Abstract
There is an increasing global concern that has led to efforts to lessen the carbon footprint of the cement industry and make concrete manufacturing more sustainable by using other types of materials as supplements or alternatives, primarily for Portland cement (PC). This research work is concerned with the analytical systemisation, including the analysis, evaluation and structuring of global published experimental results, of ground limestone (GLS) used in concrete as a partial replacement of PC. The work is focussed on the physical and chemical characterisation of GLS and its effects on pore structure (in terms of porosity, water absorption and sorptivity), compressive strength and the durability of the concrete in terms of the carbonation and chloride ingress and the corrosion of steel reinforcement, including a statistical modelling of the carbonation of concrete with Portland limestone cement (PLC). Overall, it is suggested that, though the use of GLS up to 25% with PC should not impair the pore structure, the limit on GLS content for its effect on strength is likely to be about 15%. This should be considered where a higher proportion of GLS content is allowed in the standards. It is also shown that the carbonation rate and chloride ingress into concrete increase with increasing GLS content.