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World Industrial Reporter » Innovation » Best of 2020: Cement-Free Concrete Destroys Fatbergs, Remedies Corrosion

Best of 2020: Cement-Free Concrete Destroys Fatbergs, Remedies Corrosion

December 29, 2020

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RMIT University scientists have developed a new zero-cement concrete to deal with fatbergs and sewage system corrosion.

Fatbergs are globs of congealed mass that clog up sewers with fat, grease, oil and non-biodegradable junk like wet wipes and nappies, some growing to be 200 meters long and weighing several tons.

These build-ups in sewers and pipelines – as well as corrosion over time – often lead to costly and disruptive maintenance, these running in the billions.

Now RMIT professor Dr Rajeev Roychand and his team have found a way to combat this by creating a concrete that does away with free lime – a chemical compound known to promote corrosion and fatbergs.

According to Roychand, the new solution is more durable than ordinary Portland cement, making it a perfect choice for use in major infrastructure, such as sewage drainage pipes.

The key ingredient of this cement-less concrete is a zero cement composite made up of nano-silica, fly-ash, slag and hydrated lime.

Not only does the new RMIT concrete use large volumes of industrial by-products supporting a circular economy, it also managed to surpass sewage pipe strength standards set by ASTM International.

“Though ordinary Portland cement is widely used in the fast-paced construction industry, it poses long term durability issues in some of its applications,” notes Roychand.

“We found making concrete out of this composite blend – rather than cement – significantly improved longevity.”

“Our zero-cement concrete achieves multiple benefits: it’s environmentally friendly, reduces concrete corrosion by 96% and totally eliminates residual lime that is instrumental in the formation of fatbergs.”

“With further development, our zero-cement concrete could be made totally resistant to acid corrosion.”

Image and content: Rob Zugaro/RMIT

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About Aruna Urs

Aruna is an industrial journalist. He writes on innovations that emanate at the intersection of science and engineering having a profound impact on the manufacturing sector.

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