Environmental Assessment of Frost-resistant Concrete with Superabsorbent Polymers

Abstract

Air-entraining agents (AEA) are normally used to improve the frost resistance of concrete. However, it is not possible to accurately control the air void system in concrete with AEA. Thus, a significant loss of concrete strength is caused by over-dosing voids, and this increases the environmental impact from concrete structures. Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) can also be used to produce frost-resistant concrete. Compared to AEA, it can be used to precisely engineer the air void structure of concrete, promote cement hydration, and mitigate self-desiccation cracks. In this study, life cycle assessment methodology is applied to evaluate the overall environmental impact of frost-resistant concrete based on AEA and SAP, respectively. The results illustrate that frost-resistant concrete with SAP has a lower environmental impact than frost-resistant concrete with AEA if the strength and durability of concrete are considered in the defined functional unit. In addition, frost-resistant concrete with SAP reduces the environmental burdens of the vertical elements such as columns, but it increases the environmental load of the horizontal elements such as slabs, where the strength increase cannot be utilized. Moreover, the inventory data for AEA and SAP can affect the impact assessment results.