On a path towards a more sustainable concrete

implementation of pozzolanic cement in Uruguay

Abstract

Air pollution is a problem which importance has grown in the last few decades. This problem is due, in part, to the industrial sector. In Uruguay, the cement industry is the most pollutant of this category, so, the aim of this article, is to determine new techniques to reduce the emissions of CO2 in the production of concrete. To conduct this study, a survey was made in order to determine the level of knowledge of less polluting cements by professionals involved in the field of construction. Furthermore, it was sought to ascertain the reasons why a unique type of cement is  produced in Uruguay, unlike other countries which effectively have a wide variety of cements with lower footprint of CO2. Then, an experimental campaign was conducted, where specimens of concrete with modified cement were made using rice husk ash (CCA by its initials in Spanish).