UAEU student has concrete plan for more environmentally-friendly construction

Research carried out by a United Arab Emirates University, UAEU, student, shows that more environmentally-friendly concrete could be created by adding ceramic waste powder to the mix, with the potential to cut CO2 emissions.

The discovery was made by Sama Tarek Sayed Taha Aly, who completed her Master of Science Degree in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at UAEU in Al Ain, with her findings claiming that the powder produced during the process of polishing ceramic tiles can then be put to use in the construction industry, and it could be a possible alternative to more-expensive cement which would contribute to the UAE’s sustainability agenda.

She conducted tests which showed that ceramic waste powder can be used to successfully produce self-compacted concrete, SCC, which is regarded as a high-quality, more flexible, and more sustainable building material, with "improved fresh and hardened properties". Her findings revealed that the mixture developed through this process is denser, absorbs less liquid, and has high strength.

"The development of SCC is considered a milestone achievement in concrete technology, due to the multiple advantages it offers," said Ms. Aly in the research paper she produced on the subject.

"However, the use of excess amounts of cement will greatly increase the cost of materials and influence other vital properties. As a substitute, other filler materials have been a research focus for many years to evaluate their efficiency in the SCC industry."

Aly explained that there is now a global trend of using recycled materials in construction, as this contributes to sustainable waste management and reduces the strain on landfill sites, while also leaving less of an environmental footprint than cement, the production of which requires high energy consumption. She pointed out that a single UAE ceramic factory alone produces 10,000 tonnes of ceramic powder every year, with its disposal creating an additional environmental issue.