Studies on hybrid quaternary blended limestone calcined clay cement (LC³) for sustainable concrete

Nowadays, the production of cement significantly contributes to the issue of global warming due to the emission of carbon dioxide into the environment. Natural sustainable materials like calcined clays and limestone can fulfill the demands adequately as well as the eco-friendliness of cement-based products. Limestone calcined clay cement (LC³) binder is an emerging cementing material, this cement is made with a ternary combination of calcined clay, limestone, and gypsum. This paper presented an overview of research work carried out on a quaternary blended matrix composed of ordinary portland cement (OPC), calcined clay, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and limestone characterized by its stability and high compressive strength of concrete. The research program was designed with the design of experiments (DoE) supported by the Taguchi method. This study involved the fresh properties (slump cone, compaction factor test) and mechanical properties (compressive strength, split tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, and residual compressive strength). The optimized M30 concrete mix had 42.8 MPa compression strength at 28 days. The samples were exposed to various elevated temperatures (28 ℃, 200 ℃, 400 ℃, 600 ℃, and 800 ℃) and attained the maximum residual compressive strength 56 MPa at 400 ℃. The analysis was carried out by various characterization techniques like XRD, FTIR, and FESEM. The analysis results indicated that quaternary binders hydrate to generate carbo aluminates and improve strength. There is a possibility of a substantial decrease in carbon dioxide emissions by incorporating indigenous materials into the cement industry without sacrificing strength properties and characterization bonding.