Basic Info
Projects
| Project | Type | Duration |
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Hydration processes and microstructure formation of the new cement composites and their use in the development of special concretes
Program: VEGA
The European Committee for Standardization CEN-51 expanded the number of cement types from 27 to 39. Two newly developed types of cement, (1) – Portland composite cement CEM II/C-M and (2) composite cement – CEM VI, covered by STN EN 197-5, are not yet recognized and fully accepted by the standard STN 206/NA for concrete. These composite cements with a lower clinker factor (65-35%) and a higher degree of admixture combinations are of considerable CO2 reduction potential in cement and concrete industries. The suitability of these new types of cement and their intended use for construction purposes was experimentally evaluated by test programs for mortars. Until now, detailed studies on the suitability of these binders for the development of concrete, i.e., for what types of concrete and for what exposure classes related to environmental actions, have not been carried out and scientifically verified. The project fulfills the gap between STN EN 197-5 for mortar and STN 206/NA for concrete by using material chemistry to map the potential application of the new composites cement in developing sealing cement grout for geothermal wells, Self-Compacting and Heavyweight Concrete.
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national | 1.1.2024 – 31.12.2027 |
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Understanding and improvement of the hydration reactions of the low-carbon cements for development of low-carbon concrete including carbon capture through carbonation
Program: APVV
Deepening the knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms and kinetics of hydration reactions of cement composites with a low to very low content of Portland clinker to develop Low-Carbon Concrete is currently the main focus of scientific research on inorganic composite binders worldwide. The construction sector has been identified as the most significant sector responsible for 40% of total anthropogenic CO2. To mitigate the detrimental effect of cement and concrete production on the environment and energy consumption, locally available supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs) are combined with locally produced cement. The chemical composition of these materials is closely linked to their source, causing the cement composition to vary from one locality to another. The hydration reaction of cement, which governs the properties of concrete, is a complex process, even more so in the system containing SCMs. Lowering the clinker content in cement to achieve low-carbon cement decreases the initial hydration heat, slows the rate of strength development, and makes the concrete belong to a low-strength class. Primary hydration of cement phases, alkali-activated/pozzolanic reactions, carbonation, superplasticizers, and the water-binder ratio are the main factors to consider in developing low-carbon cement, the main ingredient for making low-carbon concrete. Developing low-carbon concrete from low-carbon cement with the incorporation of recycled concrete aggregates is the main scientific and technological challenge to achieve the objectives of this project. Combining scientific knowledge of hydration process with the development of low-carbon cement will enable the development of low-carbon concrete with similar properties to ordinary concrete. Furthermore, the project plans to develop fiber-reinforced load-bearing concrete from low-carbon concrete. The possibility of sequestering CO2 in the concrete structure by carbonation in the CO2 chamber will be explored.
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national | 1.7.2024 – 30.6.2028 |
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New technology for the production of hydrogen and geopolymer composites from coal mining wasteuction from post-mining waste
Program: Horizont Európa
The current situation in the fuel market, mainly related to the war in Ukraine, may cause interruptions in the supply of fuels and other raw materials, including building materials.The development of a comprehensive technology for the management of mine waste dumps is planned within the project. The main idea of the project is to use the separated mineral fractions and fly ash to produce geopolymer composites. It is planned to use CO2 as a process carrier in the production of composites.Another important aspect of the project is determining the possibility of obtaining Hydrogen from gasifying energy fractions. High-quality raw materials for the production of geopolymers and hydrogen will be ensured by using an innovative mobile separator to process mine waste. The project will enable the creation of environmentally friendly and economically justified installations using material from a post-mining waste landfill. Achieving the final goal will be possible thanks to the implementation of the partial goals set in the project, including the development of technologies dedicated to the production of geopolymers and hydrogen.
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international | 1.7.2023 – 30.6.2026 |
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Circular and digital renewal of central Europe construction and building sector
Program: INTERREG
The construction industry is one of the most natural resource-consumption sectors (more than 50% of all extracted materials, 50% of water, and 1/3 of energy are used in construction, which also produces more than 1/3 of all wastes and 1/3 GHG), therefore boosting the circular economy (CE) in this sector produces a significant impact on central European society\'s well-being and increases its resource efficiency. The current situation of innovation ecosystems for circular and digital construction varies significantly from region to region. While some regions already have good practices of using recycled materials and established administrative procedures (e.g., End-of-Waste criteria), others are still making initial steps towards circular and digital construction (e.g., focusing mainly on backfilling of Construction and Demolition Waste). Nevertheless, the common gaps in all regions are: (1) General reluctance towards Secondary Raw Material (SRM)-based products; (2) Lack of operating SRM-based construction market; (3) Lack of appropriate data about the quality of SRM-based products and their traceability (waste to product flows); (4) Lack of administrative/legal routes for reuse of products; (5) Lack of good practices of circular economy business models; (6) Lack of transnational education program for T-shaped experts.The overall objective of the ReBuilt project is to increase awareness and attractiveness of circular and digital construction through the creation of an education program, upgrade and piloting of new solutions (technical and digital), upgrade demand-side measures, including green labeling, EoW, Green Public Procurement (GPP) and through the creation of first Central European Circular and Digital Construction Strategy, which will be deployed through a network of Regional Circular and Digital Construction Hubs. The project outputs and results will further uptake construction in central Europe, taking into consideration regional and urban/rural specifics.
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international | 1.4.2023 – 1.6.2026 |
Publications
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