Centre for Territory,
Environment and Construction
Ecomaterials - ECM
José Barroso Aguiar; Coordinator
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Centre for Territory,
Environment and Construction
Ecomaterials - ECM
2
Aires Camões José Barroso Aguiar Rute Eires Said Jalali
Academic Staff
Centre for Territory,
Environment and Construction
Ecomaterials - ECM
3
Fernando Pacheco Torgal Mohammad Kheradmand Rui Miguel Ferreira
Research Staff
Yining Ding Zahra Abdollahnejad Muhammad Mastali
Centre for Territory,
Environment and Construction
Ecomaterials - ECM
4
Arman Shasavandi Cristiana Pereira Elisabete Teixeira Elsa Neto
PhD Students
Iman Ferdosian Raphaele Malheiro Rawia Dabbebi Rui Reis Sandra Cunha
Centre for Territory,
Environment and Construction
Ecomaterials - ECM
Carlos Jesus Fernando Pokee
Technical Staff
CTAC - strategy
S4citiesSustainable, Smart, Safe and Smiling cities
Quality of life of cities and territories: closely related to the ecological footprint
reduction together with the improvement of liveability and resilience to the
challenges of population growth and climate change.
Assuming new challenges from urban planning and management, building
construction, transportation and spatial planning, innovative ecomaterials and
efficient use of water and energy.
Strategic Programme 2015-2020: collaborative approach for the development
of multidisciplinary projects supporting the vision of the center – S4cities.
Cooperation with other research centers, in close interaction with all decision
makers: government, companies and municipal authorities. 6
The ECM RCA develops research on “innovative ecomaterials &
technologies” with connections to “energy efficiency & sustainable
built environment” and “risk management and health”.
Main research projects
New technologies for smart materials, involving the study of phase change materials –
Barroso Aguiar
Eco-efficient mortars and concretes, involving the study of high performance pozzolans for
partial replacement of Portland cement – Aires Camões
Eco-efficient and cost-efficient alkali-activated binders – Fernando Torgal
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-structural applications - Rute
Eires 7
8
Research project 1
New technologies for smart materials, involving the study of phase
change materials – Barroso Aguiar
Main Results
S. Cunha, M. Lima and J. B. Aguiar, Influence of adding phase change materials on the
physical and mechanical properties of cement mortars, Construction and Building
Materials, Vol. 127, 2016, 1-10. http://hdl.handle.net/1822/43106 doi:
10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.09.119
Table 1: Mortars formulation (kg/m3).
Composition Cement Sand PCM Superplasticizer Fibers Water
CEM-0PCM 500 1279.4 0 15 5 325
CEM-2.5PCM 500 1289.6 32.2 15 5 275
CEM-5PCM 500 1243.5 62.2 15 5 250
CEM-7.5PCM 500 1204 90.3 15 5 225
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a) b)
c) d)Figure 5: Pore distribution of cement based mortars: a) Reference mortar (0%
PCM); b) 2.5% of PCM; c) 5% of PCM; d) Mortar with 7.5% of PCM.
Research project 1
New technologies for smart materials, involving the study of phase change materials –
Barroso Aguiar
10
a) b)
Figure 14: Mechanical behavior of the mortars: a) Flexural strength; b) Compressive strength
Table 2: Classification of mortars according
to standard NP EN 998-1:2010 [35].
Class of strength Compressive Strength (MPa)
CSI 0.4 to 2.5
CSII 1.5 to 5.0
CSIII 3.5 to 7.5
CSIV = 6.0
Research project 1
New technologies for smart materials, involving the study of phase change materials –
Barroso Aguiar
11
Research project 1
New technologies for smart materials, involving the study of phase change materials –
Barroso Aguiar
Conclusion
The incorporation of non-encapsulated PCM leads to a decrease in the microporosity of
mortars and a delay in the hardener process of cement, such as it was demonstrated by
scanning electron microscope observations and DSC-TGA tests.
According to flexural and compressive strengths it can be concluded that he
incorporation of non-encapsulated PCM did not cause significant changes in the
mechanical behavior of mortars. On the other hand, the developed mortars showed a
high resistance class taking into account the compressive behavior.
CONTRIBUTION TO CTAC MISSION
Innovative Ecomaterials – Increase the thermal performance and durability12
Research project 2
Eco-efficient mortars and concretes, involving the study of high
performance pozzolans for partial replacement of Portland cement –
Aires Camões
• Eco-efficient high volume fly ash concrete
• Eco-efficient high volume biomass fly ash concrete
• Eco-efficient ultra-high performance concrete
• Combined action of chloride and carbonation considering the
presence of fly ash
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Research project 2
Eco-efficient mortars and concretes, involving the study of high performance pozzolans for partial
replacement of Portland cement – Aires Camões
• Eco-efficient high volume fly ash concrete
Using high volumes of fly ash greatly reduces the compressive strength and carbonation
resistance. The use of hydrated lime within the concrete composition may be a tool to
mitigate these problems. The results suggest that for better results, the hydrated limeshould be added until 10% binder.
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Research project 2
Eco-efficient mortars and concretes, involving the study of high performance pozzolans for partial
replacement of Portland cement – Aires Camões
• Eco-efficient high volume biomass fly ash concrete
It is possible to use biomass fly ashes as partial cement replacement with good results interms of durability. The utilization of biomass fly ash as reservoir of alkalinity show good
results, similar to those obtained with utilization of hydrated lime.15
Research project 2
Eco-efficient mortars and concretes, involving the study of high performance pozzolans for partial
replacement of Portland cement – Aires Camões
• Eco-efficient ultra-high performance concrete
An eco-efficient ultra-high performance concrete, with compressive strength and flow
diameter of 160.3 MPa and 19 cm respectively, was developed through partially
substitution of cement and silica fume by ultra-fine fly ash. Response surfacemethodology, as a statistical mixture design and optimization tool, was applied. The
developed UHPC contains 640 kg/m3 and 56.3 kg/m3 of cement and silica fume
respectively.
