LC3 project is pleased to announce a new collaboration between The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and JK Lakshmi Cement Ltd..
This collaborative effort has made it possible the first full-scale trial production of a new cement known as Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) and at the same time developed a new environment friendly additive for concrete that makes it easier to produce high performance concrete at a lower cost.
Last year, JK Lakshmi became the first cement company in the world to carry out a full-scale plant trial production of the cement. The cement was produced at the Jhajjhar unit of the company. Trial applications of the cement have shown that it can reduce as much as 30% CO2 emissions and 20% energy consumption in cement production. Still, the performance of the concrete produced using this cement exceeds those using cements commercially available today in most aspects. The production is also one of the first such collaborations between the cement industry and academia to develop mainstream products. Full-scale trial applications of this cement have shown that it can be effortlessly introduced without any changes to the existing construction practices.Trials of the cement in the field and in ready-mix concrete plants have yielded excellent results.
Very importantly, the collaboration on LC3 led to the partners exploring several new fronts where technological developments could significantly impact sustainability, quality and costs. One such result is a new concrete additive that can be used to increase strength of concrete and to improve its durability. The additive reduces the requirement of energy-intensive and expensive cement in the concrete, thereby reducing construction cost and achieving as much as 20% increase in strength. It is foreseen that this product will find usage in high-performance applications like water-proofing, high strength concrete, self-compacting concrete, etc.
At the same time, it promises to reduce the cost of more common applications like masonry construction, wall plaster, road pavers, and walling blocks. The effort is in line with the Government initiative to provide housing to all by 2022 at a reasonable cost and environmental impact.
JK Lakshmi Cements Ltd.
“The challenge of continuing to develop, without irreversibly harming the environment and affecting the future generations, can only be addressed through innovative thinking. I am confident that this collaboration will develop a synergy between the experience and knowledge of the industry and the ability of the young minds at our research institutes to innovate, to develop solutions that will allow India to continue developing without harming its future prospects.”Mr. S. K. Wali, wholetime Director, JK Lakshmi Cements.
The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (LC3 project representative in India)
“Direct interaction with the industry will help us to utilise the great potential in our research institutes for the development of technologies that are relevant to our society. This will also ensure a more practical and hands-on training for the students and researchers, instead of rote learning”.Dr. Shashank Bishnoi, IIT Delhi.
