基于EIO-LCA的江苏省产业结构调整与碳减排潜力分析

随着城镇化与工业化进程的推进,经济增长与环境压力之间的矛盾日益加剧。为实现节能减排目标,研究以调整产业结构为主要碳减排路径的清洁发展机制尤为重要与迫切。江苏省是全国工业经济大省和碳排放大省之一。因此,本文以江苏省细分行业为例,采用投入产出生命周期评价方法对江苏省产业的直接和间接碳排放进行测算。并构建碳减排潜力模型模拟产业结构调整引起的减排潜力。结果表明:1一次性能源消费引起的直接碳排放最大的贡献部门是电力、热力的生产和供应业,占总体能源消费碳排放的50.58%,其次是化学工业(9.65%),金属冶炼及压延加工业是第三贡献者(9.31%)。2从生产链视角,间接碳排放较高的部门依次为:从电力、热力生产和供应业(15.183×106t)、煤炭开采和洗选业(8.099 8×106t)、石油加工、炼焦及核燃料加工业(4.694 4×106t);消费需求视角,间接碳排放主要贡献来自于出口隐含碳排放;从部门层次来看,通信设备、计算机及及其他电子设备制造业(16.55%)、金属冶炼及压延加工业(12.65%)、交通运输设备制造业(12.49%)在出口碳排放中贡献较大。3江苏省碳减排潜力较大的部门主要是能源密集型行业。如产值变动1%,电力、热力生产供应业减排效应达1.58 t/104元,碳减排量占2010年碳排放1.57%。因此,建议江苏省除了使用粉煤燃烧技术(PCC)、整体煤气化联合循环(IGCC)、大型循环流化床(CFB)等先进技术提高能源利用强度以外,开发利用可再生能源和新能源来优化能源结构。另外,重点提升具有较大减排潜力部门的产值,例如通信设备、计算机及其他电子设备制造业、通用、专用设备制造业。     

长三角城市工业碳排放及其经济增长关联性分析

根据《IPCC国际温室气体清单指南》中的参考方法对长三角16个城市2005～2009年的工业碳排放进行核算,具体分析比较16个城市的化石燃料的碳排放量、工业碳排放强度、工业碳排放变化率等影响因素,并通过关联性分析和脱钩分析对比城市工业碳减排现状与发展趋势,得出:(1)2009年长三角工业碳排放量达到20 979.79万t,其中煤炭消耗产生的碳排放量占主导,达到95.25%;(2)2005～2009年长三角16个城市的平均工业碳排放强度从1.25t/万元降低到0.88t/万元,上海的工业碳排放水平一直保持较低水平,江苏8个城市的工业碳排放强度较为接近,浙江省的7个城市工业碳排放强度差异明显;(3)长三角地区的碳排放强度与工业经济强度两者之间存在明显的负相关性;(4)工业增加值与工业碳排放量脱钩分析显示上海等13个城市落在弱脱钩区域。     

基于情景分析法的中国馆碳减排效益评估

建筑部门的低碳发展已成为推进我国低碳经济至关重要的一个组成部分,因此正确客观地评价建筑的低碳水平具有重要的指导意义。本文以2010年上海世博会中国馆为研究对象,采用碳排放情景分析法,针对中国馆的基准建筑与实际建筑,计算其世博结束后正常运行条件下的碳排放水平,评估中国馆实际建筑的碳减排效益。使用建筑能耗模拟软件DesignBuilder对建筑全年能源消耗水平进行了模拟,并通过相应能源品种的碳排放因子分别计算了实际建筑和基准建筑的碳排放水平;同时应用全生命周期方法(LCA)分析了中国馆实际建筑应用太阳能光伏、LED照明技术相比于基准建筑所带来的减排效益。结果表明:世博结束后正常运行条件下,中国馆实际建筑年碳排放量为18 969 t CO2e,基准建筑年碳排放量为25 770 t CO2e,因此,相比基准建筑,中国馆实际建筑一年减排6 801 t CO2e,年碳减排率为26.4%;减排效益主要由节能设计及绿色技术贡献,分别占96.3%和3.7%。本文通过综合评估中国馆的碳减排效益,以期为我国公共建筑低碳工作的开展进行有益的探索。     

