Solidia is actually a product and a process and doesn’t behave in the same way as ready mixed concrete. With Solidia it is a different manufacturing process, but based on similar raw materials as the cement we have been using for decades. This different manufacturing process lowers the carbon emissions when compared to traditional cement, but this is just part of the reduced impact of Solidia.
The second piece is that it does not hydrate like cement. To explain, I first need to discuss a little about how traditional cement works. This is a chemical reaction called hydration to create a gel that binds materials together, i.e. the glue that binds aggregates. Solidia does not harden through a hydration process, rather, it requires a high CO2 atmosphere to harden.
This has a couple of impacts, first is that the curing needs to occur in an enclosed system to maintain the high CO2 concentration, so the focus has been on using the material in systems such as paving stones, which is what is shown in the article image, and other precast applications. Secondly, once the curing process is complete, the resutling concrete is at it’s final strength and doesn’t continue to gain strength over time like traditional concrete.
That said, work is ongoing to develop solutions that behave in similar ways to the ready mixed concrete that we are used to.
I hope this helps, and feel free to continue the discussion if you want some more details.