Geomaterials in Construction and Their Sustainability: Understanding Their Role in Modern Society
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Downloaded from http://sp.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on September 27, 2021 Geomaterials in construction and their sustainability: understanding their role in modern society R. PRˇ IKRYL1*, A´ .TO¨ RO¨ K2, M. THEODORIDOU3, M. GOMEZ-HERAS4 & K. MISKOVSKY5 1Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic 2Department of Construction Materials and Engineering Geology, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Sztoczek u. 2, H-1521 Budapest, Hungary 3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Building Materials and Ledra Laboratories, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus 4Department of Geomaterials, Institute of Geosciences (CSIC-UCM), Jose Antonio Novais 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain 5Envix Nord AB, Kylgra¨nd 6B, 906 20 Umea˚, Sweden *Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]) Abstract: Inorganic raw materials, here termed geomaterials, derived from the Earth’s crust and used in construction after appropriate processing make a genetically and functionally varied group of mineral resources. Although their basic functions have remained almost unchanged for centu- ries, some new attributes, meanings and impacts on society are still emerging. Geomaterials for construction were among the first mineral raw materials exploited, processed and used by man. They helped in the development of technological and artistic skills of humankind. Accessibility, workability and serviceability are considered here as their main functional attributes, being con- nected with man’s skills to find their occurrence, extract and process them, and then use them in the correct way. However, serviceability is a more complex functional attribute as it also encom- passes durability of a material in construction. Durability, that is the ability to withstand the action of weathering/decay processes, is an expression of the dynamic interactions between material and the surrounding environment encompassing not only gradual adaptation of materials to current environmental conditions, but also interactions between materials in construction, the history of maintenance/conservation of the structure and the impact of a polluted environment. In the modern world, sustainable use of raw materials, specifically those exploited in the largest volumes such as geomaterials for construction, raises questions of reducing extraction of primary resources and thus minimizing impacts on natural systems, and also employment of materials and technologies to pro- duce less emission of deleterious substances in to the atmosphere. Use of secondary materials such as waste produced during extraction of primary raw materials and/or re-use of existing structural elements and re- or down-cycling can be considered as modern approaches to reducing the pressure on primary resources. The use of mineral raw materials derived from inorganic raw materials, first specifically for the the uppermost parts of the Earth’s crust in construc- construction of dwellings/buildings, later also for tion is one of the features that distinguishes modern growing infrastructure (e.g. defence structures, man from his man-ape ancestors (see e.g. Ambrose roads, bridges, ports). 2001; Renfrew & Morley 2009; de la Torre 2011; From total amounts of mineral raw materials Sterelny 2011), but also makes him a significant (here including ores for metals, industrial minerals geomorphic agent (Hooke 2000; Ellis 2011). and rocks, fossil fuels and uranium as energy re- Despite the fact that the history of humankind is sources, and construction materials) derived annu- marked with long-term employment of various ally from the Earth’s crust for the fulfilment of types of rocks for making tools and weapons during enormous materials’ needs of the modern society the so-called Stone Age, it was only after the retreat (Rogich 1996; Baccini & Brunner 2012), raw mate- of last major glaciation that extracted rocks and soils rials for construction purposes make up the largest gradually became the first and the most widely used part (Fig. 1); the construction industry is thus the From:Prˇikryl, R., To¨ro¨k,A´ ., Gomez-Heras, M., Miskovsky,K.&Theodoridou, M. (eds) 2016. Sustainable Use of Traditional Geomaterials in Construction Practice. