Enhancing sustainability and mechanical performance of lime based concrete using volcanic pumice powder ash

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Offers a methodology (RSM) for optimizing sustainable concrete mixes and empirical data on VPPA performance.

🏢実務担当者:Provides actionable mix design for producing low-carbon lime concrete with enhanced mechanical properties.

🏛政策担当者:Supports inclusion of volcanic ash materials in green building codes and carbon accounting frameworks.

The incorporation of novel materials and advanced technologies in the construction sector is of paramount importance for achieving sustainable and resilient infrastructure. This research centers on the creation and assessment of lime concrete altered with volcanic pumice powder ash (VPPA) as a prospective environmentally friendly building material. The target of this study is to explore the mechanical attributes and embodied carbon of lime concrete modified with VPPA, and to evaluate its efficacy in terms of eco-strength, which is 28-day compressive strength per unit embodied carbon. The study addresses the research gap regarding the limited understanding of the impact of VPPA content on the mechanical behaviour and ecological footprint of lime concrete. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was utilized to model and optimize the VPPA-modified mixtures, enabling precise prediction of mechanical performance and environmental efficiency across varying replacement levels. The findings demonstrate that the mechanical properties, including compressive strength (CS), flexural strength (FS), splitting tensile strength (STS), and modulus of elasticity (MOE), vary with VPPA content and attain maximum values at an optimum replacement level of 9%. At this level, CS improved by 3.17%, FS by 4.07%, STS by 3.30%, and MOE by 1.63%, highlighting the significant enhancement in structural performance. Beyond this optimum level, a gradual decline in strength was observed, indicating that excessive VPPA may dilute the cementitious matrix and reduce load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, VPPA exhibits a lower embodied carbon (0.334 kg CO2/kg) compared to lime (0.73 kg CO2/kg), and the 9% VPPA replacement resulted in a 4.87% reduction in the carbon contribution. The use of VPPA offers practical benefits, including decreased carbon footprint, reduced dependence on conventional binders, and enhanced resource efficiency. These results underscore the potential of VPPA-modified lime concrete as a sustainable and high-performance alternative for diverse construction applications, supporting low-carbon infrastructure development while maintaining mechanical integrity and durability.

• semanticscholar https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-03391-7first seen 2026-07-28 05:40:52