@article{10902/36455,
year = {2025},
month = {5},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10902/36455},
abstract = {Innovative approaches in the Portland cement industry, aligned with circular economy principles, offer a promising solution to reduce the environmental impacts. These methods can initially target the architectural elements with lower structural demands, such as urban furniture and paving, before being applied to areas with higher cement usage. Alkali-activated binders (AABs) made from secondary resources present a sustainable alternative to Portland cement (PC), promoting resource recovery, conservation, and a low-carbon economy. Incinerator bottom ash (IBA), traditionally landfilled, has shown potential as a precursor for AABs due to its aluminosilicate content. Repurposing IBA for urban furniture and paving transforms it into a valuable secondary resource. Accordingly, this is the first study to utilize IBA as the sole precursor for urban furniture or paving applications. Research, including state-of-the-art studies and proof of concept developed in this work, demonstrates that IBA-based AABs can produce cast concrete suitable for non-structural urban elements, meeting the technical, environmental, and ecotoxicological standards. Using IBA in AAB formulations not only reduces the reliance on primary raw materials but also contributes to significant energy savings in binder production and lowers greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint. Furthermore, producing concrete from local residual resources, such as IBA, facilitates the reintegration of municipal waste into the production cycle at its point of origin, fostering a sustainable approach to urban development and supporting the circular economy.},
organization = {This work is partially supported by the Spanish Government with the TED2021-129718B–I00, funded byMICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR, and by Grant ACE051/22/000011 funded by ACCIÓ, the Catalan Government’s Agency for Business Competitiveness. The Catalan Government also contributed via the Grants 2021 SGR 00708 and 2021 SGR 01615 through the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR). This work is also partially supported by ICREA under the ICREA Academia program.},
publisher = {MDPI},
publisher = {Buildings, 2025, 15(9), 1571},
title = {MSW incineration bottom ash-based alkali-activated binders as an eco-efficient alternative for urban furniture and paving: closing the loop towards sustainable construction solutions},
author = {Chimenos Ribera, Josep María and Cuspoca, Fabián and Maldonado Alameda, Alex and Mañosa, Jofre and Rosell, Joan Ramon and Andrés Payán, Ana and Faneca, Gerard and Cabeza, Luisa F.},
}