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 416, 1–22. First published online February 26, 2016, http://doi.org/10.1144/SP416.21 # 2016 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London. All rights reserved. For permissions: http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/permissions. Publishing disclaimer: www.geolsoc.org.uk/pub_ethics Downloaded from http://sp.lyellcollection.org/ by guest on September 27, 2021 2 R. PRˇ IKRYL ET AL. twentieth century (Aı¨tcin 2000) propelled the appe- tite for constructional aggregates. The annual global demand for construction aggregates is estimated to be as high as 40 Gt (Anonymous 2013), ranking it in the top position among all mineral raw materials (Smith & Collis 2001). The use of soils for brick production is estimated to be 7.2 Gt based on the reported world production of bricks (e.g. Heierli & Maithel 2008). Cement clinker production estimates were 3.57 Gt for 2014 (van Oss 2015). To produce this amount of clinker, more than 5.61 Gt of raw material, spe- cifically clay- and silica-rich limestone plus about 0.61 Gt of additives applied either prior or after burning, is needed. These three types of raw mate- rials, therefore, represent the most in-demand natural resources to be derived from the Earth’s Fig. 1. Relative proportions between amount and value crust, contributing to c. 60% of our requirements of raw materials extracted from the Earth in recent for mineral raw materials. However, compared times (based on the data mainly for 2013 and/or 2012 with other categories of mineral raw materials or earlier years if missing for 2013). The absolute required by modern society, such as fossil fuels for numbers (in billions of tonnes (Gt (Gigatonnes)), energy production or ores for metals, the research and in billions of US dollars) for each of displayed interest in deposits of construction raw materials categories of mineral raw materials – ores for metals, is less developed, probably owing to their remark- industrial minerals and rocks, energetic raw materials (fossil fuels plus uranium) and construction materials ably lower unit price (Fig. 2), although their signifi- are shown as well. In the case of materials that are cance for society is generally recognized (Van Loon used for more purposes (e.g. bauxite as ore for Al 2002). production but also raw material for refractories and Despite the recent dominance of aggregates, other uses, actual percentage has been accounted to Portland cement raw materials, and soils for brick each category, which is valid for calculation of the production in the extractive industry, the diversity value of production as it can be different for various of geomaterials used in construction is enormously uses). Data for most of the metallic ores and industrial widespread in terms of both the range of employed minerals and rocks are based on Minerals Yearbook materials and the conditions of their processing statistics published annually by the US Geological Survey (MCS 2015) and periodically by the British and/or functions (Table 1). Many traditional build- Geological Survey (Brown et al. 2015); data for ings and numerous cultural heritage objects have energetic materials are from the British Petroleum been constructed from different types of unburnt compendium (BP 2015). Data for construction soil (also termed ‘adobe’ and ‘rammed earth’), a materials are also derived from the Minerals Yearbook broad variety of natural stones (belonging to all statistics. For aggregates the figure comes from genetic groups and widely ranging in properties Anonymous (2013), for brick raw materials from from extremely soft and low-resistance varieties (Heierli & Maithel 2008) and for ceramic clays from to very hard, durable types that are hard to work) (Dondi et al. 2014). Note that prices may fluctuate a lot or fired clay-rich materials for bricks (structural during the period and also between various locations; therefore averages as used by the Minerals Yearbook ceramics). Blocks of natural stone or fired bricks and other indicated data sources have been used. must be stuck together using mortar, most com- monly based on a mixture of fine-grained aggregate such as natural sand and a binder. Hardening of the binder takes place when exposed to the air (quick largest consumer of mineral resources. This is due to lime) or water (hydraulic binders). All of these the enormous appetite for the development of new materials belong to the genetically, compositionally or the repair of existing infrastructure in its broad and technologically highly variable family of geo- sense of meaning (i.e. encompassing residential materials (Fookes 1991) and all of them can be and non-residential buildings, transport infrastruc- and are employed in construction (Table 1). Deep ture, etc.), which requires material inputs from understanding of raw materials, necessary for the crushed rocks plus natural sands/gravels and production of the above-mentioned construction which also needs large quantities of hydraulic bind- materials, as well as an insight into their manufac- ers (mostly Portland cement), if concrete is used for turing processes and in testing procedures of their construction. Specifically the dominance of the use key properties,