Concrete is the most commonly used construction material in the world. The key ingredient of concrete is cement, whose production accounts for 6–8% of global CO2 emissions. As a technology leader in its industry, Sika is prepared for an increased use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) and offers more sustainable, user friendly and at the same time better-performing product solutions. With its solutions for the cement and concrete industry, Sika enables high clinker reduction.

Sika Solutions for the Cement and Concrete Industry

Challenges

  • Lower reactivity: Early age strength gap due to slow reactivity (if any) compared to Portland Cement > activators needed
  • Challenging rheology: High SCMs replacement can affect plasticizer performance and lead to sticky, viscous concrete, pumpability, and placing issues
  • Compatibility with owner admixtures: Alternative chemistries and physical properties can challenge the robustness of usual admixtures

Solutions

  • At cement level > SikaGrind® strength enhancers
    At concrete level > SikaRapid® set and hardening accelerators
  • New Sika® ViscoCrete® with increased robustness and performance


  • New Air-Entraining Admixtures (AEA) developed for compatibility with fly ash

 

Novel game changing SCM drives low CO2 cements

  • Off-spe/Disposed SCMs:
    - Alternative slags / disqualified landfilled fly ash
    - Low reactivity pozzolans (volcanic ash)
  • Calcined clays (LC3 cements):
    - Globally scalable low CO2 natural resource
    - Produced on purpose with tuned properties
    - Technology readiness – raw materials/process/equipment
  • Performance & Robustness:
    - Consistency to challenge concrete technology
    - New and more powerful additives to ensure high performance
In use and reserve of SCMs (mn tons)
Image: In use and reserve of SCMs (mn tons)