Grant: Engage Grants Program

Quality Concrete Ltd. is devoted to implementing sustainable materials for their concrete mixing. Currently up to 20 % of their concrete is held together by a paste made from a mixture of Portland Cement and water. This paste binds the gravel, rock, and sand (aggregates) together to give a malleable, easy to use concrete mixture when wet, and a strong, water resistant product when dry. Portland cement is manufactured by heating caustic limestone with clay in an energy intensive mill at very high temperatures (about 1450°C). This firing process utilizes high quantities of fuel, typically coal or petroleum coke. The process of generating portland cement is unsustainable and exposure to many of its ingredients is potentially dangerous therefore the concrete industry in very interested in sustainable, healthier alternatives. Since Portland cement is a main ingredient that gives the concrete its ideal physical characteristics, it can not be completely replaced, but certain additives can be used to reduce the amount of Portland cement used. Recent studies have shown that reusable natural by-products like charcoal made from biomass can be implemented in the concrete manufacturing process by replacing up to 10% of Portland cement to produce a lightweight, more feasible, concrete product with uniform porosity and increased comprehensive strength. This proposal focus' on identifying local biomass sources (crab, forestry) for conversion to biochar and collaboration with Quality Concrete to test for applicability, stability, strength and durability of the resulting concrete with the addition of various concentrations and types of biochar.