In reinforced concrete, which is the main component of our PRC posts, carbonation is one of the main causes of material degradation, although it is not a dangerous phenomenon since it does not cause mechanical or chemical damage (on the contrary, it reduces the porosity of the conglomerate and can lead to an increase in mechanical strength), nor does it directly damage the reinforcing bars of the reinforced concrete; however, in this case, carbonation essentially creates favourable conditions for the triggering of corrosion of the reinforcing bars.
It is therefore a phenomenon that directly affects prestressed concrete posts and which, in 60 years of experience, we have obviously learnt to understand and handle very well.
We therefore know, and so do our customers, that it is no problem for our PRC posts, which can cope with such ‘aggression’ for 30 years or more without seeing their functionality compromised.
What we want to focus on when talking about this process is, as mentioned at the beginning, the ability of concrete to ‘react with carbon dioxide’.
What kind of reaction takes place exactly? We know that in the final analysis there is the formation of calcium carbonate, but what else occurs to make this happen?
So the reaction concrete has with carbon dioxide is to literally ‘absorb’ it from the environment!
You have read that correctly, but for clarity’s sake we will repeat it: concrete, the main component of our PRC posts, ‘absorbs’ CO2 from the environment.
Obviously, there are many factors that influence the carbonation process, such as relative humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide content and alkalinity, porosity and permeability of the concrete.
But aside from these factors, can we say that the PRC post is sustainable?
Absolutely yes!
Moreover, it actively contributes to the environment, with a balance between the CO2 produced for its manufacture and the CO2 absorbed during its life cycle that is absolutely positive.
To quantify the phenomenon and bring it into agricultural reality, we can say that the posts of a single hectare of orchard remove in 20 years an additional 3,600 kg of CO2 from the environment compared to the amount emitted for their construction.
Further analyses will be carried out in the near future to fine-tune the calculation basis and to obtain even better results from the production processes, also taking into account all the components designed and manufactured on the farm that are required to set up a complete orchard or vineyard system.
In the meantime, we are glad that these first figures can represent to us and to all our customers the awareness of actively contributing to environmental issues.
We are proud to partner with a company as focused on environmental issues as Valente!
