Life cycle assessment of cementitious materials based on calcined sediments from Chorfa II dam for low carbon binders as sustainable building materials

This research was carried out to reuse calcined dredged sediments as a sustainable building material to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save significant energy consumption and costs. Moreover, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of cementitious materials (cements, pastes, and mortars) based on calcined sediments was studied in order to quantify its energy consumption and Global Warming Potential (GWP). This study demonstrated that this calcined sediment could be used as a partial cement replacement in the cement industry in Algeria. The potential indicators of climate change for cements based on 0%, 5%, 15%, and 25% of calcined sediments release only 935.10 kg CO₂ eq/T, 901.73 kg CO₂ eq/T, 835 kg CO₂ eq/T and 768.29 kg CO₂ eq/T respectively, which represents a significant reduction of 3.57%, 10.70%, and 17.84%, for cement based on 5%, 15%, and 25% of calcined sediment. The potential indicators of climate change for pastes based on calcined sediments at 0%, 5%, 15%, and 25% rates release only 476.95 kg CO₂ eq/T, 459.79 kg CO₂ eq/T, 425.45 kg CO₂ eq/T, and 391.12 kg CO₂/T respectively, which represents a reduction of 3.6%, 10.80%, and 18%. Indeed, the potential indicators of climate change for mortars based on calcined sediments with 0%, 5%, 15%, and 25% rates release only 436.89 kg CO₂ eq/T, 422.00 kg CO₂ eq/T, 393.07 kg CO₂ eq/T, and 364.40 kg CO₂/T respectively, which represents a reduction of 3.41%, 10.03%, and 16.59%. In conclusion, the LCA of cements, mortars, and pastes with a high substitution rate of calcined sediments offer the best reduction in environmental impacts. These results present prospects for industrializing calcined sediments as green building materials in the cement industry.