Thermal Performance of Concrete with Reactive Magnesium Oxide as an Alternative Binder

Javier A. Forero, Miguel Bravo, João Pacheco, Jorge de Brito and Luís Evangelista
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Javier A. Forero: Postgraduate Program in Structural Engineering and Construction (PECC), Predio SG-12 Campus Darcy Ribeiro, University of Brasília, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Miguel Bravo: CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
João Pacheco: CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Jorge de Brito: CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Luís Evangelista: CERIS, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, 1950-062 Lisbon, Portugal

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: This study evaluates the thermal conductivity of concrete produced with reactive magnesium oxide (MgO) as a partial replacement for cement. MgO is a viable option for the concrete industry, mainly due to its benefits in sustainability and reducing CO 2 emissions compared to cement emissions. Four different MgO’s produced in Australia, Canada, and Spain were used in concrete mixes as a partial replacement of cement at 5%, 10%, and 20% by mass. The experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity is higher when MgO increases in mixes after 28 days of curing. With the incorporation of MgO, the thermal conductivity increased between 3.2% and 10.2%, and the mechanical properties declined: compressive strength between 12.7% to 26.2%, splitting tensile strength between 9.7% to 34.0%, and modulus of elasticity between −4.1% to 7.8%. Finally, it is important to highlight that the addition of different contents of MgO in the concrete mixes modified the microstructure of the cement matrix. As a result, there was an increase in porosity, which negatively influenced the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity. Therefore, the relationships between these properties were also analyzed.

Keywords: reactive magnesium oxide; thermal conductivity; alternative binder; concrete (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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