Sustainability and Emerging Concrete Materials and Their Relevance to the Middle East

Judicial use of cement coupled with the beneficial employment of certain so called ‘industrial waste products’ constitute the backbone of a sustainable concrete technology. The use of fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), rice husk ash, condensed silica fume (CSF), metakaolin and recycled concrete, bricks and other materials are all gaining varying degrees of acceptance from engineers and the society. Careful design that considers long-term durability coupled with the use of ‘waste’ materials other than cement and natural aggregates can further enhance the sustainability of structures. High performance concrete (HPC) which is becoming the concrete of choice for rapidly emerging new and strong economies, can provide the opportunity for sustainable design and material use. The inclusion of industrial byproducts in the production of high-strength-high-performance concrete is a significant contribution to sustainable industry. As research publications abound with results showing benefits of certain materials whether from waste products or otherwise, it is the duty of the engineer to judge whether one or all of such materials should be used. A judgment, as this, needs to be based on the particular circumstances that dominate the building in question.