Predicted responses Experimental results
F.D. C.S. F.D. C.S.
(cm) (MPa) (cm) (MPa)
Eco-efficient 19 158.2 19 160.3
Cost-efficient 19 150 19 150.5
Zero Silica fume 19 140.5 - -
Eco-efficient Cost-efficient ZSF
CO2 content (kg/m3) 90% 92% 97%
Cost (€/m3) 66% 62% 57%
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Research project 2
Eco-efficient mortars and concretes, involving the study of high performance pozzolans for partial
replacement of Portland cement – Aires Camões
• Combined action of chloride and carbonation considering the presence of fly ash
The combined action of chloride ions and carbonation has influence on the carbonation front
progress and also on the characteristics of chloride profiles.
For OPC mortar, combined action seems to difficult chloride penetration. For FA mortar (and
deeper carbonation depth), the combined action seems to increase the amount of total chloride
along chloride profile.
The carbonation is decreased by the presence of chlorides in the matrix with and without FA.
OPC mixture168 days (12
cycles)
OPC mixture
168 days (12 cycles)
FA (40% wt.) mixture
168 days (12 cycles)
FA (40% wt.) mixture168 days (12 cycles)
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Research project 3
Eco-efficient and cost-efficient alkali-activated binders – Pacheco Torgal
Main Results
Abdollahnejad, Z.; Kheradmand, M.; Pacheco-Torgal, F.. 2017. "Short-term compressive strength
of fly ash and waste glass alkali-activated cement based binder (AACB) mortars with two
biopolymers", Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering (in press)
Table 2. Mix proportions of AACB mortars (kg/m3)
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Research project 3
Eco-efficient and cost-efficient alkali-activated binders – Pacheco Torgal
Compressive strength of AACB mixtures cured at 60ºC with 8M and
according to biopolymer xhantan content: a) 0%; b) 0.05%; c) 0.1%; d)
0.15%19
Research project 3
Eco-efficient and cost-efficient alkali-activated binders – Pacheco Torgal
Table 2. Mix proportions of AACB mortars (kg/m3)
Cost of AACB mortars with different content of carrageenan
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Research project 3
Eco-efficient and cost-efficient alkali-activated binders – Pacheco Torgal
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Geopolymer Carrageenan Geopolymer
Hydrogen bonds (represented by the dashed lines) formed between carrageenan
and fly ash-based geopolymer as well as within kappa-carrageenan macromolecules
Research project 3
Eco-efficient and cost-efficient alkali-activated binders – Pacheco Torgal
Conclusion
The results show that a mixture of 80% fly ash, 10% waste glass and 10%calcium hydroxide activated with an alkaline activator has the highestcompressive strength. The results also show that the mortars with minorbiopolymer carrageenan content are associated with a relevant increase incompressive strength and that the use of 0.1% of carraggenan leads tooptimum compressive strength in most mixtures. The use of xhantan showsno beneficial effects on the compressive strength of AACB mortars.
Contribution to C-TAC mission
Innovative Ecomaterials - Increase the eco-efficiency
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Research project 4
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-
structural applications - Rute Eires
Main Results
• Eires, R., Camões A. Jalali, S. Enhancing water resistance of earthen buildings with
quicklime and oil. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016.
• Eires R., Camões A., and Jalali S., "Ancient Materials and Techniques to Improve the
Earthen Building Durability", Key Engineering Materials, Trans Tech Publications Ltd,
Switzerland, vol. Volume 634, pp. 357-366,
doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.634.357, 2014.
Main objective
Incorporation of natural products such as oils or fats in earth building in order to improve
the resistance of compressed soil against rainwater action.
Tested mixtures
Mixtures Stabilizer Additive Biopolymer
S - - -
S-C Cement 4 % - -
S-HL Hydrated lime 4 % - -
S-QL
Quicklime 4 %
- -
S-QL_NaOH NaOH 0.1 % -
S-QL_Oil - Oil 1 %
S-QL_Oil_NaOH NaOH 0.1 % Oil 1 %
Scheme of rainwater simulation test and the test of one specimen
Research project 4
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-structural applications -
Rute Eires
Compressive strength (dry and wet specimens) and Water absorption coefficient
Research project 4
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-structural applications -Rute Eires
Results of rainwater tests
Research project 4
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-structural applications -Rute Eires
SEM images of the mixtures: (a) S; (b)
S-C; (c) S-HL; (d) S-QL
SEM images of the mixtures: a – S-
QL_Oil; b – S-QL_NaOH; and c – S-QL_
Oil_NaOH
Decrease of voids in S-QL mixtures
Research project 4
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-structural applications -Rute Eires
Research project 4
Composites based in natural materials for structural and non-structural applications -
Rute Eires
Conclusion
The results obtained in this research showed that the use of quicklime with “hot
hydration” has good performance in selected soil with or without oil or sodium
hydroxide.
The used additions increase compressive strength and reduce water absorption by
capillarity, mainly with oil addition.
In practice, the quicklime mixtures studied can be applied in earthen walls (internal or
external walls) and the quicklime and oil mixtures can be applied in walls exposed to
an outdoor climate (external walls).
CONTRIBUTION TO CTAC MISSION
Natural Ecomaterials – Increase of durability maintaining the sustainability