Using Durability To Enhance Concrete Sustainability

Abstract The sustainability of concrete buildings and infrastructure must be considered both in terms of its benefits to society and the environmental impact associated with its use in construction. Production of Portland cement (PC), in particular, is energy intensive and generates a significant amount of carbon dioxide. Cement is, however, only a relatively small component of concrete and overall the material is resource efficient and has moderate embodied energy and carbon dioxide footprint. Concrete is widely used due to its low cost, ease of use, good track record, versatility, local availability, thermal benefits, acoustic dampening, and durability. Durability performance of construction materials is important, and concrete is often considered to be inherently durable due to its chemical and physical resistance to various environments and dimensional stability. Concrete structures are assumed to be largely maintenance-free and to provide long service lives. Figure 1 shows an 80-year-old concrete bri...