Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of self-healing engineered cementitious composite with in-house developed (semi-)synthetic superabsorbent polymers. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Van den Heede, Philip; Mignon, Arn; Habert, Guillaume; De Belie, Nele
• Is Part Of: Cement & concrete composites. Volume 94(2018)
• Page Start: 166
• Page End: 180
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Self-healing concrete -- Autogenous crack healing -- Superabsorbent polymers -- Synthetic microfibres -- Life cycle assessment; Composite-reinforced concrete -- Periodicals; Concrete -- Periodicals; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composites de ciment -- Périodiques; Béton -- Périodiques; Composites -- Périodiques; Béton léger -- Périodiques; Cement composites; Composite materials; Composite-reinforced concrete; Concrete; Lightweight concrete; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 620.135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2018.08.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-9465

Abstract

Abstract: Autogenous crack healing can be stimulated with superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in microfibre reinforced strain hardening engineered cementitious composite (ECC). Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment was performed for self-healing ECC with 1 m% of three in-house developed (semi-)synthetic SAPs and 2 v% of polypropylene (PP) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microfibre. Given the high cement content of this ECC (572 kg/m 3 ), CML-IA impacts of 1 m% SAP range between 4 and 52% of the cement impact. The highest impacts were recorded for semi-synthetic SAPs, due to high energy use during drying. Use of PVA microfibre should be avoided since addition of 2 v% (= 26 kg/m 3 ) can easily induce significantly higher CML-IA impacts than 572 kg cement. Nonetheless, if 100% crack healing efficiency could be assumed for slabs made of self-healing ECC, CML-IA impacts remain lower than those of a slab made of traditional concrete with inclusion of the required cover replacements within 100 years.