Sika supported as Platinum Sponsor the scientific conference "Calcined Clays for Sustainable Concrete 2022". With this partnership and the input delivered by the Sika team, the company gave the proof that it is leading the developments in this domain. The conference was hosted by the renowned Technical University of Lausanne (EPFL) and took place from July 5-7, 2022.

Calcined Clays for Sustainable Concrete

Sika Team and Professor Karen Scrivener
Image: Sika Team and Professor Karen Scrivener Photograph: (From left to right) Alejandro Velez (Sika Services), Nelson Silva (Sika Technology), Anna Szabo (Sika Technology), Arnaud Riou (Sika Technology), Teresa Baca (Sika Services), Julien Chapelat (Sika Technology), Karen Scrivener (Professor EPFL – Calcined clays expert and organizer of the conference), Patrick Juilland (Sika Technology), Emmanuel Gallucci (Sika Technology), Oliver Schwoon (Sika Services)

The conference "Calcined Clays for Sustainable Concrete 2022" was attended by approx. 300 individuals, half of them hailing from the construction industry. During the three conference days, Sika staff established and strengthened high-value (potential) customer/partner contacts. Calcined clays are perceived as game changer with respect to the CO2 footprint of cements.

Topics of the conference included amongst others clay exploration and characterization methods of clays; clay processing; rheology, hydration, mechanical and durability performance; industry scale feasibility study of clay calcination; life cycle analysis; field applications; calcined clay – new blends. 

Jan Baumgartner, Head Corporate Target Market Concrete, Sika, gave the welcoming speech as main sponsor whereas Emmanuel Gallucci, Head Cement and Concrete Technology, Sika, participated at a 1.5 hour discussion panel together with other representatives of the industry . Other technical presentations on behalf of Sika staff did encompass the following topics and aspects: 

  • Results from the field test of the new concrete admixture Sika® ViscoCrete® CC and shotcrete trials in the test gallery Hagerbach, in collaboration with Aalborg Cementir
  • Results from the field test of new cement additive SikaGrind®-810 CO at the Argos Rioclaro plant in Colombia. Joint talk between Sika and Argos
  • Implementation of calcined clays in high performance grouts 
  • Advanced understanding of interactions between plasticizers and calcined clays
More Info on Sika Solutions Enabling Sustainable Calcined Clay Cements