含外来电的崇明县能源碳排放核算研究

能源消耗是中国最主要的碳排放源，而地方政府是碳管理的基层行政单元，因此，有效控制区域的能源碳排放是碳减排工作的重中之重。区域消耗的能源中，外来电是缓解当地用电压力的重要措施，但一般外来电引起的碳排放易被忽视。将外来电导致的碳排放纳入区域能源碳排放核算体系内，利用部门分析和范围分析法建立了包含外来电分析的能源碳排放核算系统，以上海市崇明县为例进行了应用。研究表明：（1）2000～2009年崇明的能源碳排放增长较快，由181万t增至477万t（CO2当量）；(2）碳排放总量的8212%来自3个部门：工业、建筑业和生活部门;(3）2009年，购买电力导致的间接碳排放达2316%，体现了实施碳管理时考虑外来电力的必要性     

皖江城市带农田生态系统碳排放动态研究

基于化肥、农药、农膜、农业灌溉、农地翻耕、农机运用、农作物收割后残留根系分解 7个主要碳源,测算皖江城市带1991~2010年农业碳排放量。结果表明：研究区农业碳排放总量从1991年的273万t增加到2010年的535万t,年均增长率为1035%,同时2010年其排放量约占安徽省碳总排放量的443%。1991~2010年研究区人均农业碳排放年均增幅26%,农业碳排放密度年均增幅584%,碳排放强度年均降幅3769 t/亿元。研究区农业碳排放以农作物收割后残留根系分解为主(占总排放量的5987% ),且化肥碳排放比重年均增长最快达1618%。各市农业碳排放量六安最大,安庆较大,铜陵最小,其中平均增幅最大为六安298万t/a,最小为铜陵009万t/a;碳排放强度最大为六安,较大为滁州,最小为铜陵,平均降幅最大为滁州64774 t/（亿元·a）,最小为铜陵19760 t/（亿元·a）;人均农业碳排放量最大为滁州,最小为铜陵,人均增加量最大为六安460 kg/a,最小为合肥039 kg/a;碳排放密度年均增幅最大为芜湖836%,最小为马鞍山345%。最后根据该区农业碳源的构成特点和动态特征,为其降低农业碳排放提出一些建议     

中国电力行业的全周期碳足迹北大核心CSCDCSSCI

在碳达峰与碳中和目标下,国家层面与各省份均在积极推动碳减排。电力行业作为我国最大的排放部门成为减排重点之一,然而电力行业存在的隐含碳排放造成实际排放低估,省际间碳转移导致省级碳减排不公平问题突出。因此识别电力行业全周期碳足迹,尤其是不同省份的隐含碳足迹以及省际间的转移碳足迹特征,有助于正确评估电力行业碳排放,科学界定不同省份的碳减排责任并合理分配。通过构建电力行业全周期点-流模型以揭示电力产业链中存在的能源活动,进而明确基于用电侧考虑的2018年全周期碳足迹,并刻画碳隐含度与碳转移依赖度指标来分析电力行业的隐含碳排放与省间转移碳排放。研究表明:(1)我国电力行业全周期碳排放系数为689 g/(kW·h),排放量为4.747×10^(9)t,其中北方大部分地区排放系数偏高,山东最高达891 g/(kW·h),南方地区偏低,云南最低仅101 g/(kW·h)。(2)全国电力行业全周期碳隐含度为8.95%,东南沿海贫煤省与煤炭生产高排放省的碳隐含度偏高,贵州最高达14.63%,西北、华北富煤省的碳隐含度偏低,新疆最低仅4.94%;全国隐含碳排放量为4.25×10^(8)t,广东隐含碳排放量最高达5.0×10^(7)t,青海最低仅1.17×10^(6)t。(3)全国电力行业全周期碳转移量为9.26×10^(8)t,约占排放总量的19.5%,电力与煤炭自给率越低的省区对外碳转移依赖度越高,其中北京最高达71.24%;内蒙古、山西、陕西、宁夏、安徽、新疆、贵州是主要碳转入省,总转入7.11×10^(8)t,其中内蒙古最高达2.64×10^(8)t;江苏、浙江、广东、山东、河北、北京、辽宁、河南、上海是主要碳转出省,总转出6.92×108t,其中江苏最高达1.12×10^(8)t;全国共有240对省存在碳转移,其中有102对的转移量超过1.0×10^(6)t。在研究基础上,提出相应建议推动省级电力行业公平合理低碳发展。     

