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Article

Sustainable Concrete for Rigid Pavements Using Alkali-Activated Recycled Pumice: Strength and Carbonation Assessment

by
Pablo Julián López-González
1,2,
Oscar Moreno-Vázquez
2,
Sergio Aurelio Zamora-Castro
3,
Tania Irene Lagunes-Vega
3,
Efrén Meza-Ruíz
2,
Brenda Suemy Trujillo-García
1,4,
Rodrigo Vivar-Ocampo
5,
David Reyes-González
1,* and
Joaquín Sangabriel-Lomelí
2,3,*
1
Division of Graduate Studies and Research, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ITS de Misantla, Km. 1.8 Carretera a la Loma del Cojolite, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
2
Department of Civil Engineering, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ITS de Misantla, Km. 1.8 Carretera a la Loma del Cojolite, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
3
Faculty of Engineering, Construction and Habitat, Universidad Veracruzana, Bv. Adolfo Ruiz Cortines 455, Costa Verde, Boca del Río 94294, Veracruz, Mexico
4
Wetlands and Environmental Sustainability Laboratory, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ITS de Misantla, Km. 1.8 Carretera a la Loma del Cojolite, Misantla 93821, Veracruz, Mexico
5
Renewable Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Blvd. Universitario #1000, Valle de las Palmas, Tijuana 21500, Baja California, Mexico
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Infrastructures 2026, 11(2), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020070
Submission received: 22 January 2026 / Revised: 18 February 2026 / Accepted: 19 February 2026 / Published: 22 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Infrastructures)
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Abstract

This study investigates alkali-activated recycled pumice as a sustainable cement replacement for hydraulic concrete used in rigid pavements. Cement was replaced at 15%, 25%, and 50% by mass and activated using NaOH solutions at 1 N, 0.5 N, and 0.25 N, resulting in nine mixture variants. Mechanical performance was assessed through compressive strength at 7, 14, and 28 days, and flexural strength at 28 days. Durability was evaluated via natural carbonation depth at 210 and 1090 days. X-ray diffraction (XRD) identified aluminosilicate phases in the pumice, supporting its alkali-reactive potential. Mixtures with 15% pumice replacement achieved compressive strengths up to 20.99 MPa, comparable to the control mix (20.45 MPa), whereas 25% and 50% replacements produced moderate strength reductions. Flexural strength in 15% mixtures (7.38–7.44 MPa) was also comparable to the control (7.30 MPa), while higher replacement levels reduced flexural performance. Carbonation resistance improved for mixtures with an optimized alkaline-to-pumice ratio (APR, defined as NaOH concentration relative to pumice content) between 0.0167 and 0.02, indicating more balanced activation and reduced CO2 ingress. Overall, alkali-activated recycled pumice enables partial cement replacement while maintaining mechanical performance and carbonation resistance at 15% substitution, supporting circular economy strategies and lowering the carbon footprint of rigid pavement concrete.
Keywords: sustainable concrete; rigid pavement; supplementary cementitious materials; pumice; compressive strength; alkali activation sustainable concrete; rigid pavement; supplementary cementitious materials; pumice; compressive strength; alkali activation

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MDPI and ACS Style

López-González, P.J.; Moreno-Vázquez, O.; Zamora-Castro, S.A.; Lagunes-Vega, T.I.; Meza-Ruíz, E.; Trujillo-García, B.S.; Vivar-Ocampo, R.; Reyes-González, D.; Sangabriel-Lomelí, J. Sustainable Concrete for Rigid Pavements Using Alkali-Activated Recycled Pumice: Strength and Carbonation Assessment. Infrastructures 2026, 11, 70. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020070

AMA Style

López-González PJ, Moreno-Vázquez O, Zamora-Castro SA, Lagunes-Vega TI, Meza-Ruíz E, Trujillo-García BS, Vivar-Ocampo R, Reyes-González D, Sangabriel-Lomelí J. Sustainable Concrete for Rigid Pavements Using Alkali-Activated Recycled Pumice: Strength and Carbonation Assessment. Infrastructures. 2026; 11(2):70. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020070

Chicago/Turabian Style

López-González, Pablo Julián, Oscar Moreno-Vázquez, Sergio Aurelio Zamora-Castro, Tania Irene Lagunes-Vega, Efrén Meza-Ruíz, Brenda Suemy Trujillo-García, Rodrigo Vivar-Ocampo, David Reyes-González, and Joaquín Sangabriel-Lomelí. 2026. "Sustainable Concrete for Rigid Pavements Using Alkali-Activated Recycled Pumice: Strength and Carbonation Assessment" Infrastructures 11, no. 2: 70. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020070

APA Style

López-González, P. J., Moreno-Vázquez, O., Zamora-Castro, S. A., Lagunes-Vega, T. I., Meza-Ruíz, E., Trujillo-García, B. S., Vivar-Ocampo, R., Reyes-González, D., & Sangabriel-Lomelí, J. (2026). Sustainable Concrete for Rigid Pavements Using Alkali-Activated Recycled Pumice: Strength and Carbonation Assessment. Infrastructures, 11(2), 70. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11020070

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