Development of an Automated Foam Index Test

In 2003, nearly 112 million tons of cement and 11 million tons of coal combustion ash (CCA) were used for concrete construction in the US. CCA’s, when used to replace cement, impart superior qualities to concrete, including increased hardness and better resistance to alkali attack. In the US, approximately 10% replacement of cement with CCA’s occurs. At 30% replacement, as accepted in many construction specifications, up to $1.4 billion per year could be saved in US construction costs. Moreover, CCA’s provide a way to decrease the CO2 burden associated with cement usage because kiln operations are more energy intensive than most other manufacturing processes.