中国2020年碳减排目标下若干关键经济指标研究

《国民经济和社会发展第十二个五年规划纲要》将能源消耗强度和CO2排放强度作为约束性指标。实现2020年单位GDP碳排放强度下降40-45%的自主减排目标是中国今后发展的战略性任务。"十一五"期间,中国以能源消费年均6.6%的增速支撑了国民经济年均11.2%的增长,累计节能量达到6.3亿t标煤,CO2减排量达到14.6亿t,为全球应对气候变化做出了积极贡献。但单位GDP的能耗强度和碳强度下降与温室气体排放总量的上升还将是中国当前和未来很长时期温室气体排放的主要特征。根据历史数据分析,GDP增长、经济结构、产业结构、能源结构等都会对中国的碳减排产生重要影响。GDP增速高必然呈现高能耗、高排放的特征。经济结构方面,影响能耗和碳排放的是GDP(最终需求)的组成变化,即消费、投资和净出口的变化。由于第二产业在国民经济中所占的较大比重以及重化工产业长期存在,除了继续依靠技术进步提高能源使用效率外,必须重视产业结构调整对降低碳排放强度的贡献。能源结构对节能和碳减排的影响集中体现在资源禀赋不平衡、供需分布不平衡、消费种类不平衡。文章提出实现碳减排目标,必须控制和达到以下关键指标:控制GDP增速在6-8%之间;调整出口结构,提升服务贸易比重至30%左右;提高第三产业比例至47%以上,控制高能耗工业比重在22%以下;提高非化石能源比重至15%。此外,实现碳减排目标还必须:充分认识碳减排对转方式、调结构的重要意义;切实加强对不同区域碳减排工作的分类指导;提前部署重大低碳技术和重点领域技术研发;大力倡导绿色低碳消费和生活方式等。研究表明,中国实现2020年CO2自主减排目标还需付出更大的努力。     

中国电力行业的全周期碳足迹

在碳达峰与碳中和目标下,国家层面与各省份均在积极推动碳减排。电力行业作为我国最大的排放部门成为减排重点之一,然而电力行业存在的隐含碳排放造成实际排放低估,省际间碳转移导致省级碳减排不公平问题突出。因此识别电力行业全周期碳足迹,尤其是不同省份的隐含碳足迹以及省际间的转移碳足迹特征,有助于正确评估电力行业碳排放,科学界定不同省份的碳减排责任并合理分配。通过构建电力行业全周期点-流模型以揭示电力产业链中存在的能源活动,进而明确基于用电侧考虑的2018年全周期碳足迹,并刻画碳隐含度与碳转移依赖度指标来分析电力行业的隐含碳排放与省间转移碳排放。研究表明:(1)我国电力行业全周期碳排放系数为689 g/(kW·h),排放量为4.747×10⁹t,其中北方大部分地区排放系数偏高,山东最高达891 g/(kW·h),南方地区偏低,云南最低仅101 g/(kW·h)。(2)全国电力行业全周期碳隐含度为8.95%,东南沿海贫煤省与煤炭生产高排放省的碳隐含度偏高,贵州最高达14.63%,西北、华北富煤省的碳隐含度偏低,新疆最低仅4.94%;全国隐含碳排放量为4.25×10⁸t,广东隐含碳排放量最高达5.0×10⁷t,青海最低仅1.17×10⁶t。(3)全国电力行业全周期碳转移量为9.26×10⁸t,约占排放总量的19.5%,电力与煤炭自给率越低的省区对外碳转移依赖度越高,其中北京最高达71.24%;内蒙古、山西、陕西、宁夏、安徽、新疆、贵州是主要碳转入省,总转入7.11×10⁸t,其中内蒙古最高达2.64×10⁸t;江苏、浙江、广东、山东、河北、北京、辽宁、河南、上海是主要碳转出省,总转出6.92×108t,其中江苏最高达1.12×10⁸t;全国共有240对省存在碳转移,其中有102对的转移量超过1.0×10⁶t。在研究基础上,提出相应建议推动省级电力行业公平合理低碳发展。     

