UKRI’s Circular Economy Centre for Construction Minerals – Transformation of London clay into construction resources

This brief lunchtime seminar, hosted by ICEC-MCM (Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre for Mineral-based Construction Minerals), will focus on the Repurposed Excavated Arising Loop (REAL) project . This feasibility study examines whether London Clay can be processed into construction materials, particularly focusing on calcined clay to act as cement replacement in concrete.

The session will run through the resource efficiency, waste management, decarbonisation & overall sustainability challenge in the construction industry, the REAL project is seeking to address. Results of the testing of the London Clay raw material for its suitability to produce supplementary cementitious material (SCM) & Light Weight Aggregates (LWA) therefrom, as well as progress on concrete mix designs containing the calcined London Clay cement replacement will be presented and discussed.

Agenda

Athina and Fragkoulis will lead 20 minutes of discussion, followed by questions posed from the audience and Susan Bernal Lopez, ICEC-MCM Co-Investigator and Professor of of Structural Materials at University of Leeds.

Athina Papakosta

Athina is a Sustainability and Whole Life Carbon consultant for the built environment, currently leading on sustainability for the Main Works Civils Contract for HS2 London Tunnels. Her remit mainly involves driving best practice and meeting ambitious targets with regards to carbon emissions minimisation, resource efficiency & circular economy and input to the strategic sustainability planning. Athina trained as a civil engineer with a keen interest in the environmental performance of built projects since early on. Specialised in LCA for construction, she has 10 years of hands-on experience in measurement and management of carbon emissions over the life cycle of projects as well as a strong track record in developing, pitching and coordinating delivery of carbon mitigation solutions.

Fragkoulis Kanavaris

Fragkoulis is Arup’s concrete and cementitious materials expert with experience in materials specification, low carbon concrete, simulating, testing, designing and monitoring concrete structures and with contributions in more than 250 projects worldwide. He is chairing and is a contributing member several RILEM and fib committees on concrete performance and low carbon concrete alternatives.