This is a State of the Art Report resulting from the work of RILEM Technical Committee 224-AAM in the period 2007-2013. The Report summarises research to date in the area of alkali-activated binders and concretes, with a particular focus on the following areas: binder design and characterisation, durability testing, commercialisation, standardisation, and providing a historical context for this rapidly-growing research field.

The first English-language book which reviews and summarizes worldwide research advances in alkali-activated cements and concrete. Essential topics include: raw materials and their properties for the production of the two new types of binder the hydration and microstructure development of alkali-activated slag cements the mechanical properties and durability of alkali-activated slag cement and concrete other various cementing systems and their applications related standards and specifications. This respected team of authors has produced an important piece of research that will be of great interest to professionals and academics alike, enabling the production of more durable and environmentally sensitive materials.

This book provides an updated state-of-the-art review on new developments in alkali-activation. The main binder of concrete, Portland cement, represents almost 80% of the total CO2 emissions of concrete which are about 6 to 7% of the Planet's total CO2 emissions. This is particularly serious in the current context of climate change and it could get even worse because the demand for Portland cement is expected to increase by almost 200% by 2050 from 2010 levels, reaching 6000 million tons/year. Alkali-activated binders represent an alternative to Portland cement having higher durability and a lower CO2 footprint. - Reviews the chemistry, mix design, manufacture and properties of alkali-activated cement-based concrete binders - Considers performance in adverse environmental conditions. - Offers equal emphasis on the science behind the technology and its use in civil engineering.

Advances on Alkali-activated Concrete, provides comprehensive information on materials, structural properties and realistic potential for the application of alkali-activated concretes and cements. Divided over seven key parts, including the design of alkali-activated concrete, their fabrication and curing, rheology, properties of alkali-activated concrete, durability, dynamic performance and LCA, the book will be an essential reference resource for academic and industrial researchers, materials scientists, chemists, manufacturers and civil engineers working with alkali-activated materials and concrete structures. - Provides an essential guide on the latest developments in alkali-activated concrete - Comprehensively examines alkali-activated concrete performance under cyclic loading - Includes concrete systems containing coarser aggregates - Presents several important cases studies of application

Since the introduction of recombinant human growth hormone and insulin a quarter century ago, protein therapeutics has greatly broadened the ho- zon of health care. Many patients suffering with life-threatening diseases or chronic dysfunctions, which were medically untreatable not long ago, can attest to the wonder these drugs have achieved. Although the ?rst generation of p- tein therapeutics was produced in recombinant Escherichia coli, most recent products use mammalian cells as production hosts. Not long after the ?rst p- duction of recombinant proteins in E. coli, it was realized that the complex tasks of most post-translational modi?cations on proteins could only be ef?ciently carried out in mammalian cells. In the 1990s, we witnessed a rapid expansion of mammalian-cell-derived protein therapeutics, chie?y antibodies. In fact, it has been nearly a decade since the market value of mammalian-cell-derived protein therapeutics surpassed that of those produced from E. coli. A common characteristic of recent antibody products is the relatively large dose required for effective therapy, demanding larger quantities for the treatment of a given disease. This, coupled with the broadening repertoire of protein drugs, has rapidly expanded the quantity needed for clinical applications. The increasing demand for protein therapeutics has not been met exclusively by construction of new manufacturing plants and increasing total volume capacity. More - portantly the productivity of cell culture processes has been driven upward by an order of magnitude in the past decade.

A geopolymer is a solid aluminosilicate material usually formed by alkali hydroxide or alkali silicate activation of a solid precursor such as coal fly ash, calcined clay and/or metallurgical slag. Today the primary application of geopolymer technology is in the development of reduced-CO2 construction materials as an alternative to Portland-based cements. Geopolymers: structure, processing, properties and industrial applications reviews the latest research on and applications of these highly important materials.Part one discusses the synthesis and characterisation of geopolymers with chapters on topics such as fly ash chemistry and inorganic polymer cements, geopolymer precursor design, nanostructure/microstructure of metakaolin and fly ash geopolymers, and geopolymer synthesis kinetics. Part two reviews the manufacture and properties of geopolymers including accelerated ageing of geopolymers, chemical durability, engineering properties of geopolymer concrete, producing fire and heat-resistant geopolymers, utilisation of mining wastes and thermal properties of geopolymers. Part three covers applications of geopolymers with coverage of topics such as commercialisation of geopolymers for construction, as well as applications in waste management.With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Geopolymers: structure, processing, properties and industrial applications is a standard reference for scientists and engineers in industry and the academic sector, including practitioners in the cement and concrete industry as well as those involved in waste reduction and disposal. - Discusses the synthesis and characterisation of geopolymers with chapters covering fly ash chemistry and inorganic polymer cements - Assesses the application and commercialisation of geopolymers with particular focus on applications in waste management - Reviews the latest research on and applications of these highly important materials

This book is a definitive reference on the environmental geochemistry and resource potential of metallurgical slags

Estimating, modelling, controlling and monitoring the flow of concrete is a vital part of the construction process, as the properties of concrete before it has set can have a significant impact on performance. This book provides a detailed overview of the rheological behaviour of concrete, including measurement techniques, the impact of mix design, and casting.Part one begins with two introductory chapters dealing with the rheology and rheometry of complex fluids, followed by chapters that examine specific measurement and testing techniques for concrete. The focus of part two is the impact of mix design on the rheological behaviour of concrete, looking at additives including superplasticizers and viscosity agents. Finally, chapters in part three cover topics related to casting, such as thixotropy and formwork pressure.With its distinguished editor and expert team of contributors, Understanding the rheology of concrete is an essential reference for researchers, materials specifiers, architects and designers in any section of the construction industry that makes use of concrete, and will also benefit graduate and undergraduate students of civil engineering, materials and construction. - Provides a detailed overview of the rheological behaviour of concrete, including measurement techniques, casting and the impact of mix design - The estimating, modelling, controlling and monitoring of concrete flow is comprehensively discussed - Chapters examine specific measurement and testing techniques for concrete, the impact of mix design on the rheological behaviour of concrete, particle packaging and viscosity-enhancing admixtures