土地出让市场化的碳排放效应及传导机制——基于产业结构中介视角北大核心CSCDCSSCI

城市建设用地的快速和无序扩张引致了大量的碳排放,激化了土地利用与低碳发展之间的矛盾。作为体现政府意志与市场配置的综合手段,土地出让市场化能否兼顾建设用地开发利用的经济效益和环境效益成为一项具有时代特征的议题。该研究基于2003—2019年中国省际面板数据,运用双重固定效应模型及并行多重中介效应模型,从产业结构合理化与高级化视角研究土地出让市场化对碳排放的影响效果及多层作用机制,并在现实情景下对其长期作用效果进行剖析。研究结果表明:①土地出让市场化对碳排放存在显著且稳健的抑制效应,表现为土地出让市场化水平提高1个标准单位,碳排放降低0.243个标准单位;②土地出让市场化通过促进产业结构合理化发展、抑制产业结构高级化份额(高级化数量)失衡、推动产业结构高质量化(高级化质量)提升对碳排放产生不同程度的间接抑制作用,三者均表现为显著的部分中介效应,其中土地出让市场化对产业结构合理化的提升作用最大,产业结构高级化质量对碳排放的抑制效果更为显著;③碳排放存在显著的惯性效应,上一期碳排放增加1%,当期碳排放将增长0.399%左右,同时土地出让市场化对产业结构调整和碳减排的作用效果存在动态性和延续性,长期内土地出让市场化依然能够通过直接效应和中介变量传导的间接效应显著抑制碳排放。因此,政府有必要继续扩大土地市场化出让范围,通过灵活性、前瞻性的市场化机制促成土地和产业之间的横向适配及产业结构朝节能减排方向纵向提升,从而建立土地出让市场化通过产业结构调整促进碳减排的常态化、长效化机制。     

油页岩制取油田钻井液添加剂的生命周期环境影响评价

基于生命周期评价(LCA)理论,采用Eco-indicator99(生态指数法)环境影响评价体系,以油页岩作原材料,酶制剂和片碱作辅料制备复合型油田钻井液添加剂的生产过程为研究对象,分析了基于油页岩提取油田钻井液添加剂这一新型生产工艺的该产品从原料获取到制备生产各阶段的生命周期环境影响。研究结果表明:1t油田钻井液添加剂生命周期环境负荷单一值为46.5806 Pt,其中油田钻井液添加剂制备阶段造成的环境负荷(44.4382 Pt)占95.40%,且制备阶段对环境损害类型资源消耗产生的环境负荷(521.4471 MJ surplus)最大,具有较大的节能减排潜力;油田钻井液添加剂产品生命周期主要环境影响类型从环境负荷影响程度由大到小依次为:大气无机污染物、化石燃料、气候变化、致癌类物质、生态毒性、酸化/富营养化。研究结果可为提高基于该工艺制取油田钻井液添加剂生产过程的节能减排能力以及优化油页岩全组分物质资源可持续利用提供基础支撑。     

