Sustainable circular value chains: From rural waste to feasible urban construction materials solutions

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Wolfram Schmidt - , Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Berlin (Author)
  • Michael Commeh - , Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Author)
  • Kolawole Olonade - , University of Lagos (Author)
  • Gesine Lenore Schiewer - , University of Bayreuth (Author)
  • David Dodoo-Arhin - , University of Ghana (Author)
  • Risikat Dauda - , University of Lagos (Author)
  • Shirin Fataei - , Chair of Construction Materials (Author)
  • Angela Tetteh Tawiah - , MC-Bauchemie Ghana Limited (Author)
  • Fatma Mohamed - , University of Dar es Salaam (Author)
  • Mareike Thiedeitz - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Nonkululeko W. Radebe - , Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Andreas Rogge - , Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing Berlin (Author)

Abstract

Urban regions in sub-Saharan Africa are growing significantly more rapid than their also growing rural counterparts. However, the employment perspectives in rural areas are decreasing, and thus the urban growth can become a driver for enhanced livelihoods in the rural areas. Since urbanisation in Africa requires high amount of concrete, the conversion of agricultural waste materials to sustainable concrete constituents does not only create new rural and urban income possibilities, it can also help Africa's construction industry to spearhead green concrete technologies, and thus to reduce carbon emission worldwide. From vegetable wastes chemical admixtures can be derived as well as reactive mineral cement substitutes, which help to use concrete more efficiently and reduce the ordinary Portland cement clinker in concrete, respectively. The authors of this paper discuss the potentials and shortcomings of using agricultural waste materials for construction materials and propose a synergistic three-step process chain to obtain polysaccharides, biochar, and a reactive ash. The process requires boiling, hydrolysis and vertical shaft kiln technology, respectively, to obtain maximum useable products with minimum generation of climate gases. Eventually, the process chain is discussed in conjunction with possible rural to urban circular economic potentials in the concrete construction business.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number100047
JournalDevelopments in the Built Environment
Volume6
Publication statusPublished - May 2021
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Africa, Biochar, Cement, Circular economy, CONCRETE, Hydrolysis, Polysaccharides, Sub-saharan africa, Sustainability, Urbanisation, Vertical shaft kiln