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PhD Training Network on Durable, Reliable and Sustainable Structures with Alkali-Activated Materials

Project description

Making concrete production more eco-friendly

Concrete is the most widely used material in the construction of civil engineering structures, but it has two significant disadvantages. First, its durability is low, and second, it is a powerful driver of global warming: the concrete industry is responsible for about 8 % of global carbon dioxide emissions. Alternative basic ingredients of concrete, such as alkali-activated materials, need to be further investigated to make its production sustainable. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DuRSAAM project aims to strengthen European research on eco-efficient construction materials. The programme will offer the opportunity to 13 PhD students to receive advanced training in the design and assessment of alkali-activated materials, fibre-reinforced concrete and textile-reinforced mortar.

Objective

DuRSAAM is a collaborative PhD framework creating a critical mass of experts skilled in innovative alkali-activated material (AAM) concrete, as a key enabling technology for a sustainable and resilient built environment. AAM technology presents a new generation of materials, ideally conceived to respond to the need for more efficient, durable, eco-friendly and reliable construction, and utilizing by-product resources as raw materials. Modern concrete will be produced with low carbon footprint (CO2 emissions reduced by 80%), lower energy consumption and reduced use of primary resources (>1.5 t raw materials are quarried per t Portland cement clinker; this will be reduced by >60%), and with an addressable market for AAM binders of 5 B€/yr. DuRSAAM answers unmet industry demands, to facilitate emerging AAM technology for continued market entry and to unlock its potential in society.
The consortium brings together 7 academic and 15 non-academic partners, to excel in the scientific development and exploitation of AAM concrete, advancing design, modelling and practice beyond the state-of-the-art. It holds a unique focus on: (1) today’s concerns of users and engineers that the durability and sustainability of AAM concrete is yet insufficiently quantified; and (2) provision of an AAM technology for rehabilitation of structures to meet the growing demand for renovation, to be developed in parallel with AAM for new concrete structures.
The network will deliver world-leading training in this multidisciplinary field through 13 PhDs in interrelated aspects of AAM concrete, fibre reinforced high-performance concrete, and textile-reinforced mortar, as well as sustainability assessment. The outcomes will be instrumental in delivering a sustainable future in Europe’s construction industry, which is increasingly driven by the growing demand for durable yet cost-effective solutions, driving a greater focus on reliable and comprehensive eco-efficient material technologies such as AAM.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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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.

MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITEIT GENT
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 512 640,00
Address
SINT PIETERSNIEUWSTRAAT 25
9000 GENT
Belgium

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Region
Vlaams Gewest Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen Arr. Gent
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

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.

€ 512 640,00

Participants (6)

Partners (15)

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