The UK's vision for net-zero is a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. The UK's net-zero strategy outlines proposals to decarbonize all sectors of the UK economy. The UK aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 100% compared to 1990 levels. The global sustainability focus is converging towards carbon-neutral communities within the coming decades and the challenge is to achieve more environmentally friendly products and processes. Research studies have shown that construction materials contribute a significant proportion of the life-cycle emissions of buildings and structures. Achieving a sustainable building industry that is currently responsible for 40% of all greenhouse gas emissions, 60% of the global wood harvest and 50% of water consumption is vitally important. Concrete, as a much-used construction material, has been the principal focus of research due to the possibility of achieving environmental savings by using partial replacements for cement and coarse and fine aggregates. Geopolymer concrete is viewed as a sustainable material that can replace cement and thus reduce substantial environmental emissions.

Waste materials such as fly ash production has increased by millions of tonnes a year and can be used to produce geopolymer concrete directly with an alkaline activator without the presence of Portland cement. Waste materials are one of the prominent elements in environmentally sustainable construction project. Recent studies have highlighted cement replacement as a popular method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Use of fly ash as a source material for geopolymer concrete production is a value-added benefit in converting a waste product into a useful by-product, conserving landfills and storage lagoons posing a potential risk to local aquifers due to the possible leaching of heavy metals.

Creating high strength geopolymer concrete has its own challenges. Finding the most suitable binders and materials to gain high strengths are objectives and producing durable materials and at an industrial scale are some of the limitations which need further study. Geopolymer concrete is prepared by mixing aluminosilicate waste materials with alkaline solutions. Some common waste materials that can be used include fly ash which is a by-product of coal-fired power plants. Fly ash contains aluminosilicate minerals and is commonly used in Geopolymer concrete. By using fly ash, the need for ordinary Portland cement is reduced.

Other available waste materials include ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) which is produced during steel manufacture. It is rich in the necessary compounds and can be effectively utilised in geopolymer concrete. Like fly ash, GGBFS can reduce the usage of cement and contribute to sustainability. Although less common, rice husk ash (HRA) is another waste material that can be used in geopolymer concrete. HRA contains silica and can serve as an aluminosilicate source when activated by alkali solutions. Other industrial wastes include clay, silica fume, and slag from various industries. When fibres are also added to concrete, they enhance the strength, durability and overall performance. Fibres significantly reduce the formation of cracks thereby prolonging the life of the structure. The tensile strength of concrete is substantially improved when fibres are added. Fibre reinforcement options include polypropylene fibres, basalt fibres, steel fibres, carbon fibres and Poly vinyl alcohol fibres. With the addition of fibres, the ductility of geopolymer concrete improves when compared to normal concrete.

The aim of this research is to develop more durable and sustainable geopolymer concrete using different materials and binders in different environments. Environmental impact includes reduction in carbon footprint, utilisation of industrial by-products and energy efficiency. The use of waste material can bring down the cost of construction projects. Fibre-reinforced geopolymer concrete using fly ash as a cement replacement will be investigated. A series of laboratory tests will be carried out to measure the mechanical properties such as compression, tensile flexural strength test. Numerical modelling will be part of the study with design case studies utilising these mechanical properties. These case studies will also include machine learning within artificial intelligence.