Lightweight Geopolymer Concrete Panels for a wall in high-rise buildings: Technical- Economical- Environmental efficiency

Abstract

Brick and cement are two of the most used materials for a building wall, but the traditional brick and clinker production causes several environmental and human health impacts. Besides the demand of light-weight materials for the high-rise buildings is increasing more and more, these have encouraged the development of the new efficient materials to alternative the conventional brick. The objective of this study is to comparative technical and cost analysis as well as an environmental assessment of the wall structure used Lightweight Geopolymer Concrete Panels (LGCP). The results have revealed that the LGCP exhibits some superior engineering properties like as very low density and heat transfer coefficient, high strength,… The utilization of industrial wastes (fly ash-FA, Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag-GGBS) as raw materials in LGCP production leads to reduce over 48% CO₂ emission, and up to 17 times energy consumption, but still cheaper 42% construction cost to conventional bricks. The LGCP application is an important step to contribute better environmentally-friendly in particular and reach a sustainable development of the construction industry in general.