Title: CO₂ capture of concrete units for pavement through accelerated carbonation cure

Authors: Lívia Regueira Fortunato; Guilherme Aris Parsekian; Alex Neves Junior

Addresses: Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, 13565-905, Brazil ' Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, São Paulo, 13565-905, Brazil ' Civil Engineering Department, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil

Abstract: The process of extracting and manufacturing the raw materials needed to obtain concrete emits large amounts of CO₂ to the environment. However, recent research has shown that Portland cement-based materials have the ability to store CO₂ in the form of CaCO₃ through the accelerated carbonation process during the early ages. This technology can be applied to structural elements without reinforcing steel, as concrete used in pavers. Therefore, the present work performed the CO₂ curing in concrete pavers produced on an industrial scale. The samples were placed in a carbonation chamber with 20% of CO₂ concentration, the temperature and relative humidity were set in 23°C and 65% respectively and the curing process occurred in 4 and 16 hours. The amount of CO₂ absorbed by the samples was determined by the method of mass gain. After the curing process, the mechanical properties were measured. The concrete pavers cured with CO₂ reached the highest compressive strength, especially in the first ages (two days), and the resistance to abrasion and water absorption presented satisfactory values, but there were no variations at 2 and 28 days.

Keywords: CO₂ cure; accelerated carbonation; concrete units for pavement; CUP; concrete.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMRI.2022.122517

International Journal of Masonry Research and Innovation, 2022 Vol.7 No.3, pp.233 - 265

Received: 03 Jun 2020
Accepted: 18 Oct 2020
Published online: 29 Apr 2022 *

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