Papers by Keyword: Climate Change

Abstract: The most common structural material used in the construction sector is steel-reinforced concrete. However, concrete cracking and reinforcement corrosion demand constant monitoring as well as timely and costly maintenance activities. Furthermore, concrete has substantial environmental impacts, being responsible for about 7% of total CO₂ emissions worldwide. Innovative materials in construction engineering have been studied with the goal of improving the sector’s environmental performance, mostly by reducing cement content in concrete. In this context, assessing the environmental profile of such innovations is essential to avoid shifting environmental burdens elsewhere. This study evaluates the climate change impact of a novel reinforced concrete that incorporates calcined blue clay as a supplementary cementitious material and Aluminium (Al) as reinforcement. Using a cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), the climate change impact of this innovative material is compared with that of conventional steel-reinforced concrete. The result show that the climate change impact of the innovative concrete is 46% less than that of the incumbent solution. Acknowledging the early development stage of the new concrete and the limitation regarding data robustness, this work contributes to the problem-solution space and provides direction to further explore possibilities for fully unlocking the new material’s potential, so it can outperform the incumbent one in terms of greenhouse gas emissions in the future.

Abstract: This review analyzes modern strategies for decarbonizing gas emissions in industry and energy sector. You will find descriptions of key technologies, including carbon capture and storage (CCS), process electrification, hydrogen as fuel, and biogas solutions. The work compares the effectiveness of different approaches, evaluates their economic feasibility, and identifies implementation barriers. Results show that a combined approach using multiple technologies provides the best results for achieving climate neutrality goals by 2050.

Abstract: Environmental concerns have driven the quest for clean energy solutions, with green hydrogen emerging as promising choice. This paper underscores various production methods for green hydrogen, examining their relevance and providing an overview of the utilization of Morocco's renewable energies in its production. Key challenges will be given, including water scarcity, storage, and transportation. Overall, this paper delivers a comprehensive assessment of the role of green hydrogen in Morocco’s energy transformation.

Abstract: While microclimate studies tend to focus almost exclusively on large cities and densely urbanized areas, small historical villages are often left out of the scientific debate, despite their potential in terms of climate resilience, cultural value, and sustainable tourism development. This study explores the case of Sistelo, a historical village in northern Portugal, to investigate outdoor microclimatic conditions in a rural and heritage-rich setting. The research was structured in two complementary phases: an on-site monitoring campaign conducted during a springtime heatwave, involving detailed measurements across various outdoor spaces in the village; and a subsequent digital modelling and microclimate simulation based on historical average climatic data using specialized software. The comparison between the measured data and simulated results highlights meaningful discrepancies and raises questions about the representativeness of standard models in smaller settlements. This work aims to serve as a first step toward a more inclusive approach to microclimate analysis—one that recognizes the role of peripheral and small-scale contexts in shaping more nuanced and locally grounded climate and planning strategies.

Abstract: This paper focuses on the effects of climate change on soil systems which is an important research topic due to importance of soil in offering support to plants, controlling water, and supporting ecosystems. The intention was to review how increasing worldwide temperatures and changes in precipitation impact the properties that define the soil such as organic matter turnover, nutrient dynamics, and soil structure. The findings suggest that the rates of decomposition of soil organic matter increases with rising temperatures; therefore, rising temperatures would bring about drastic shifts in the stocks of soil carbon and associated soil fertility. Similarly, high intensity rainfall together with prolonged periods of dry spurs soil erosion, compaction, and deficiency in fertile soils. Such shifts affect the quality of the soil and the productivity of agricultural systems with consequences on food security and more broadly, stability of ecosystems. According to the study, measures should be adopted to reduce these impacts which provide solutions to maintain the fertility of the soil and sustain soil management practices in the global climate change. The importance of presented study is in the recognition of complex impacts of climate change on soils and the necessity of implementing the adaptive soil management strategies to enhance the sustainability of the soil resources in the context of agriculture.

Abstract: As compared to most of the developed countries, Pakistan’s infrastructure has room for improvement and has disaster handling issues. In the construction industry of Pakistan the factor of infrastructure resilience is irrelevant. However, it is a priority in emerging and first-world economies, as they allocate significant resources towards updating and maintaining key systems with the help of sophisticated risk evaluation tools. Neglect of structures through lack of proper maintenance results in early failures especially during flood disasters. Additionally, urbanization occurs at a very fast rate, and this has a detrimental effect on the urban infrastructure, and consequently leads to urban flooding since there is no emphasis placed on matters concerning drainage with the increased population of the cities. Thus, it is important to acknowledge that the questions of infrastructure development and maintenance are very sensitive and influential when it comes to identifying the risks of disasters and disaster management. China for instance- a neighbor to Pakistan and whose economy is still deemed as an emerging economy, has improved in disaster management as they have developed high disaster resilient infrastructure structures such as highraise flyovers and earthquake resistant buildings amongst others among others. However, availability of replacement assets for quick repair in the aftermath of disasters has made it possible to undertake quick recovery even with the aforementioned constraining factors. Thus, in order to achieve enhancement of disaster risk reduction Pakistan needs to acknowledge the significance of infrastructure that discriminates as one of the most significant facets of disaster risk reduction. Some improvement can bring the best out of the global practices while adapting them to the country’s localities so that its infrastructural system, its ability to safeguard people and their assets, and developmental accomplishments are enhanced.

