10114410Development of calcined clay from low-grade sources to produce next generation low-carbon cements and concrete.ClosedDemonstratorInnovate UKThis project is aimed at the development and optimisation of calcined clay-based cementitious materials produced using low-grade clays and waste materials. Overall, the project not only tackles the challenge of lower carbon concrete but also fosters collaboration between academia, industry, and local manufacturers, thereby laying the groundwork for sustainable innovation and market transformation in the concrete sector. Typically, reactive supplementary cementitious materials have taken the form of GGBS or fly ash. However, as the steel and electricity generation sectors change practices to improve their environmental and energy efficiency impact, these materials will become less common to the point of no supply being available locally. One potential alternative to these materials is the low temperature calcination of low grade or waste clays to produce a lower carbon clinker replacement while retaining the necessary reactivity required to produce a lower carbon cement with the same performance properties as commonly used Portland cements. While high grade clays such as high purity kaolinite or China clay are relatively uncommon in the UK, suitable low grade clays are abundant and are typically available as wastes from the ceramic manufacturing and quarrying industries. This project aims to further develop work already undertaken by CEMCOR to develop low grade clays available into suitable cementitious materials to help reduce the carbon impact of concrete manufacturing. Four distinct work packages are included in this research project with the overall aim of developing a high clinker replacement cement and a clinker-free cementitious binder with the assistance of Queen's University, Belfast as an academic partner. Two demonstration projects are proposed with two industry partners -- Tobermore and Moore Concrete. Overall, this project will demonstrate the technical potential for calcined clays produced using low grade clays while also demonstrating the market demand for such materials through the demonstration collaboration with two major concrete product producers. By working within existing standards and codes of practice, the focus for this project is on the provision of market-ready solutions at the earliest opportunity, removing many of the perceived market barriers to widespread commercial adoption. The production of a high performance, commercially available cement product with a CO2 reduction of \>60% compared with CEM I would be market leading and potentially industry changing.