Home Page
Free Content
Subscribed Content
Free Trial Content
Cementitious materials for the twenty-first century
Increasing environmental concerns have led to a reassessment of the role of Portland cement as one of the world's dominant construction materials. The embodied energy and carbon dioxide associated with cement manufacture is coming under particular scrutiny. This paper examines the current worldwide situation regarding cement manufacture and consumption and examines various options for future development and replacement of cement. It is concluded that while a number of technical replacements for Portland cement are already possible, there are still some major challenges for most of the innovative cements currently being developed. It is thus likely that Portland cements, albeit with significantly reduced clinker contents, will still dominate the world construction market for the foreseeable future.