Microstructural study of sustainable cements produced from industrial by-products, natural minerals and agricultural wastes: A critical review on engineering properties

A paradigm shift is observed in the production of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) due to its high carbon emission worldwide and the need for adopting sustainability in construction industry. For the same, newer practices have been proposed, which includes the production of sustainable cement whose escalating demand is associated with utilization of different supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). These SCMs, act as a key component in sustainable construction by emitting lesser carbon. This review endeavors to critically examine the role of different SCMs obtained from industrial by-products, natural minerals and agricultural wastes likes blast furnace slag, silica fume, calcined kaolin, calcined dead burnt magnesite, Ye'elimite, Anhydrite and sugarcane ash in producing sustainable cement and discusses their hydration reactivity at microstructural level. Insights derived from different published research work shows the formation of strength compounds like C-S-H and C-A-S-H which are responsible for improved engineering properties.

Automated summary

The paradigm shift in production of ordinary Portland cement is due to high carbon emissions globally and the need for sustainability in construction industry. The use of supplementary cementitious materials such as blast furnace slag and silica fume reduces carbon emissions and improves engineering properties at a microstructural level.