Sustainable shielding: Ballistic performance of low-carbon concrete

The growing global demand for greener and more sustainable materials begs the question whether low-carbon concrete can withstand extreme loadings like blast and ballistic impact as well as standard concrete. Few, if any, studies have considered the protective potential of low-carbon concrete where the cement is partially replaced by low-emission alternatives. To investigate this, we fired ogival steel projectiles at 100 mm thick concrete targets. The mechanical properties of three different concrete materials were found using standardised material tests. The low-carbon alternatives were found to provide equally good protection compared with standard concrete. •Low-carbon concrete has the same ballistic protection ability as standard concrete.•Quasi-static material parameters are good indicators of ballistic performance.•Normal steel grid reinforcement does not affect ballistic resistance significantly.