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UFS Engineering Sciences leads research on eco-friendly concrete

23 June 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Dr Naghizadeh_ web read more — The Department of Engineering Sciences (EnSci) – under the leadership of Dr Abdolhossein Naghizadeh – is heading a collaboration of scientists to create a green concrete that will reduce the impact of cement on the environment.

Conventional cement production is responsible for more than 6% of the overall carbon emissions in the world, which ultimately affects global warming.

The Department of Engineering Sciences (EnSci) at the University of the Free State (UFS) – under the leadership of Dr Abdolhossein Naghizadeh – is heading a collaboration of scientists from universities in South Africa and abroad to create a green concrete that will reduce the impact of cement on the environment.

This product has the potential to be used as an alternative to conventional concrete in large-scale constructions such as residential buildings and infrastructure, as well as small-scale constructions such a pavements and brickworks.

Dr Nagizadeh, whose passion is cement and green concrete, says the idea of eco-friendly concrete was considered by European researchers a few years ago; however, this technology is still in its initial stages and has not been researched and employed at industrial scale yet. He believes that it is due to the complexity of the preparation process, and the relatively aggressive chemicals used in green concrete mixtures.

Expertise and equipment

With his knowledge and experience of the product, Dr Naghizadeh – who joined EnSci in 2020 – has been appointed project leader of a collaborative group of scientists from the Universities of Johannesburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Yaoundé in Cameroon, and the Erzurum Technical University in Turkey.

“Since there are only a limited number of researchers in this field, EnSci is benefiting from the expertise of this international collaboration. The proficiency of this group of scientists are keeping the project current, based on the latest findings in the research area,” says Louis Lagrange, Head of the Department of Engineering Sciences.

Based on this new capacity, the department decided to establish and equip a new laboratory facility dedicated to cement and concrete research, with a specific current focus on green concrete.

In this laboratory, they want to create formulations of green concrete, based on user-friendly materials. Furthermore, they aim to simplify the preparation and mixing process. “This can introduce a more eco-friendly, desirable product that can easily be employed extensively in the construction industry,” says Lagrange.

Benefits and other advantages

Besides its ability to reduce the impact on the environment through reduced carbon emissions, the product is also described to perform at equal or even superior strength and durability compared to conventional concrete, with potentially substantial environmental and economic benefits.

This product is also primarily made from waste materials or industrial by-products. Dr Naghizadeh explains it as follows: “Normal concrete consists of conventional (Portland) cement, sand, stone and water, while in green concrete the conventional cement part of the concrete mix is replaced by industrial wastes or by-products and alkali solutions. These alternative materials are mostly aluminosilicate materials such as fly ash (residue from coal burning process in power plants) and slag (waste material from iron extraction processes).”

“Using these waste substances as binding material in green concrete can, apart from the environmental benefits, also reduce waste and contribute to the circular economy. Annually, more than 36 million tons of fly ash are produced in South Africa alone, of which more than 90% is deposited at landfill sites. Reuse of these waste materials will moderate the related waste deposition issues, such as air and groundwater pollution.”

Production of green concrete

Currently, green concrete is mostly produced in two parts: a solid raw material and an alkali activation solution. With their project, the research group wants to develop green concrete in a powdered form, to be mixed with water, instead of a chemical. Dr Nagizadeh estimates that the construction industry will be able to benefit from their work in about two years’ time when they will have a user-friendly green concrete product ready.

Apart from putting an eco-friendlier concrete on the market, this project is also establishing a brand-new research niche in the UFS Department of Engineering Sciences. According to Lagrange, this research has the ability to attract postgraduate students and other researchers. He is also looking forward to the international academic recognition that EnSci will receive through published articles in leading international journals, and the participation of researchers in accredited conferences arising from this project.

Lagrange is pleased that the project is establishing EnSci as a research player of note in the engineering field, specifically in the green engineering field.

