Alternative Constituent Materials for Use in Low-Carbon Cement Concrete – Part II

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) needs performance-based guidance to implement low-carbon concrete while maintaining durability, safety, and service life under Massachusetts exposure conditions, including deicing salts and freeze–thaw cycling. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this project is to evaluate emerging binders, admixtures, and alternative constituent materials as lower-carbon alternatives to traditional cementitious systems for MassDOT highway concrete, while maintaining or improving constructability, strength, durability, and service life. Key objectives include: Review current practices, knowledge gaps, and implementation barriers for EBAs in highway concrete; Characterize hydration, microstructure, and phase development in EBA-based cement systems; Develop MassDOT-relevant concrete mixture designs incorporating EBAs and alternative materials; Evaluate fresh, mechanical, and durability performance of the selected mixtures. Validate promising mixtures through field-relevant mock-ups and support implementation guidance.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $333,722.00
  • Contract Numbers:

    132749

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Federal Highway Administration

    1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
    Washington, DC  United States  20590
  • Managing Organizations:

    Massachusetts Department of Transportation

    10 Park Plaza
    Boston, MA  United States  02116
  • Performing Organizations:

    Worcester Polytechnic Institute

    100 Institute Road
    Worcester, MA  United States  01609-2280
  • Principal Investigators:

    Tao, Mingjiang

    El-Korchi, Tahar

  • Start Date: 20260515
  • Expected Completion Date: 20290418
  • Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01992933
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Massachusetts Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 132749
  • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Jun 18 2026 9:55AM