Preparation of Porous Concrete Suitable for Vegetation Growth: An Approach Toward Green Infrastructure
摘要
Porous concrete combined with vegetation has proved to be an ecofriendly and sustainable material. Thus far, it has been applied in slope protection, urban greening, highway embankments, and river revetment projects. Despite its versatility, the high alkalinity of porous concrete materials, particularly ordinary Portland cement, poses challenges to vegetation growth. This study focuses on formulating a porous concrete mixture tailored to enhance vegetation growth by prioritizing increased porosity, improved strength, and reduced pH levels. The investigation involved binary and ternary binder systems encompassing Portland composite cement, low calcium oxide fly ash, and calcined clay. Compressive strength, porosity, and pH were assessed through laboratory testing. Results indicated that the ternary binder mixture possessed the highest compressive strength (10.53 MPa), while the binary binder (70% cement and 30% calcined clay) exhibited the highest porosity (28.78%) and the lowest pH (11.01). Thus, the nature of the project determines the preferred mixture; if high strength is the priority, the ternary binder is preferred, whereas the binary binder is suitable when strength is less critical. The use of calcined clay and fly ash as partial replacements for cement could serve as a strategy to reduce the emission of CO2 brought about by cement production and also reduce the alkalinity of concrete to favor vegetation growth.