The design, durability and performance of structures play a crucial role in fostering societal and economic growth. Concrete structures are used extensively for buildings, transport, infrastructure and maritime applications. By using concrete extraordinary structures can be realised, and these are often designed for long service lives to gain optimal value from the material, environmental, intellectual and financial input into the making of the structure. In Europe, around 4 tonnes of concrete per capita are consumed annually. The downside of using concrete is associated with durability issues and huge environmental costs, as the cement industry accounts for 8% of global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions; and around 60% of all non-renewable resources are used in construction, making it one of the least sustainable industries. There is a clear demand for a new, sustainable generation of construction materials, since Portland cement based concrete cannot meet all the challenges of modern society concerning durability and sustainability.
The aim of DuRSAAM is to strengthen the European research area on eco-efficient construction materials and the increased competitiveness of Europe's construction sector, in applying concrete technology based on alkali-activated materials (AAM) for a more sustainable build environment. The AAM concrete fits in a vision of using local available by-products, so as to simultaneously avoid the use of primary raw materials and reducing the carbon footprint. As such, DuRSAAM provided world-leading training and a leap forward in the state-of-the-art in this multidisciplinary field through 13 PhDs in interrelated aspects of AAM concrete, fibre reinforced high-performance concrete, and textile-reinforced mortar, as well as sustainability assessment. The outcomes are instrumental in delivering a sustainable future in Europe’s construction industry, which is increasingly driven by the growing demand for durable yet cost-effective solutions, driving a greater focus on reliable and comprehensive eco-efficient material technologies such as AAM.
