially replacing cement with carbonated recycled powder. This approach reduces the demand for natural resources while also utilising CO2 in the process. Researchers will explore how carbonation affects recycled materials, optimise recycled material use in concrete, and define methods for their industrial scaling. Combining CO2 utilisation with recycling of waste concrete, RECO2-CONC will help advance circular construction.
Objective
The worldwide rapid urbanisation and ageing concrete infrastructures are driving the demand for natural aggregates and cement (major global CO2 contributors) for concrete production. Despite adequate performance of recycled aggregates (RA), persistent quality concerns keep confidence low, limiting circularity in construction. Project RECO2-CONC will respond to these issues on multiple levels by taking the technology a step forward in fully carbonated recycled aggregate concrete (FCRAC) with 100% carbonated recycled coarse/fine aggregates (CRCA/CRFA) and partially replacing cement with carbonated recycled powder (CRP). Existing studies have yet to demonstrate the combined physico-chemical impacts of carbonation on RA and recycled powder, how to optimise them in new concrete, and to define industrial upscaling measures, all of which are key barriers to large-scale high-quality RA use, fully tackled here. The four main objectives of the project are:
(i) Quantification of CRCA/CRFA morphology together with grading/packing controlling porosity evolution and pore network reconstruction;
(ii) Evaluation of CaCO₃ polymorph and carbonation status effect on cement hydration kinetics, thereby governing interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and pore structure evolution;
(iii) Integration of (i) and (ii) to build predictive models linking microscopic parameters with macroscopic performance;
(iv) Quantification of the carbon balance using life-cycle analysis and low-carbon modelling, together with resource-efficiency and circularity metrics.
By pairing CO2 utilisation with full waste concrete recycling, RECO2-CONC will reduce natural aggregates and cement demand significantly, advance the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The applicant’s international network and skills will be expanded, yielding high-impact outputs and targeted training that strengthen employability in academia and industry.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes recycling
- social sciences economics and business economics sustainable economy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1049 001 Lisboa
Portugal
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.