Basic Info

Čepčianska, Jana Ing., PhD.

researcher






Projects

Project Type Duration
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.
 national 1.1.2024 – 31.12.2027
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.
 national 1.7.2024 – 30.6.2028

Publications

CZIRÁK, Peter** – ČEPČIANSKA, Jana – KALAUNI, Kishor – PALOU, Martin T. – ŽEMLIČKA, Matúš. EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CURING CONDITIONS ON THE PROPERTIES OF HARDENED CONCRETE. In Slovak Journal of Civil Engineering, 2026, vol. 36, no. 2, p. 58-64. (2025: 0.6 – IF, Q4 – JCR). ISSN 1210-3896. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjce-2026-0012 (APVV-23-0383 : Pochopenie a zlepšenie hydratačných reakcií nízkouhlíkových cementov pre vývoj nízkouhlíkového betónu vrátane zachytávania uhlíka karbonatáciou. VEGA 2/0080/24 : Hydratačné procesy a tvorba mikroštruktúry nových kompozitných cementov a ich využitie na vývoj špeciálnych betónov. APVV-19-0490 : Výskum a vývoj mnohozložkových cementových zmesí pre špeciálne konštrukčné materiály. CE0100390 : Circular and digital renewal of central Europe construction and building sector.) [ADNA]
CHYSTIAKOV, Artem – BERSHADSKYI, Anton – ČEPČIANSKA, Jana – MEDVEĎ, Igor – PLEŠINGEROVÁ, Beatrice – NEVŘIVOVÁ, Lenka – MATEJDES, Marián – UNČÍK, Stanislav – SLANÝ, Michal**. Mechanical and microstructural performance of concrete with locally available recycled aggregates for the lower layers of rigid pavements. In Results in Engineering, 2026, vol. 30, art. no. 111195. (2025: 9.4 – IF, Q1 – JCR, 1.24 – SJR, Q1 – SJR). ISSN 2590-1230. Dostupné na: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2026.111195 (APVV-23-0383 : Pochopenie a zlepšenie hydratačných reakcií nízkouhlíkových cementov pre vývoj nízkouhlíkového betónu vrátane zachytávania uhlíka karbonatáciou.) [ADMA]