户用沼气模式生命周期减排清单与环境效益分析

相对于传统农业活动,以沼气为纽带的生态农业生产具有清洁的能源生产和高度闭环的废物回收处置等明显优势,在全国范围内得到入户推广。本文综合考虑沼气工程建造、使用和综合利用等生命周期过程,分析了典型户用沼气池综合利用各阶段环境节能减排清单,并在此基础上评价其环境效益。结果表明,"猪-沼-稻-果"综合农业利用模式下单位沼气池节能减排效果明显,其中CO2、PM10、CH4和CO净减排量分别达3 060.700kg、19.820kg、12.960kg和75.590kg,总净节能达9 068.4MJ。其中,玉米秸秆、沼液沼渣的利用和燃煤替代对温室效应的减缓明显,畜禽粪便的利用和燃煤的替代减缓了环境酸化以及富营养化过程,而光化学氧化的减缓主要来自玉米秸秆的利用而减少的CO、VOC的排放,沼气工程对人体毒害的减缓主要是来自燃煤替代而减少的SO2和PM10排放。户用沼气利用对各种环境影响均有减缓作用,其中对光化学氧化、富营养化、环境酸化和温室效应的改善最为显著,对于降低能源耗竭、减缓对人体的毒性也起到了较好的作用。     

LCCA and environmental LCA for highway pavement selection in Colorado

The roadway network in the USA earned a grade of D representing poor condition in the latest report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. To maintain economic and environmental sustainability during the roadway network development and rehabilitation, it is critical to apply sustainable materials and intelligent design. A good estimation on project-level life-cycle costs and environmental impacts is one of the important steps in the highway investment decision-making process. This article examines the current life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) practice employed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) in their pavement investment decision-making process, and proposes a regional environmental life-cycle assessment (LCA) model to evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with Colorado highway pavements. Both LCCA and LCA are performed for a highway reconstruction project with Portland cement concrete pavement (PCCP) and hot-mixed asphalt (HMA) alternatives. The LCCA is 7.4% in favour of HMA. Since the difference is less than 10%, it indicates equivalent designs. However, in the LCA, the GHG emission from PCCP is 26% less than the HMA over the 40-year analysis period. The vehicle fuel consumption will increase due to the deterioration of pavements. But the increased user cost is not included in the current LCCA employed by CDOT as well as user cost due to crashes and nonuser costs. The LCA can be an optional criterion for the selection of the preliminary pavement type.     

火法炼铜能耗与碳排放情景分析——基于生命周期的视角

以火法炼铜全生命周期过程为研究对象,采用生命周期评价(LCA)方法,定量评价不同熔炼工艺生产铜过程的能源消耗和温室气体排放,并应用情景分析法,对2020年我国火法炼铜不同工艺技术结构下的能耗与碳排放强度进行比较,旨在为铜冶炼行业的结构调整与优化升级提供决策支持。结果表明,基于鼓风熔炼、闪速熔炼和熔池熔炼工艺的火法生产铜过程的能耗分别为147.80×103,96.68×103,104.20×103MJ;其碳排放强度分别为15.32×103,8.99×103,10.01×103kg CO2当量。设定的4种情景的能耗分别为111.60×103,103.37×103,101.19×103,99.69×103MJ;其碳排放强度分别为10.87×103,9.87×103,9.60×103,9.40×103kg CO2当量。由此可知,传统工艺鼓风炉熔炼较闪速熔炼及熔池熔炼的能耗更高,且导致了更多的温室气体排放。因此,大力发展闪速熔炼及熔池熔炼技术对降低铜生命周期的能耗及碳排放具有重要意义,彻底淘汰传统熔炼工艺,推广先进熔炼技术是减少火法铜生产环境影响的迫切任务。     

