Development of high performance and low-carbon red mud based lightweight concrete: A novel strategy for transforming red mud into sustainable concrete.

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Title: Development of high performance and low-carbon red mud based lightweight concrete: A novel strategy for transforming red mud into sustainable concrete.
Authors: Zhang, Chao1,2 (AUTHOR), Zhang, Xiangkun1 (AUTHOR), Wu, Chiqiu3 (AUTHOR), Yang, Shizhao1 (AUTHOR), Yu, Tao1,2 (AUTHOR) tao-cee.yu@polyu.edu.hk, Wang, Wenlong1 (AUTHOR), Hu, Zhijuan1 (AUTHOR) huzhijuan@sdu.edu.cn
Source: Construction & Building Materials. Sep2025, Vol. 491, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Carbon emissions, Concrete industry, Thermal conductivity, Compressive strength, Economic impact, Lightweight concrete
Abstract: To facilitate large-scale red mud (RM) utilization in sustainable concrete and reduce industry dependence on cement and natural aggregates, this study developed a high-performance and low-carbon RM-based lightweight concrete (RM-LWC) by using RM based sulfur-aluminate cementitious material (RM-SAC) and RM based lightweight aggregates (RM-LWA). The effects of aggregates type (i.e. high-strength, lightweight and core-shell) on engineering properties of RM-LWC were investigated. The microstructure and micromechanical performance of the interfacial regions of RM-SAC paste and RM-LWA were revealed by elemental mapping and nanoindentation. The results demonstrate that substituting OPC with RM-SAC significantly enhanced mechanical properties and penetration resistance, while incorporating RM-LWA substantially reduced density and thermal conductivity of the concrete. Moreover, the internal curing effect provided by pre-wetting RM-LWA was more efficient in enhancing the performance of interface transition zone (ITZ) in concrete, compare to natural aggregates. The core-shell RM-LWA can further reduce the ITZ width and improve the micromechanics of ITZ in concrete. Based on RM-SAC and three types of RM-LWA, various RM-LWC with density of 1890–2100 kg/m3, compressive strength of 45.5–63.5 MPa, thermal conductivity of 0.47–1.13 W/(m·K) were obtained in this study. Furthermore, to evaluate the environmental and economic impact of the RM-LWC, the CO 2 emission and cost of the RM-LWC, during the whole preparation process were calculated based on the actual production line. Compared to that of traditional concrete, the carbon emission and cost of the RM-LWC was reduced by 21.5 % and 20.1 %, respectively. Overall, this research may provide a novel strategy for transforming RM into sustainable concrete. • High-performance RM-LWC was developed by using RM-SAC and RM-LWA as alternatives to OPC and NAs. • The engineering properties and microstructure evolution of the RM-LWC with different RM-LWA was clarified. • RM-LWC with density of 1890–2100 kg/m3 and compressive strength of 45.5–63.5 MPa were obtained. • The carbon emission and cost of the RM-LWC was evaluated 21.5 % and 20.1 % lower than that of traditional concrete. • A critical perspective and further strategy for recycling RM into sustainable concrete was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Construction & Building Materials is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Development of high performance and low-carbon red mud based lightweight concrete: A novel strategy for transforming red mud into sustainable concrete.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Chao%22">Zhang, Chao</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Xiangkun%22">Zhang, Xiangkun</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wu%2C+Chiqiu%22">Wu, Chiqiu</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yang%2C+Shizhao%22">Yang, Shizhao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yu%2C+Tao%22">Yu, Tao</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> tao-cee.yu@polyu.edu.hk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Wenlong%22">Wang, Wenlong</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hu%2C+Zhijuan%22">Hu, Zhijuan</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> huzhijuan@sdu.edu.cn</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Construction+%26+Building+Materials%22">Construction & Building Materials</searchLink>. Sep2025, Vol. 491, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Carbon+emissions%22">Carbon emissions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Concrete+industry%22">Concrete industry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+conductivity%22">Thermal conductivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Compressive+strength%22">Compressive strength</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+impact%22">Economic impact</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lightweight+concrete%22">Lightweight concrete</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: To facilitate large-scale red mud (RM) utilization in sustainable concrete and reduce industry dependence on cement and natural aggregates, this study developed a high-performance and low-carbon RM-based lightweight concrete (RM-LWC) by using RM based sulfur-aluminate cementitious material (RM-SAC) and RM based lightweight aggregates (RM-LWA). The effects of aggregates type (i.e. high-strength, lightweight and core-shell) on engineering properties of RM-LWC were investigated. The microstructure and micromechanical performance of the interfacial regions of RM-SAC paste and RM-LWA were revealed by elemental mapping and nanoindentation. The results demonstrate that substituting OPC with RM-SAC significantly enhanced mechanical properties and penetration resistance, while incorporating RM-LWA substantially reduced density and thermal conductivity of the concrete. Moreover, the internal curing effect provided by pre-wetting RM-LWA was more efficient in enhancing the performance of interface transition zone (ITZ) in concrete, compare to natural aggregates. The core-shell RM-LWA can further reduce the ITZ width and improve the micromechanics of ITZ in concrete. Based on RM-SAC and three types of RM-LWA, various RM-LWC with density of 1890–2100 kg/m3, compressive strength of 45.5–63.5 MPa, thermal conductivity of 0.47–1.13 W/(m·K) were obtained in this study. Furthermore, to evaluate the environmental and economic impact of the RM-LWC, the CO 2 emission and cost of the RM-LWC, during the whole preparation process were calculated based on the actual production line. Compared to that of traditional concrete, the carbon emission and cost of the RM-LWC was reduced by 21.5 % and 20.1 %, respectively. Overall, this research may provide a novel strategy for transforming RM into sustainable concrete. • High-performance RM-LWC was developed by using RM-SAC and RM-LWA as alternatives to OPC and NAs. • The engineering properties and microstructure evolution of the RM-LWC with different RM-LWA was clarified. • RM-LWC with density of 1890–2100 kg/m3 and compressive strength of 45.5–63.5 MPa were obtained. • The carbon emission and cost of the RM-LWC was evaluated 21.5 % and 20.1 % lower than that of traditional concrete. • A critical perspective and further strategy for recycling RM into sustainable concrete was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Construction & Building Materials is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.142714
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Carbon emissions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Concrete industry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal conductivity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Compressive strength
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Economic impact
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Lightweight concrete
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Development of high performance and low-carbon red mud based lightweight concrete: A novel strategy for transforming red mud into sustainable concrete.
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            NameFull: Zhang, Chao
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            NameFull: Zhang, Xiangkun
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            NameFull: Wu, Chiqiu
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            NameFull: Yang, Shizhao
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            NameFull: Yu, Tao
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            NameFull: Wang, Wenlong
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            – D: 12
              M: 09
              Text: Sep2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 491
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