Low Carbon Cement
"Low Carbon Cement" is a novel formulation of cement developed by a team at CIDEM, (Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Estructura y Materiales) at the University of Las Villas, (Cuba) and the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne , Switzerland, which allows to replace a large part of the clinker, one of the most expensive components of cement by a combination of calcined clay, known as "Metakaolin" and calcium carbonate in the form of limestone.
The cement formula developed allows to triple the current levels of substitution of clinker used by the cement industry in Cuba (about 15-18% in the cement PP-250), to produce a cement of similar resistance and a superior resistance to penetration agents such as chlorides, which could damage the concrete matrix.
In August 2013 they ground 137 tons of cement at the factory in Siguaney , located in the central region of Cuba, in the province of Sancti Spiritus. This industrial trial had began in March of the same year with the industrial burning of 120 tons of caolinitic clay which generated more than 65 tons of Metakaolin. This milling was the culmination of the industrial production and now begins the work of experimental testing.
The cement produced has shown excellent properties so far. In resistance tests at 24 hours it reached 5 Mpa, which is 15% of the resistance expected within 28 days. There is no increase in water demand, and it has a normal setting time, similar to commercial cements P-350 and PP-250.
This cement will be tested in several works, under constant supervision of the echnical staff . It will be used on floors and walls of 20 MPa and 30 MPa, as well as prefabricated building blocks and others. With the data from these tests and other evidence to be collected, CIDEM intends to present in 2014 a norm for standardization of the new formula to the Technical Committee for Standardization of Cement and Concrete.
This experience will place Cuba in the front of countries looking for ecological alternatives for the production of construction materials. The EcoSur network is proud to support its founding member CIDEM in those groundbreaking investigations.
Dr. Fernando Martirena (left), with the CIDEM team in the Cement factory in Siguaney