News Archive

UFS Communication and Brand Management receives two prestigious international awards

2015-07-07

Lelanie de Wet, Lacea Loader and Leonie Bolleurs

The Department of Communication and Brand Management at the University of the Free State (UFS) received two of the six Gold Quill Awards – that were awarded to South African companies and institutions - at the International Association of Business Communicator’s (IABC) Excellence Gala ceremony in San Francisco, US on 15 June 2015.

The awards ceremony formed part of the 2015 IABC World Conference, which took place from 14-17 June 2015. The department received a Gold Quill Excellence Award for its social media campaign, UFS #FaceOfFacebook and a Gold Quill Merit Award for the B Safe Take Action campaign.

From the 15 countries that entered, a total of 120 Gold Quill Excellence awards and 189 Gold Quill Merit awards were awarded. Other South African award winners included Barclays Africa Group Limited, Mediclinic and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).

This is the second year in a row that the UFS has been recognised by the IABC for its communication projects. In 2014, the department was awarded the Jake Wittmer Research Award for a Stakeholder Perception Audit conducted in February 2014. The audit was considered – by the IABC - as one of the best breakthrough strategies used by a university to measure the perceptions of its stakeholders.This made the UFS the first tertiary institution in Africa to receive the research award. The stakeholder perception audit also received an Africa Gold Quill in 2014.

"Being recognised by a global association such as the IABC for the second time, is a great honour and I am very proud of what my colleagues have achieved by entering the two campaigns. Winning the awards is a true indication of what can be done when a team of expert communicators is committed towards engaging their target audiences with campaigns that speak of quality and innovation. The fact that the UFS is one of only two tertiary education institutions in the country to receive these prestigious awards, makes it even more special," said Lacea Loader, Director: Communication and Brand Management at the UFS.

IABC World and Africa conferences 2015

The IABC is a global membership association with a network of 12 000 members in more than 80 countries, representing many of the Global Fortune 500 companies. It serves professionals in the field of business communication, bringing together the profession’s collective disciplines.

With the theme: Changing landscape: Informing the future, the 2015 world conference was attended by over 1 200 delegates from across the world. Delegates were offered an opportunity for learning, discovering, and connecting. Loader also made a presentation entitled ‘Award-winning measurement endorses sound reputation management strategy’ at the world conference.

The department will also be receiving two Africa Gold Quill Awards from the Africa chapter of the IABC for the same campaigns on 30 July 2015 in Johannesburg.

UFS #FaceOfFacebook Campaign

The university received a Gold Quill Excellence Award for its social media campaign, UFS #FaceOfFacebook. This initiative originated in the university’s commitment to its Human Project, which sets the standard for good behaviour and care.

Lelanie de Wet, Manager: Social Media and Website Content and project leader of UFS #FaceOfFacebook, said the project was born from the need to communicate with students. Thus a virtual friend, #FaceOfFacebook, was created. “Yearly auditions are being held to choose the new face representing the UFS on Facebook. Short video clips of the #FaceOfFacebook – whether it is attending events or communicating important messages - are posted on the UFS Facebook page. The successful candidate holds the title #FaceOfFacebook for 12 months.

“When I look at a campaign such as #FaceOfFacebook, from the time it took its first tentative steps in 2013, and see how it inspired staff and students alike, my heart swells with pride. Often you can see the impact you have made only in retrospect. The ripples you send into the world will inevitably create waves,” she said.

B Safe Take Action Campaign

The B Safe Take Action campaign of the university received a Gold Quill Merit award from the IABC.

The campaign was activated in September 2013. “It targeted on- and off-campus students and staff, aiming to create social ownership of personal safety, and to raise awareness of the safety measures put in place by the university,” said Leonie Bolleurs, Manager: Internal Communication and project manager of the campaign.

The campaign looked at a number of safety aspects, focusing not only on crime but also on being safe from road accidents and stress/burnout.

It is the second time this year that the BSafe campaign has been recognised for its innovative strategy. Earlier this year it received a PRISM Award (Gold) from the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA). The annual PRISM Awards are about recognising and celebrating great public relations campaigns.

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