Honors College Thesis
 

Sustainability of Concrete in the Pacific Northwest

Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
Request Accessible Version
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/honors_college_theses/jh3441124

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Reducing the CO2 emitted by the production of cement can greatly reduce the carbon emissions attributable to the built industry. By specifying concrete mixes with lower global warming potentials (GWPs), structural engineers can reduce the carbon emissions of concrete used in the built industry. This thesis uses a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) to explore the impact that SCMs have on the GWP of concrete in Seattle. The objectives of this project are to: (1) demonstrate that the use of supplementary cementitious material in concrete mixes reduces the GWP of concrete, (2) compare the GWP of the NRMCA Pacific Northwest regional benchmark mix designs with commonly used mix designs in Seattle, (3) quantify how different supplementary cementitious materials can have an impact on concrete’s GWP, and (4) investigate barriers that prevent structural engineers in Seattle from specifying sustainable concrete. The results of this study are consistent with existing research in demonstrating that the use of SCMs in concrete mixes reduces the GWP of concrete. Slag is the most used SCM in the Pacific Northwest. All continuously approved mix designs in Seattle that utilize slag have lower GWPs than NRMCA regional benchmarks, so if a continuously approved concrete mix design in Seattle with slag, is specified, the building will meet one stipulation for a LEED credit. With the use of SCMs, commonly utilized concrete mixes can be considered a sustainable building material. For specified concrete that is not a continuously-approved mix, structural engineers in Seattle still specify an SCM, thereby making the concrete more sustainable. The thesis provides a framework that could be used by other major cities to evaluate how sustainable their concrete is and highlight which SCMs are being utilized the most.
  • Key Words: concrete, cement, global warming potential, supplementary cementitious material, continuously-approved mix design, sustainability
Resource Type
Date Issued
Degree Level
Degree Name
Degree Field
Degree Grantor
Commencement Year
Advisor
Committee Member
Non-Academic Affiliation
Rights Statement
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Accessibility Feature

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details ChaimovHilaryM2021.pdf 2021-05-31 Public Download