Summary and reader response for article "Coal ash to concrete" #draft 3
Coal ash to concrete
Draft write out 3
In the article
“Researchers turn waste from coal power plants into concrete” (NaturalBlaze,
2019), researchers from Drexel University have discovered a new method to turn
coal ash, an abundant waste product, into an additive to increase the
durability of concrete in buildings.
The additive is added to
concrete, which is a composite mix. The water and cement within the mix are
adhesives that bond other components together. A tedious process is needed to
achieve maximum durability. By retaining water and supplying it to the surface,
the mixture starts drying from the inside.
This method not only helps to ensure thorough
drying but also reduces waste in the environment. This puts coal ash, which
would otherwise be discarded, to use - making buildings more durable than
before. It is my assertion that utilizing coal ash in concrete is
extremely beneficial to the construction industry as it provides a concrete
that is sustainable, cost efficient and more resistant to chemical damage.[EC1]
Coal ash helps reduce
concrete’s susceptibility to reacting with surrounding chemicals. [EC2] Bhatia Anita from the University of Rajasthan India (2016)
observed from relevant studies that concrete with a content of more than 30%
fly ash (a type of coal ash) is effective in guarding against undesirable
reactions.
During construction,
when concrete is laid as a foundation, active lime within the concrete may
react with sulphate found in the soil and gradually affect the concrete’s
structural integrity.
A solution is to add coal ash to the mix as it
reacts with the lime, creating a concrete that is both chemically strong and
less reactive to the surrounding chemicals.
The use of coal ash in
concrete also reduces greenhouse gas emission making it a sustainable
alternative[EC3] . Cement manufacturing is one of the world’s largest contributors of
carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas (Mittelman, 2018).
Using coal ash minimizes
the amount of cement required to make concrete. In the construction of The Bank
of America Tower in New York (2018), using fly ash saved 45% of cement and
greatly cut down pollution in the area.
Reducing pollution slows
down global warming and allows nature to heal itself. It also increases
the lifespan of buildings made with such cement, lessening the impact on the
environment.
A decrease in the demand for cement in concrete
therefore helps improve long term sustainability, reducing gas emissions.
Finally, this process
presents a cost-efficient solution to the construction industry. [EC4] As stated by Khaled Shwekat, Wayne State University (2015): “Structures made from
green cement may require less maintenance than those constructed with Portland
cement concrete, because of better durability and the higher temperature/fire
resistance of green cement”.
Common practice involves the use of additional materials such as
heat resistant paint or coating. Over time these coatings may require a
reapplication.
Adding coal ash
reduces the need for such materials to be added and therefore the lifetime cost
of the building. This puts its use at a higher economic advantage.
In summary, besides making concrete robust, coal
ash also makes it chemically resistant to surrounding chemical reactions and is
an economical and environmentally friendly solution in the construction
industry. Though coal ash in concrete may benefit the construction industry, it
should not be limited to this application alone. The use of waste products to
benefit the ever-growing economy has to be constantly refined.
References
Bhatia,
A. (2016). Greener concrete using coal industrial waste (fly ash). Journal
of Science and Technology Advances, 7.
Green
Education Foundation. (2018). Bank of America Tower. Retrieved from
Green Education Foundation: http://www.greeneducationfoundation.org/green-building-program-sub/case-studies/892-bank-of-america-tower.html
Mittelman,
E. (28 December, 2018). The Cement Industry, One of the World’s Largest
CO2 Emitters, Pledges to Cut Greenhouse Gases. Retrieved from Yale
Enviroment 360:
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/the-cement-industry-one-of-the-worlds-largest-co2-emitters-pledges-to-cut-greenhouse-gases
NaturalBlaze.
(29 October, 2019). Researchers Turn Waste From Coal Power Plants Into
Concrete. Retrieved from NaturalBlaze:
https://www.naturalblaze.com/2019/10/researchers-turn-waste-from-coal-power-plants-into-concrete.html
Shwekat,
K. (1 January, 2015). Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Using Class F Fly AshBased
Green Cement In Masonry Units. Retrieved from digitalcommons:
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2319&context=oa_dissertations
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