Page 58 - CV Aug-Sep 2023 Issue

THE CRISIS

Shakun Vaidya - Vice-President
Customer Technical Services OF DURABILITY
JK Cement - Grey Div.

he world today is passing through their own”. goals, such as those prescribed in the
a transitory phase which is The requirement of high strength LEED green building rating system. Their
Tchallenging, and everyone is concrete has resulted in production of use not only results in durable, high-
anxious as we live in a rapidly altering higher strengths of OPC. The durability of performance concrete, but also saves
universe. The construction industry is concrete prepared with high strength scarce and virgin raw minerals, lowers
encountering trials and turbulences, – cements has performed poorly and the energy consumption, and turns by-
global warming, climate change, image of concrete as a maintenance free products from other industries into
capability to achieve sustainable construction material stands tarnished. resources that would, otherwise, be
development and economic growth The phenomenon of poor durability is disposed of in landfills. The most
without harmful effects on our worldwide and the cost of repairs and common SCMs are, fly ash (a coal
environment and much more. The maintenance in US is estimated at US $3 combustion by-product from power
concrete industry specifically faces trillion annually. India too faces the plants),slag(a by-product of the iron-
supplementary challenges. There is durability problem which is quite severe manufacturing process), and silica fume
widespread evidence to show that in coastal areas, industrial belts, and (a by-product of manufacturing silicon
concrete materials and concrete areas, where the aggressive environment metals and ferro-silicon alloys) to name a
structures all over the world are exists and accelerates the deterioration few. Hence blended cements not only
deteriorating at a rapid speed. We are of concrete. help produce durable concrete but also
unable to ensure their long-term Engines of our industrial revolution are aids sustainability. Hence, we conclude
durability & service life performance. powered by fossil fuels, the combustion that the current emphasis on high
Although the money spent on cement in of which has pushed the environment strength and very high strength cement,
any project is only 12–16 % of the project loading of carbon emissions to a level and the design philosophy of durability
cost, the durability and strength of the that is already causing a change in global through Strength for concrete materials
project is entirely dependent on the climate. and concrete structures is basically
performance of cement. Washington's World Institute had flawed. It is this ambiguous concept and
The reliability and dependability of reported that during the last two decades, vision that is primarily responsible for the
cement as a building material is of great un-natural disasters in many parts of the lack of durable performance of concrete
significance as the safety of the world have increased six-fold.The in real life surroundings. To change this
occupants and users of concrete and frequency and severity of rainstorms, scenario, we support that concrete
masonry structures is entirely dependent hurricanes, cyclones, droughts & heat materials must be manufactured for
on performance of cement in concrete. waves have caused staggering losses of durability and not for strength. It is shown
As compared to other construction life & property across many parts of our that this concept of strength through
materials, concrete is the most suited world. durability can be achieved through
material for sustainable development. careful design of the cement matrix and
According to world commission on Cementitious blends, which are an its microstructure. If concrete is to be an
environment and development, amalgamation of Portland cement and eco-friendly, and sustainable driving force
sustainability means “Meeting the needs one or more supplementary cementitious and construction material for social
of the present without compromising the materials (SCMs), have many properties change, the need is to produce durable
ability of the future generations to meet that contribute to sustainable building concrete.

CONSTRUCTION VISION 56 AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2023