Development of Environmentally Sustainable Concrete Posts for Farm and Agricultural Applications

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Concrete posts are commonly used in many farm and agricultural applications. Portland cement and steel reinforcements are used to make these concrete posts. Production of Portland cement is responsible for a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and hence, use of Portland cement needs to be reduced significantly. Steel reinforcements are susceptible to corrosion. Corroded steel reinforcement swells, resulting in spalling of concrete and ultimately damaging the concrete posts. Hence, the objective of this research is to develop and test alternative concrete posts that are environmentally sustainable and not susceptible to corrosion-induced damage. Portland cement will be replaced with alternative cementitious materials such as slag and silica fume, which are industrial waste materials. These waste materials are currently dumped in the landfills, causing toxicity and other problems for the soil and people living nearby. Recycling of such waste materials will reduce GHG emissions and alleviate landfill problems. Steel reinforcements will be replaced by basalt fibre reinforcement. Basalt fibre reinforcement is corrosion resistant and slightly stronger than traditional steel reinforcement. Additionally, basalt fibre reinforcements are produced from volcanic rock called basalt and hence, basalt fibre reinforcement is an environmentally friendly material. Incorporation of industrial waste materials and basalt fibre reinforcement will make the new concrete posts environmentally sustainable and a cheaper alternative to currently used traditional concrete posts. Additionally, the state-of-the-art 3D concrete printer will also be introduced to reduce waste in concrete materials in the production of concrete posts and increase the productivity. This research will be executed by one doctoral student and two undergraduate students who will be trained in various aspects of green construction and use of 3D printing in the construction. These highly trained and skilled students will be able to bridge the skills gap in Canada. The industry partner, MEDA Engineering & Technical Services will gain a competitive edge in their business which will lead to new job creations.