Use of Low-Grade Limestone in Binary and Ternary Cementitious Binders for Concrete
Co-PI:Piyush Chaunsali
Our research focuses on the utilization of low-grade limestone in cementitious system and concrete. The limestone which is not suitable for cement production is called as low-grade limestone. Low-grade limestone have different types of impurities mixed with limestone . Based on that types of Limestone are classified as Cement grade limestone, Limestone with clay impurities, Siliceous limestone and Dolomitic limestone. The idea is to utilize low-grade limestone as a partial replacement of Ordinary Portland cement in different proportion to reduce the Carbon emissions of the concrete. This will improve the efficiency of limestone mines and will reduce the burden of dumped limestone
Sustainable Earthquake Resistant 3D-Printed Concrete Housing From Laboratory Testing to Industrial Application
PI: Manu Santhanam
Duration: Jul 2023 – Jul 2025
3D printed concrete (3DPC) has the potential to revolutionize the construction industry by using robotic technology to automate construction. 3DPC presents new challenges that need to be addressed before it can be utilized on a large scale by the industry. From the material perspective, new concrete mix designs are needed to reduce the high carbon content of 3DPC to improve its sustainability. Another critical factor for 3DPC is to provide adequate bond strength between printing layers to avoid cold joints at the layer interface. From the structural perspective, reinforcing 3DPC is essential to prevent brittle failure modes and ensure structural ductility. Another major challenge is the lack of large-scale testing to assess and quantify the safety and performance of 3DPC structures. Considering the vulnerability of our communities to natural hazards (e.g. earthquakes), it is extremely important to thoroughly assess and improve the safety of 3DPC structures. Hence, the main goal of this project is to develop sustainable seismic-resistant 3DPC buildings by conducting experimental testing and computer simulations at both the material and structural levels while also considering the environmental impact and architectural requirements.
Research and Development of Construction and Demolition Waste
PI: Surender Singh
Duration: Jan 2021-Dec 2023
We start Communications India Pvt. Ltd has set up two recycling plants in Chennai (Perungudi and Kodungaiyur) under Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Their primary objective is to manage & process the C&D waste generated in Chennai. We have signed an MoU with Westart Communications India to mentor them on processing the C&D waste to extract high-quality materials that could be used to replace pristine materials for different civil engineering applications. Apart from process optimization, we help them design sustainable concrete mixes containing these waste materials.
Beneficial Utilization of Agricultural (Stubble) Waste in Structural Materials
Funding Agency: Tide Water Oil Company Ltd.
PI: Piyush Chaunsali,
Co-PI:Manu Santhanam
Duration: 2020-2023
This project aims to address growing challenges regarding the beneficial utilization of biomass ash generated in India. Infrastructure materials offer potential sinks for these source materials due to the enormous volume usages, in applications such as roads, buildings, bridges, etc. This work combines the principles of materials chemistry, structural engineering and life-cycle analysis to develop load-bearing, durable, sustainable and economically-viable cementitious binders based on Indian biomass ash.
Promoting an Environmental-friendly Construction Material Sector in Malawi
Funding Agency: TARA
PI: Manu Santhanam,
Co-PI Piyush Chaunsali
Duration: Jun 2022 – Dec 2023
In the pursuit of fostering environmental sustainability, it is imperative to expand the utilization of materials with lower energy intensity, including waste products, to partially replace cement in concrete and mortar. Industrial by-products such as fly ash and GGBS have demonstrated efficacy as supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), capable of replacing 30-50% of cement to produce concrete that is both sustainable and durable. However, their limitation lies in suboptimal early age strength.
To address this limitation, the development of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) has been undertaken, with the objective of achieving sustainable concrete without compromising early age strength. Nevertheless, the successful application of LC3 is contingent upon the availability of local supplies of calcined clay and limestone. Consequently, there is a critical need to explore significant clay deposits on a global scale.
This study is dedicated to evaluating the suitability of clay sourced from the Linthepe region in Malawi, Southern Africa, for integration into the LC3 system. The assessment encompasses both mechanical and durability performance, instilling confidence in the utilization of calcined clay from Linthepe for LC3 production and contributing to the reduction of clinker consumption, thereby promoting environmental sustainability.
Elucidating the Role of Cement-Asphalt-Aggregate Interaction on Failure and Durability of Rigid Pavements containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Aggregates
Funding Agency: DST-SERB
PI: Surender Singh
Duration: Dec 2021-Dec 2023
In the pursuit of fostering environmental sustainability, it is imperative toThe use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) aggregates in concrete is a recent development for enhancing the toughness of rigid pavements, however, at the expense of deteriorating other properties― the literature indicates that the use of RAP could lead to a strength reduction in the range of 20-79%. The presence of asphalt film around the RAP has been attributed to hindering the bonding between aggregates and the cement-mortar matrix. The use of highly reactive mineral admixtures also could not enhance the performance of RAP-concrete and this is believed to be due to the asphalt-cohesion failure mechanism. The parameters affecting the strength development and failure mechanism have not been delineated in any other study. The project is a novel attempt to fundamentally understand the failure mechanism associated with RAP-inclusive concrete with an aim to explore all the dominating parameters affecting its performance. To achieve this broad objective, initially, the physical, mechanical, and chemical affinity of asphalt of varying characteristics with aggregates of different mineralogy and also with cement-mortar of varying compositions is understood through surface free energy concept and later through tensile adhesive strength measurements. Thereafter, the effect of asphalt characteristics on the hydration kinetics of concrete has been studied and co-related with the mechanical and durability characteristics of concrete pavements. The understanding from these approaches is being used to develop strategies to enhance the performance of rigid pavements through the integration of RAP without significantly affecting the mechanical behaviour.
expand the utilization of materials with lower energy intensity, including waste products, to partially replace cement in concrete and mortar. Industrial by-products such as fly ash and GGBS have demonstrated efficacy as supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), capable of replacing 30-50% of cement to produce concrete that is both sustainable and durable. However, their limitation lies in suboptimal early age strength.
To address this limitation, the development of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) has been undertaken, with the objective of achieving sustainable concrete without compromising early age strength. Nevertheless, the successful application of LC3 is contingent upon the availability of local supplies of calcined clay and limestone. Consequently, there is a critical need to explore significant clay deposits on a global scale.
This study is dedicated to evaluating the suitability of clay sourced from the Linthepe region in Malawi, Southern Africa, for integration into the LC3 system. The assessment encompasses both mechanical and durability performance, instilling confidence in the utilization of calcined clay from Linthepe for LC3 production and contributing to the reduction of clinker consumption, thereby promoting environmental sustainability.