Application of a recently developed geotechnical carbon calculator in Europe

Resumo

Recent research regarding soil stabilization has been increasingly concerned with environmental performance. The present paper applies the newly developed CO2(eq) geotechnical calculator, created by the European Federation of Foundation Contractors and the The Deep Foundations Institute, to assess the behavior of three different binders used in the construction of cutter-soil mixing columns, which formed an embankment/bridge transition wedge. The binders were based on ordinary Portland cement, on a blast furnace slag and cement blend and alkali activated fly ash. Results show that the last two binders are significabtly more effective, in terms of environmental performance, than the more traditional cement-based binder. Although the blast furnace slag cement, at this early stage of the geopolymeric binders, appears as the most interesting option, the fact that the CO2/cost ratio of both options is very similar stands out.