Twelfth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Belitic Calcium Sulfoaluminate (BCSA) Concrete is increasingly attractive due to its reduced carbon footprint compared to ordinary portland cement. As low carbon concrete specifications are being developed worldwide, alternative cements are of major interest to end users and asset owners, but the issue of cost and practicality is often overlooked. If the case of BCSA cement, the fast-setting characteristics have offered an elegant way to pay for low-carbon infrastructure: the end user is willing to pay a premium for fast construction. Low-carbon simply comes as an added benefit. BCSA was developed in the United States in the mid seventies, and it allows pavement, bridge decks and other concrete infrastructure to be returned to service in a matter of hours. It also allows innovation in pavement design. BCSA concrete slabs placed at Sea-Tac International Airport (SEA) since the 1990s are still in service 20 years after placement. Low permeability BCSA concrete has also been developed. More than 2,000 miles of such low-carbon pavement have been placed in California. This paper reviews the fundamental concepts, the innovative applications, and the prospects for BCSA concrete in building a more resilient, low carbon infrastructure.