Innovation potentials for construction materials with specific focus on the challenges in Africa

RILEM Technical Letters

article

Wolfram Schmidt¹  Mike Otieno²  Kolawole Adisa Olonade³  Nonkululeko W. Radebe⁴  Henri van Damme⁵  Patience Tunji‐Olayeni⁶  Said Kenai⁷  Angela Tetteh Tawiah⁸  Kuukuwa Manful⁹  Akeem Akinwale³  Rose N. Mbugua^1,10  Andreas Rogge¹ 

[1] Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und ‐prüfung;University of the Witwatersrand;University of Lagos;Karlsruher Institut für Technologie;The Joint CNRS‐MIT Laboratory;Covenant University;Université Blida;MC Bauchemie Ghana;SOAS University of London;Walter Sisulu University

关键词: Urbanisation;    Sustainability;    Materials research;    Cement;    Concrete;   

DOI  :  10.21809/rilemtechlett.2020.112

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: RILEM Publications SARL

【 摘 要 】

Africa is urgently in need of adequate basic infrastructure and housing, and it is one of the continents where massive construction activities are on the rise. There is a vast variety of potentially viable resources for sustainable construction on the continents, and consequently, the continent can bring innovative, greener technologies based on local sources effectively into practice. However, unlike established concrete constituents from industrialised countries in the global North, most of the innovation potentials from the African continent have not yet been the focus of intensive fundamental and applied research. This clearly limits the implementation of more sustainable local technologies. This paper presents a case for the need to first appreciate the rich diversity and versatility of the African continent which is often not realistically perceived and appreciated. It discusses specific innovation potentials and challenges for cementitious materials and concrete technology based on local materials derived from sources on the African continent. The unique African materials solutions are presented and discussed, from mineral binders over chemical admixtures and fibres to reinforcement and aggregates. Due to the pressing challenges faced by Africa, with regards to population growth and urbanisation, the focus is not only put on the technological (durability, robustness and safety) and environmental sustainability, but also strongly on socio-economic applicability, adaptability and scalability. This includes a review of alternative, traditional and vernacular construction technologies such as materials-saving structures that help reducing cementitious materials. Eventually, a strategic research roadmap is hypothesised that points out the most relevant potentials and research needs for quick implementation of more localised construction materials.

【 授权许可】

CC BY