Experimental Study of Fresh and Harden Properties of Concrete Infused with Carbon Dioxide

Concrete is a key material in the construction industry but the cement major ingredient of concrete is alone responsible for 5% of the world’s annual carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Carbon dioxide has been found as a beneficial admixture to freshly hydrating cement concrete. One recent technology infuses CO₂ during concrete production itself. The carbonation reaction between CO₂ and the hydrating cement forms nanosize calcium carbonate partials. The CO₂ can be infused into conventional concrete production through a simple gas cylinder and pressure control system. The feasibility of using CO₂ at the time of concrete production was investigated. A detailed experimentation evaluation of CO₂-infused concrete was conducted. The effect of the CO₂ on fresh properties of concrete was assessed in terms of workability, and effect on harden properties was assessed through compressive strength and split tensile strength. The comparison between the conventional concrete batch and batch infused with CO₂ (by weight of cement) was made to understand the behaviour of CO₂-infused concrete. The CO₂-infused concrete technology delivers valuable input to the concrete production while reducing the concrete’s environmental impact.