Abstract: The construction industry is facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable and eco-friendly practices in response to the growing concerns over environmental degradation and climate change. Among the various innovative materials being explored, geopolymer mud blocks have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional construction materials such as cement and fired clay bricks. These blocks are characterized by their eco-friendly composition, which typically involves the use of industrial by-products like fly ash, metakaolin, and other aluminosilicate materials, activated through an alkaline solution. This process results in a material that not only exhibits superior structural integrity but also significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with construction.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the material composition of geopolymer mud blocks, detailing the various raw materials used and the chemical reactions that confer strength and durability to the blocks. The review also delves into the structural properties of these blocks, including their compressive strength, thermal insulation capabilities, and resistance to environmental factors such as moisture and temperature fluctuations. Additionally, the paper explores the ecological impacts of geopolymer mud blocks, emphasizing their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize resource depletion, and promote the use of industrial waste, thus contributing to a more circular economy.Finally, the paper looks forward to the future prospects of geopolymer technology in the construction industry, suggesting potential pathways for overcoming the current limitations and further enhancing the sustainability of construction practices. By providing a holistic view of geopolymer mud blocks, this review aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable construction materials and to support the transition towards greener building practices on a global scale.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage serves as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy employed by numerous nations. This study aims to explore the feasibility of CO₂ storage in the Rio del Rey Basin, Gulf of Guinea region. We employ a compositional flow model, which has been validated using data from a Subsurface interpretation project in Cameroon.This work is aimed at conducting compositional numerical simulations to investigate the impact of geochemistry on CO₂ aquifer storage. A conceptual development CO₂ storage study has been considered for a deep aquifer reservoir formation Miocene Rio del Rey Basin, Cameroon Gulf of Guinea. The reservoir formations in this basin are set to have very good petrophysical and geological properties for it to be considered as a storage system.The aquifer formation contains various amounts of minerals which in turn would alter the injection of CO₂ as the chemical and geological properties of the storage system change. Some of the chemicals would alter the CO₂ fluid and rock properties and consequently the reservoir injection and storage rates and quantities of injected and stored CO₂ due to minerals precipitation and vaporization phenomena within the storage system. This presents a major concern as the impact of geochemistry on CO₂ injection and storage is not well understood to date which means that the development and operational strategies and costs of such a project are not fully understood and present significant deployment risk and uncertainties.The simulation results show that aquifer geochemistry strongly affects CO₂ brine water storage efficiency at different scales.

Abstract: Due to the impact of climate change, the accompanying disasters affect the operation of the world. In addition, the development of urbanization has also increased the frequency of disasters. Therefore, the United Nations has established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide the global joint efforts towards sustainable goals. Vegetated Swales are a ubiquitous and growing green storm water type, primarily Low Impact Development (LID) that attenuates peak flow, reduces storm water volume, and treats storm water. Aiming at environmental factors, the research in this paper mainly uses the innovative method of low-impact development, using Vegetated Swales to reduce surface runoff and store The role of water. This study mainly uses the method of Laboratory experiment to simulate the surface runoff caused by urbanization floods, and uses Vegetated Swales to reduce the surface runoff and increase the water permeability. In the experiment, the 5-year, 25-year, and 50-year frequency floods were used as the inflow flow. The common grass species-Paspalum conjugatum Berg. was used as the test species, and the test slopes is 1%. The results show that, from the test data, with a slope of 1% and a 5-year frequency flood;25-year frequency flood; 50-year frequency flood the water retention capacity is 6.01%、5.78%、2.35%, and the flood peak value is reduced by 3.45%、2.5%、3.3%. The low-impact development of Vegetated Swales facilities in the initial stage of establishment can be used as a reference for flood treatment.

Abstract: Climate change as a result of global warming has become one of the worlds’ most pressing concerns. The release of greenhouse gases (GHG), primarily carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions into the atmosphere increases global warming. The concrete is the second most used material and cement is the key element in concrete. The cement production releases GHG in the atmosphere, which increases global warming and consequently results in climate change. This research utilizes, fly ash (FA) as 100% replacement of cement in concrete, which will reduce the reliance of construction industry on the cement production and will help to reduce the adverse impacts of climate changes. Moreover, recycled aggregates (RA) prepared from construction and demolition (C&D) wastes are used as varying percentage replacements of natural aggregates (NA) in cement-less recycled aggregate concrete (CRAC), which will help to reduce the depletion of natural resources. This research investigates the influences of varying percentage replacements of NA with RA (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) and molarity of NaOH solution (12 M, 14 M and 16 M) on the compressive strength (CS) and flexural strength (FS) of CRAC mixes. A total of 15 CRAC mixes were prepared. Each mix comprised three 100 mm cube specimens and three prism specimens sized 75 mm x 75 mm x 300 mm. The research concluded that the CS and FS decreased with the increase in percentage replacements of NA with RA. Moreover, the CS and FS increased as the molarity of NaOH solution was increased from 12 M to 16 M. The CS and FS was reduced by 29.1% and 31.1% respectively at 100% replacement of NA with RA at 16 M compared to 12 M NaOH solution. The CS and FS increased by 30% and 31.9% respectively at 16 M NaOH solution compared to 12 M NaOH solution at 25% replacement of NA with RA.