Concrete materials and thermal energy storage devices employing such concrete materials are disclosed herein. The concrete material may include fibers in an amount ranging from about 1 to about 2 vol. %; an aggregate in an amount ranging from about 50 to about 80 vol. %, wherein the aggregates comprises siliceous aggregate and optionally carbonate aggregate; and a cementitious material in an amount from about 12 to about 20 vol. %, wherein the cementitious material comprises a combination of about 70 to about 85 vol. % of Portland cement and about 15 to about vol. % of silica fume, wherein all volume percentages unless otherwise indicated are based on the total volume of the concrete material.

Concrete materials and thermal energy storage devices employing such concrete materials are disclosed herein. The concrete material may include fibers in an amount ranging from about 1 to about 2 vol. %; an aggregate in an amount ranging from about 50 to about 80 vol. %, wherein the aggregates comprises siliceous aggregate and optionally carbonate aggregate; and a cementitious material in an amount from about 12 to about 20 vol. %, wherein the cementitious material comprises a combination of about 70 to about 85 vol. % of Portland cement and about 15 to about vol. % of silica fume, wherein all volume percentages unless otherwise indicated are based on the total volume of the concrete material.

An activator composition for a non-OPC hydraulically-active material comprises CaO or lime and a polycarboxylate-ether-based (PCE) superplasticiser, and is mixable with a hydraulically active material comprising ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and/or pulverized fuel ash (PFA) to form a cementitious binder. The cementitious binder does not comprise any Portland cement and is, therefore, more environmentally friendly.

An activator composition for a non-OPC hydraulically-active material comprises CaO or lime and a polycarboxylate-ether-based (PCE) superplasticiser, and is mixable with a hydraulically active material comprising ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) and/or pulverized fuel ash (PFA) to form a cementitious binder. The cementitious binder does not comprise any Portland cement and is, therefore, more environmentally friendly.

An activated pozzolan composition includes a fine interground particulate blend of an initially unactivated natural pozzolan and a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) different than the initially unactivated natural pozzolan. The initially unactivated natural pozzolan may include volcanic ash or other natural pozzolanic deposit having a moisture content of at least 3%, and the activated pozzolan composition can have a moisture content less than 0.5% The initially unactivated natural pozzolan may have a particle size less than 1 mm before intergrinding with the SCM. The SCM used to activate the initially unactivated natural pozzolan can be initially coarse or granular with a size greater than 1-3 m and may include granulated blast furnace slag, steel slag, other metallurgical slag, pumice, limestone, fine aggregate, shale, tuff, trass, geologic material, waste glass, glass shards, basalt, sinters, ceramics, recycled bricks, recycled concrete, refractory materials, other waste industrial products, sand, or natural mineral.

An activated pozzolan composition includes a fine interground particulate blend of an initially unactivated natural pozzolan and a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) different than the initially unactivated natural pozzolan. The initially unactivated natural pozzolan may include volcanic ash or other natural pozzolanic deposit having a moisture content of at least 3%, and the activated pozzolan composition can have a moisture content less than 0.5% The initially unactivated natural pozzolan may have a particle size less than 1 mm before intergrinding with the SCM. The SCM used to activate the initially unactivated natural pozzolan can be initially coarse or granular with a size greater than 1-3 m and may include granulated blast furnace slag, steel slag, other metallurgical slag, pumice, limestone, fine aggregate, shale, tuff, trass, geologic material, waste glass, glass shards, basalt, sinters, ceramics, recycled bricks, recycled concrete, refractory materials, other waste industrial products, sand, or natural mineral.

Systems and methods of the present invention include a method for the treatment of drilling wastes and coal combustion residues, comprising combining at least a first drilling waste with coal combustion residues to form a paste, combining at least a second drilling waste with coal combustion residues to form a compactable fill, and placing the paste and the compactable fill in a landfill. Other embodiments include a method of treating drilling wastes and coal combustion residues, comprising combining at least one drilling waste with a coal combustion residue to form a paste. Further embodiments include containing the paste within at least one geotextile container. Still further embodiments include placing the geotextile container in a landfill.

Systems and methods of the present invention include a method for the treatment of drilling wastes and coal combustion residues, comprising combining at least a first drilling waste with coal combustion residues to form a paste, combining at least a second drilling waste with coal combustion residues to form a compactable fill, and placing the paste and the compactable fill in a landfill. Other embodiments include a method of treating drilling wastes and coal combustion residues, comprising combining at least one drilling waste with a coal combustion residue to form a paste. Further embodiments include containing the paste within at least one geotextile container. Still further embodiments include placing the geotextile container in a landfill.

A process for synthesis of a waste-derived CO.sub.2-activated clinker, which comprises firing nodules at temperatures between 1000-1100 C. for a time sufficient to obtain CO.sub.2-reactive clinker phases within the nodules, cooling the clinker nodules, and reducing to powder to obtain a clinker powder; wherein the nodules are agglomerates of a stoichiometric mix of uniformly-sized powders of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration residues; wherein the stoichiometric mix respects the primary compositional requisite of containing Ca, Al, and Si in their oxide forms within the ranges of 35-45 wt. % CaO, 2-8 wt. % AI.sub.2O.sub.3, and 12-20 wt. % SiO.sub.2; wherein the fmal stoichiometric mix has a total-sulfur content of 1 to 10 wt. %, total-carbon content of 2 to 20 wt. %, and a total-chlorine content of 2 to 15 wt. %.

A process for synthesis of a waste-derived CO.sub.2-activated clinker, which comprises firing nodules at temperatures between 1000-1100 C. for a time sufficient to obtain CO.sub.2-reactive clinker phases within the nodules, cooling the clinker nodules, and reducing to powder to obtain a clinker powder; wherein the nodules are agglomerates of a stoichiometric mix of uniformly-sized powders of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration residues; wherein the stoichiometric mix respects the primary compositional requisite of containing Ca, Al, and Si in their oxide forms within the ranges of 35-45 wt. % CaO, 2-8 wt. % AI.sub.2O.sub.3, and 12-20 wt. % SiO.sub.2; wherein the fmal stoichiometric mix has a total-sulfur content of 1 to 10 wt. %, total-carbon content of 2 to 20 wt. %, and a total-chlorine content of 2 to 15 wt. %.