Sustainable, durable concrete – are specifications always fit for purpose – a case study

Consultant to Sandberg LLP, London and Visiting Professor at Leeds University, UK.

^* Corresponding author: michael.grantham@sandberg.co.uk

Abstract

This paper examines the drive in the construction industry to source materials for new construction sustainably. It examines the key drivers that sustainable construction entails but also looks at the crucial impact that over-specifying can have on the performance of concrete in the field. Sustainability is, however, just one concern to the modern Engineer, and ensuring the concrete can be placed and compacted adequately is also a very real concern, especially where visual concrete is concerned. The paper examines some of the issues around sustainability and also looks at several case studies where concrete has not performed as expected and has caused very real problems in the field, when using secondary cementitious materials (SCMs) in conjunction with superplasticiser. The paper concludes with some guidance on how to achieve the best of both aims sustainability and durability, while avoiding some of the pitfalls that can occur.