The enhanced carbon footprint of the construction sector has created the need for CO2 emission control and mitigation. CO2 emissions in the construction sector are influenced by a variety of factors, including raw material preparation, cement production, and, most notably, the construction process. Thus, using biobased constituents in cement could reduce CO2 emissions. However, biobased constituents can degrade and have a negative impact on cement performance. Recently, carbonised biomass known as biochar has been found to be an effective partial replacement for cement. Various studies have reported improved mechanical strength and thermal properties with the inclusion of biochar in concrete. To comprehend the properties of biochar-added cementitious materials, the properties of biochar and their effect on concrete need to be examined. This review provides a critical examination of the mechanical and thermal properties of biochar and biochar-added cementitious materials. The study also covers biochar’s life cycle assessment and economic benefits. Overall, the purpose of this review article is to provide a means for researchers in the relevant field to gain a deeper understanding of the innate properties of biochar imparted into biochar-added cementitious materials for property enhancement and reduction of CO2 emissions.

Biochar-Added Cementitious Materials—A Review on Mechanical, Thermal, and Environmental Properties

Surface properties of clay brick powder and its influence on hydration and strength development of cement paste

The utilization of recycled brick aggregate (RBA) and recycled brick powder (RBP) in cementitious materials helps the reclamation of clay brick waste in construction and demolition waste. This work studied the properties of cementitious materials with RBA as aggregate and RBP as supplementary cementitious material. The RBA has lower apparent density and higher water absorption than natural aggregate, and RBP with an irregular micro-structure contains high content of silicon and aluminum oxides and possesses excellent pozzolanic activity. Incorporating RBP decreases the fluidity and increases the setting time, but the incorporated RBP improves the pore structure and decreases the average pore diameter of cementitious materials, thereby decreasing the permeability. Utilizing RBA increases the drying shrinkage, while the incorporated RBP decreases the drying shrinkage of cementitious materials; the mortar with 50% RBA and 30% RBP has the lower drying shrinkage than the common mortar without RBA and RBP. Incorporating RBA and high-volume RBP decreases the mechanical strength, while there is no obvious decrease in the mechanical strength for the mortar with 50% RBA and 30% RBP. Moreover, the flexural strength to compressive strength ratio increases with RBA and RBP incorporating. Utilizing RBA increases the water transport, while the water transport properties decrease with the RBP incorporation; incorporating appropriate content of RBA and RBP can obtain the cementitious materials with low permeability. Particularly, a significant decrease in chloride ingress occurs with the substitution of RBP.

Properties of Cementitious Materials with Recycled Aggregate and Powder Both from Clay Brick Waste

Production and optimization of sustainable cement brick incorporating clay brick wastes using response surface method

Effect of brick aggregate on failure process of mixed recycled aggregate concrete via X-CT

Research progress on recycled clay brick waste as an alternative to cement for sustainable construction materials

Reconsidering the use of ferrous hydroxide for remediation of chlorinated ethylene contaminated groundwater: Ultra-fast trichloroethene dechlorination by ferrous hydroxide and bone char mixture

Crushed brick-concrete recycled aggregate (BCRA) represents a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to natural aggregates (NAs) in practical engineering. However, compared with NA, t...

Evaluation and optimization of various treatment methods for enhancing the properties of brick-concrete recycled coarse aggregate

RETRACTED: Investigations on the effects of cooling coatings on the pavement performance using an optimization data method

Research on the Performance of Cement Stabilized Recycled Brick Concrete Aggregate Mixtures Made from Construction and Demolition Waste Based on Graded Replacement Plans

Jinhua Wu

Papers

Research progress on recycled clay brick waste as an alternative to cement for sustainable construction materials

Reconsidering the use of ferrous hydroxide for remediation of chlorinated ethylene contaminated groundwater: Ultra-fast trichloroethene dechlorination by ferrous hydroxide and bone char mixture

Evaluation and optimization of various treatment methods for enhancing the properties of brick-concrete recycled coarse aggregate

RETRACTED: Investigations on the effects of cooling coatings on the pavement performance using an optimization data method

Research on the Performance of Cement Stabilized Recycled Brick Concrete Aggregate Mixtures Made from Construction and Demolition Waste Based on Graded Replacement Plans