Addressing food supply chain and consumption inefficiencies: potential for climate change mitigation

Globally, more than 30 % of all food that is produced is ultimately lost and/or wasted through inefficiencies in the food supply chain. In the developed world this wastage is centred on the last stage in the supply chain; the end-consumer throwing away food that is purchased but not eaten. In contrast, in the developing world the bulk of lost food occurs in the early stages of the supply chain (production, harvesting and distribution). Excess food consumption is a similarly inefficient use of global agricultural production; with almost 1 billion people now classed as obese, 842 million people are suffering from chronic hunger. Given the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, strategies that reduce food loss and wastage, or address excess caloric consumption, have great potential as effective tools in global climate change mitigation. Here, we examine the challenges of robust quantification of food wastage and consumption inefficiencies, and their associated greenhouse gas emissions, along the supply chain. We find that the quality and quantity of data are highly variable within and between geographical regions, with the greatest range tending to be associated with developing nations. Estimation of production-phase GHG emissions for food wastage and excess consumption is found to be similarly challenging on a global scale, with use of IPCC default (Tier 1) emission factors for food production being required in many regions. Where robust food waste data and production-phase emission factors do exist—such as for the UK—we find that avoiding consumer-phase food waste can deliver significant up-stream reductions in GHG emissions from the agricultural sector. Eliminating consumer milk waste in the UK alone could mitigate up to 200 Gg CO₂e year^?1; scaled up globally, we estimate mitigation potential of over 25,000 Gg CO₂e year^?1.     

Carbon Footprint Analysis for Baby Strollers

Abstract

The increasing awareness of climate change has led organizations to demand a standard procedure to measure and communicate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to their products or services. The publicly available specification PAS 2050 has been developed in response to broad community and industry desire for a consistent method-carbon footprint for assessing the life cycle GHG emissions of goods and services. Specifically, this paper illustrates the implementation of carbon footprint for a baby stroller in accordance with PAS 2050. A fial value of 321 kg per one stroller including package was calculated. Moreover, the study led to identify raw materials production of the stroller as the main source of GHS emissions where efforts need to focus for emission reduction opportunities. This case study is hoped to be a starting point for organizations to benefit from the increasing application of carbon footprint assessment.     

Agricultural GHG emission and calorie intake nexus among different socioeconomic households of rural eastern India

A study was conducted to examine the interrelationships among socioeconomic factors, household consumption patterns, calorie intake and greenhouse gas emissions factors in rural eastern India based on household survey data. Findings indicated that higher monthly per capita incomes (12.1–80.1$) were associated with greater average calorie intakes (2021–2525 kcal d^?1). As estimated by the FEEDME model, in total 17.2% of the population was calorie malnourished with a regional disparity of 29.4–18.2% malnourishment. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were calculated only on the basis of crop and livestock production and consumption. Rice accounted for the highest share of total GHG emissions, on average 82.6% on a production basis, which varied from 58.1% to 94.9% in regional basis. Rice contributed the greatest share (~?65% and 66.2%) in terms of both calories and GHG emissions (CO₂ eq y^?1), respectively, on a consumption basis. We conclude that extensive rice farming and increasing animal product consumption are dominant factors in the higher carbon footprint in this region and are likely to further increase with increase in per capita income. This study provides useful information to help for better crop planning and for fine-tuning food access policy, to reduce carbon footprint and calorie malnutrition.

