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Circular binder design using CDW and conventional precursors: Engineering and environmental performance assessment
Hüseyin İlcan1, Esat Koca2, Emircan Özçelikci1
1Department of Civil Engineering, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey.
Environmental Research
|November 22, 2025
Summary
This study explores using construction and demolition waste (CDW) like brick and concrete waste to create geopolymer binders. These sustainable alternatives show significantly lower environmental impact compared to traditional Portland cement.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Sustainable Construction
- Waste Management
Background:
- Construction and demolition waste (CDW) presents a significant disposal challenge.
- Geopolymer binders offer a sustainable alternative to Portland cement.
- Utilizing CDW as precursors in geopolymerization is an emerging research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of geopolymer binder systems using brick waste (BW) and concrete waste (CW).
- To evaluate the impact of mix parameters and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) on geopolymer properties.
- To compare the environmental performance of CDW-based geopolymers with hybrid Portland cement using life cycle assessment (LCA).
Main Methods:
- Preparation of geopolymer binder systems with varying CDW proportions (BW, CW) and SCMs (BFS, SF, MK).
- Evaluation of engineering properties: flow table, buildability, and compressive strength tests under ambient curing.
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify environmental impacts.
Main Results:
- Increased NaOH molarity and CW content improved flowability but reduced buildability.
- Higher aggregate-to-binder ratio enhanced stability.
- BFS and SF improved workability; MK replacement decreased flow.
- Enhanced compressive strength with higher NaOH molarity and Ca(OH)2 addition.
- CDW-based geopolymers achieved 4-26 MPa compressive strength.
- LCA revealed up to 69% lower environmental impact for CDW geopolymers versus Portland cement.
Conclusions:
- CDW can be effectively utilized as precursors for geopolymer binder systems.
- Mix design optimization is crucial for balancing workability, buildability, and strength.
- CDW-based geopolymers present a promising sustainable alternative to Portland cement with substantial environmental benefits.
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