Examining the endpoint impacts, challenges, and opportunities of fly ash utilization for sustainable concrete construction

Fly ash has been widely used as a cement substitute to improve the sustainability of concrete. Although the advantages of fly ash have been extensively documented, there is a gap in understanding why its use in mass concrete applications remains low in some countries, such as the Philippines. Thus, this work aims to understand the issues that impede waste utilization, particularly fly ash in the concrete construction industry, quantify the impact of the current practice, and identify opportunities for sustainable fly ash utilization. Endpoint impact analysis was conducted through the life cycle using SimaPro 9.3 to quantify the impacts on human health, ecosystem, and resources of 31 concrete mixtures of low, normal, and high strength design with 0 to 20% fly ash as cement replacement. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders were undertaken to determine the institutional, economic, social, and technological challenges related to the utilization of waste materials in large-scale concrete construction. More than 90% of the total impact of concrete contributes to damage to human health, primarily caused by global warming and fine particulate matter. The use of fly ash at 20% replacement by weight of cement benefits resources more significantly than human health and the ecosystem. The use of chemical admixture to improve strength has a significant impact on resources. High fly ash replacement for normal and high-strength concrete has a greater reduction in all endpoint categories than for low-strength design. Recommendations are proposed to maximize the beneficial impact of using fly ash in the concrete industry.