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Limestone Calcined Clay Cement

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Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) is a low-carbon cement[1][2][3][4] developed by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), IIT- Delhi, IIT-Madras, and the Central University of Las Villas (Cuba).[5][6][7] The cement can reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) related to manufacturing by 30% as compared to ordinary Portland cement.[8][3][9][10] In 2014, the LC3 project received 4 million CHF in Research and Development funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).[11][12][13][14]

History

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Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) originated from research at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland as part of a global initiative to create low-carbon, resource-efficient alternatives to ordinary Portland cement. The concept was first explored through collaboration between EPFL and the Central University “Marta Abreu” of Las Villas (UCLV) in Cuba, where early studies demonstrated that a blend of calcined clay and limestone could achieve comparable strength and durability to conventional cement while significantly reducing CO₂ emissions.[15] Building upon this foundation, the project expanded to India around 2013, with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) joining EPFL and UCLV to advance testing, standardisation, and industrial application of the technology.[16][17]

In 2014, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) provided approximately CHF 4 million to fund LC3’s research and development, enabling extensive laboratory testing, pilot production, and standardisation across partner institutions.[18] IIT Delhi emerged as a leading research and implementation hub, coordinating pilot projects, developing industrial partnerships, and mentoring technology resource centres in Asia and Africa.[19][20] The findings confirmed that LC3 can reduce carbon emissions by up to 40% compared to ordinary Portland cement. IIT Madras, contributed through extensive materials research focused on durability and environmental performance.

Together, these collaborations have transformed LC3 from a laboratory concept into a commercially viable material. By the 2020s, LC3 had been successfully deployed in several full-scale projects in India — including at JK Lakshmi’s Jhajjar plant and the Noida International Airport — marking a milestone in the global transition toward sustainable cement technologies.[21][22]

Composition

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The main components of LC3 cements are clinker, calcined clay, limestone, and gypsum.[23][24][25] The fresh concrete production involves synergetic hydration.[9][26] Adding large amounts of calcined clay (metakaolin) and ground limestone to the dry cement powder,[27][28] when adding water to the mix for making concrete, cement and additives start to hydrate and the soluble aluminates released in water from the calcined clay react with the calcium carbonate from the finely crushed limestone.[29][30] The reactive alumina present in metakaolin reacts with the ground limestone, leading to a less porous structure than in other concretes and providing equal strength as with higher levels of clinker substitution.[31][12][2]

Environmental impact

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Limestone Calcined Clay Cement is a low-carbon alternative to the standard Portland cement.[32][14] LC3 can reduce CO2 emissions related to cement manufacturing by reducing the amount of clinker, replacing it with finely ground limestone and calcined clays.[33][34] Low-grade kaolin clays can be used for the production of LC3 and are abundantly available in many parts of the world.[35][36]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Green Cement To Help Reduce Carbon Emissions". Forbes.
  2. ^ a b "Indo-Swiss proj in low-carbon cement to get boost". Orange News. Archived from the original on 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  3. ^ a b "Green Cement Reduces Carbon Footprint by 40%". Sourceable. Archived from the original on 2019-08-15. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  4. ^ "Green Cement". Precast.
  5. ^ Sabnis, Gajanan M. (2015). Green Building with Concrete: Sustainable Design and Construction, Second Edition. CRC Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-1498704113.
  6. ^ "EPFL plans new building material for US$1 trillion development plan". AGG Business.
  7. ^ "Making cement less energy intensive". The Hindu.
  8. ^ "Researchers Test Low-Carbon Cement". Environmental Leader.
  9. ^ a b "Cement which reduces CO2 emission developed". Z News.
  10. ^ "IITs Team up to Develop Eco-friendly Cement". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
  11. ^ "A new, greener cement to meet future demand". News Mediacom.
  12. ^ a b "Indo-Swiss project in low-carbon cement to get boost in India". Economic Times. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016.
  13. ^ "Green cement that reduce carbon footprint by 40%". Green Tech Lead.
  14. ^ a b "L'EPFL développe un ciment écologique". Tribune de Geneve.
  15. ^ "LC3 Project – History of LC3 research, EPFL". LC3 Project – History of LC3 research, EPFL. https://lc3.ch/history. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  16. ^ "About LC3 – LC3". 2025-10-16. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  17. ^ "Resource Centre Asia – LC3". 2025-10-16. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  18. ^ "A new, greener cement to meet future demand". EPFL. 2014-06-28. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  19. ^ Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. "Home Page : IIT Delhi". home.iitd.ac.in. Archived from the original on 2025-10-11. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  20. ^ www.ETGovernment.com. "LC3-TRC Africa project mentored by IIT Delhi researchers inaugurated at Kenya's Meru University of Science & Technology". ETGovernment.com. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  21. ^ Slanger, Dan (2023-08-10). "Unleashing the Potential of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3)". RMI. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  22. ^ "JK Cement deploy LC3 at Noida International Airport – LC3". 2025-10-16. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  23. ^ "LC3". eConstruction. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  24. ^ "Ecologie: un ciment moins polluant développé en Suisse". Bluewin. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  25. ^ "Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) to cut CO2 emissions by up to 30%". New Materials.
  26. ^ "Un nouveau ciment écologique pour répondre aux besoins futurs". Enerzine.
  27. ^ "Green Cement To Help Reduce Carbon Emissions". Forbes.
  28. ^ "Clay and Limestone Cement Could Cut Carbon Emissions". Landscape Online. Archived from the original on 2016-06-24.
  29. ^ "April 2016 Edition" (PDF). World Cement. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-06-11. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  30. ^ "Kuba produziert Öko-Zement für den Weltmarkt". Amerika21.
  31. ^ "Effect of fineness in clinker-calcined clays-limestone cements". Research Gate.
  32. ^ "Öko-Zement erzeugt 40 Prozent weniger Klimagase". Schweizerbauer. Archived from the original on 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  33. ^ "Advancements In Stronger, Greener Concrete". The Concrete Producer.
  34. ^ "¿Qué es el cemento ecológico?". El Destape.
  35. ^ "IITs working on new cement blend to cut down carbon footprint". Times of India.
  36. ^ "Switzerland to help India cut down greenhouse emissions". Economic Times.
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