Projects

Railway underpass

Location: Municipality of Heiloo (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: The Mobilis-Hegeman combination/Kijlstra Betonmortel Amsterdam

Client: ProRail

Duration: 2018-2020

Key focus/innovation

This project was the first in the Netherlands and Western Europe to use reinforced geopolymer concrete in an infrastructure application, entirely eliminating the use of traditional cement. The use of geopolymer technology resulted in a 50% CO₂ reduction compared to conventional Cem III/B concrete, which is already considered a low-carbon option. This groundbreaking project highlights the potential of geopolymer materials for reducing environmental impact in large-scale infrastructure.

Afsluitdijk Testing Ground Sustainable concrete (Proeftuin Afsluitdijk Duurzaam beton)

Location: The Afsluitdijk (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: Mobilis/Urban Mine

Client: Rijkswaterstaat/

Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (the Netherlands)

Duration: 2020-2030

Key focus/innovation

This project focused on the protection of the Afsluitdijk using a cement-free approach, employing geopolymer concrete. The concrete was designed with improved durability to withstand harsh marine environments, offering significant CO₂ reduction. This innovative solution is crucial in preserving the dike while minimizing the environmental impact, demonstrating the viability of sustainable materials in challenging coastal applications

Sustainable quay walls made of (geopolymer) concrete without cement

Location: Province South-Holland (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: Rutte Groep/Urban Mine

Duration: February-december 2024

Key focus/innovation

For this project, geopolymer concrete was used to create sustainable quay walls, employing high volumes of recycled materials from construction and demolition waste (CDW). It also incorporated fiber and basalt rebars as reinforcement, replacing traditional steel, and introduced bacteria-based self-healing technology for further durability. This project stands out for combining multiple innovations: waste recycling, alternative reinforcement materials, and self-healing concrete, setting new standards for sustainability in civil engineering.

Coming soon

Project

Location: Province North-Holland (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: .

Duration: October 2024 – June 2025

Demo’s

ODG Diemen

Location: Province North-Holland (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: Mobilis/Hagen Beton B. V.

Duration: October 2021-February 2022

Key focus/innovation

The goal of this demo was to implement geopolymer concrete in the underpass of Diemen, in a manner similar to the Heiloo project. However, due to time constraints and the need to ensure that the geopolymer mix met all necessary short-term and long-term performance requirements, the mix could not be finalized in time for application.

Outcome: To prevent delays to the project timeline, it was decided to use traditional concrete instead of the planned geopolymer concrete.

Innovations & Key Achievements:

• Versatility of Geopolymer Technology: Despite the project’s shift to traditional concrete, the demo focused on demonstrating the versatility of geopolymer technology. The geopolymer mix was designed to be adaptable to different locally available raw materials, making it an ideal solution for diverse and evolving construction needs. This approach emphasizes that geopolymer technology can be tailored to local conditions, facilitating the use of region-specific industrial by-products and recycled materials.

• Use of Biomass Ash: A key innovation was the use of biomass ash as a replacement for fly ash in the geopolymer mix. This was a direct response to the shortage of fly ash caused by the closure of power stations, and it showcased how geopolymer concrete could be adapted to use alternative raw materials. 

• Incorporating Other Locally Available Materials: Beyond biomass ash, the demo explored the potential to integrate other locally available materials into the geopolymer mix. This could include industrial by-products (such as slag, volcanic ash, rice husk ash, or construction and demolition waste) or locally sourced waste materials, making the technology even more adaptable and sustainable. This use of local resources significantly reduces the environmental impact of transport and sourcing, while promoting circular economy principles in construction.

• Environmental Benefits: Even though traditional concrete was used in the final construction, the focus on sustainable materials like biomass ash demonstrated the environmental potential of geopolymer concrete. Using such locally sourced, low-carbon materials would contribute to a reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional concrete, aligning with the goal of creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly construction industry.

ODG Heiloo

Location: Municipality of Heiloo (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: The Mobilis-Hegeman combination/Kijlstra Betonmortel Amsterdam

Duration: October 2019-March 2020

Key focus/innovation

This demo project was aimed at fine-tuning the geopolymer concrete mix and ensuring a smooth transition from lab production to real-world application.

The focus was on perfecting the mix design for scaling up, ensuring consistency and performance when moving from small-scale tests to larger infrastructure projects.

The 3-hour workability retention was achieved through the careful optimization of the geopolymer mix, ensuring that the concrete could be transported for long distances, remained consistent, easy to work with, and stable during placement and finishing, even in larger volumes. This was a critical step in making geopolymer concrete more practical for real-world infrastructure projects, such as underpasses, roadworks, and large foundations

Son-N69

Location: Province North-Brabant (the Netherlands)

Contractor/Concrete producer: Mobilis/A. Jansen B.V.

Date: July 2018

• Key Focus: This demo project demonstrated the scalability of geopolymer technology under challenging conditions. It was designed to show that 100% recycled asphalt aggregates could perform similarly to traditional aggregates in geopolymer concrete.
• Innovations: The project was conducted in 31°C heat in July 2018, which tested the material’s durability and performance under high ambient temperatures mostly controlling the retaining workability time. This was key in proving the scalability of geopolymer concrete and its potential for reducing environmental impact.
• Outcome: The project helped the contractor partner in their bid for the N69 assignment but ultimately finished in second place, despite significant environmental benefits.