     

中国海洋捕捞渔业温室气体排放时序分析与因素分解

综合渔获量规模、作业方式结构、作业方式能耗强度和燃油排放系数等因素对温室气体排放的影响，在对2006～2011年海洋捕捞渔业温室气体排放核算和时序分析基础上，利用LMDI方法对温室气体排放进行了因素分解。结果表明：海洋捕捞渔业温室气体排放量呈现出稳定的增长趋势，平均每年温室气体排放量增长2666万t；拖网、刺网两种作业方式产生的温室气体占相应年份海洋捕捞渔业温室气体排放量的比重最大，约占80%，且温室效应最强。渔获量规模效应是驱动我国海洋捕捞渔业温室气体排放的最主要因素。建议通过采取“捕捞配额”或实施较长期的禁渔休渔制度来降低渔获量总量，不仅有利于保护海洋渔业资源，还能减少温室气体排放，也可以通过建立海洋捕捞生态补偿制度的方式来调整作业方式结构向低温室气体排放转变     

Estimating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the greenhouse gas balance of soils in Wales under current and future climate

The Welsh Government is committed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural systems and combat the effects of future climate change. In this study, the ECOSSE model was applied spatially to estimate GHG and soil organic carbon (SOC) fluxes from three major land uses (grass, arable and forest) in Wales. The aims of the simulations were: (1) to estimate the annual net GHG balance for Wales; (2) to investigate the efficiency of the reduced nitrogen (N) fertilizer goal of the sustainable land management scheme (Glastir), through which the Welsh Government offers financial support to farmers and land managers on GHG flux reduction; and (3) to investigate the effects of future climate change on the emissions of GHG and plant net primary production (NPP). Three climate scenarios were studied: baseline (1961–1990) and low and high emission climate scenarios (2015–2050). Results reveal that grassland and cropland are the major nitrous oxide (N₂O) emitters and consequently emit more GHG to the atmosphere than forests. The overall average simulated annual net GHG balance for Wales under baseline climate (1961–1990) is equivalent to 0.2 t CO₂e ha^?1 y^?1 which gives an estimate of total annual net flux for Wales of 0.34 Mt CO₂e y^?1. Reducing N fertilizer by 20 and 40 % could reduce annual net GHG fluxes by 7 and 25 %, respectively. If the current N fertilizer application rate continues, predicted climate change by the year 2050 would not significantly affect GHG emissions or NPP from soils in Wales.     

Development and analysis of high-performance green concrete in the urban infrastructure

Cement production accounts for approximately 5% of total global CO₂ emissions from all human activities. In addition, the consumption of virgin aggregates for concrete infrastructure has created virgin material scarcity issues in many areas of the USA. High-performance green concrete (HPGC) with fly ash and recycled aggregates can help reduce the demand for material inputs and reduce pollution outputs associated with bulk material flow of urban concrete. Structural and durability tests showed that HPGC containing fly ash and 50% recycled aggregate (100% of the coarse aggregate fraction) performed equally or better than 100% ordinary Portland cement concrete with the same cementitious content. Durability improvements were more significant with Class F than Class C fly ash. For both Class F and Class C fly ash, greater per cent replacement of Portland cement with fly ash led to slower and lower strength gain, but still within acceptable strength criteria for Colorado Department of Transportation Class B concrete. This paper quantifies the sustainability of HPGC in urban infrastructure by addressing structural performance, environmental, economic and resource depletion impacts.     

Radon exhalation of cementitious materials made with coal fly ash: Part 2--testing hardened cement-fly ash pastes

Increased interest in measuring radionuclides and radon concentrations in fly ash (FA), cement and other components of building products is due to the concern about health hazards of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). The paper focuses on studying the influence of FA on radon exhalation rate (radon flux) from cementitious materials. In the previous part of the paper the state of the art was presented, and the experiments for testing raw materials, Portland cement and coal fly ash, were described. Since the cement and FA have the most critical role in the radon release process relative to other concrete constituents (sand and gravel), and their contribution is dominant in the overall radium content of concrete, tests were carried out on cement paste specimens with different FA contents, 0-60% by weight of the binder (cement+FA). It is found that the dosage of FA in cement paste has a limited influence on radon exhalation rate, if the hardened material is relatively dense. The radon flux of cement-FA pastes is lower than that of pure cement paste: it is about approximately 3 mBq m(-2) s(-1) for cement-FA pastes with FA content as high as 960 kg m(-3).