FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN THE CEMENT INDUSTRY

摘要

Concrete is the most important structural material of the built environment. Nevertheless it faces challenges, including need to reduce its high environmental impact and specific CO_2 emission. While the industry continues to take steps to reduce impacts and CO_2 emission, only modest improvement is forecast over the next one or two decades. Perhaps the greatest environmental benefit could be obtained by improving the durability of concrete constructions. Durability is an abstract term but its underlying attributes are well known. Design and workmanship contribute; however, the weak link is testing and test methods used to assess durability. Existing standards are heavily based on empiricism and often fail to reflect an understanding of the underlying physical and chemical mechanisms. Selected examples of sulfate attack are given to illustrate deficiencies in existing standards. It is suggested that the way forward will be modelling, linked to field studies and revised test methods appropriate to the service environment, thus enabling concrete performance to be optimised.