Future of calcined clays for low-carbon and durable concrete construction

Submit your abstract here by 1 May 2026

Introduction

The global renewed interest in calcined clay–based low-carbon cements is one of the most promising options to reduce the carbon footprint of the 14 billion m³ of concrete produced each year globally. To accelerate the adoption of low-carbon calcined clay concretes, it's essential to understand material selection, composition, reactivity testing, and the design and performance of composite cement blends like Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC³). This special issue seeks contributions that deepen knowledge in calcined clay research—including sourcing local materials, activation methods, hydration processes, durability research, as well as field applications and life-cycle evaluations. The aim is to establish a unified platform for sharing innovations globally, promoting the widespread use of calcined clays in sustainable, durable, low-carbon concrete construction.  

List of topic areas

• Exploration of alternative clay sources for SCMs: low-purity or non-kaolinitic clays, excavation waste, mine tailings, dredged sediments, etc.
• Thermal activation and processing of clays: temperature optimization, grinding, and combined activation methods.
• Reactivity assessment and characterization of calcined clays.
• Composite blended cements (e.g., LC³) incorporating calcined clays: hydration mechanisms, phase assemblage, and microstructure.
• Alkali-activated binders and geopolymer systems based on calcined clays.
• Mechanical performance and durability of calcined clay-based concretes.
• Carbonation performance of low clinker calcined clay based concretes
• Environmental and economic life cycle assessment of calcined clay binders.
• Field-scale applications and case studies demonstrating practical implementation.

Submission Information

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Once you have registered, navigate to the journal that you wish to submit to. Choose article type "Special Issue" and then the specific name from the drop-down menu on screen.