SmartCrete has joined forces with Boral, UTS, Calix, and Transport for NSW to develop lower carbon concrete using Australian calcined clay.
The two-year research project focuses on developing, testing, and optimising concrete mixes incorporating the clay as an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). The target is to substantially reduce CO₂ emissions while meeting Australian building and construction Standards.
Funded through the Commonwealth’s CRC Program, the first batch of Boral clay has been successfully calcined by Calix’s unique renewably powered electric calcination technology. This demonstrates the potential of the approach to produce a low carbon intensity Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs).
Boral head of Sustainability and Innovation, Dr Ali Nezhad, said as SCMs like fly ash and slag become more constrained in the long-term, finding reliable alternative SCMs is “crucial”.
“With clay being one of the most abundant materials in Australia, calcined clay offers a promising solution. We are excited to collaborate with SmartCrete CRC, UTS, Transport for NSW and Calix to explore its potential and bring this technology to the Australian construction industry,” he said.
Research lead at UTS, Dr Paul Thomas, is collaborating with Boral to establish calcined clay as a readily available and viable low carbon concrete binder. Together, they will benchmark its performance against the materials properties such as durability and sustainability of existing cement technologies. The use of SCMs is “an important decarbonisation pathway for industry,” according to Dr Salwan Alassafi, GM of R&D at Calix.
SmartCrete CRC CEO Clare Tubolets said the group alliance’s significance is in driving sustainable change: “It is not just about research – it is about actionable change. By leveraging our combined expertise, we aim to accelerate the adoption of calcined clay concrete, thereby significantly contributing to the sustainability goals of the construction sector.”
Image: UTS is no stranger to concrete. Source: UTS (cropped). Original credit Andy Roberts.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia and at the helm of our magazine for 8 years. She was behind the Institute's weekly news bulletins from 2016-2021 and is now writing our focused news items. Desi has been an engineering news and features journalist/editor across all disciplines since 2013 - part of a 30-year career writing for a wide range of industries.