Mark Tyrer is a Consulting Scientist based in Derby and London, UK. He is a Visiting Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology and at the Technological University of Dublin. He is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Imperial College, London and an Associate of the Institute of Advanced Study (Collegium Basilea) in Basel. His interests span geomaterials in the widest sense, focusing on the chemistry of cements and related materials and their use in environmental protection.
EDUCATION
BSc Geology and Materials Science. University of Liverpool 1982
MSc Radiochemistry and Nuclear Physics. University of Salford 1985
PhD Cement Chemistry. Aston University. 1990
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Geochemistry and Petrology, Materials Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Civil and Structural Engineering
84
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Predicting the Hydration of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag and Recycled Glass Blended Cements Mark Tyrer, Mark Richardson, Niall Holmes, John Newell, Marcus Yio, et al. Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2025 The use of recycled glass powder (RCGP) is investigated as a partial replacement for ground granulated blast furnace slag in blended CEM II/A-LL cements using thermodynamic modelling to simulate cement paste hydration at a water-to-cement (w/c) ratio of 0.5. This study allows a rapid means of examining the likely evolution of these materials over the first two to three years, allowing experimental work to focus on promising formulations. A comparison is made between the evolving solid phase and solution chemistries of four materials: a standard Portland-limestone (CEM II/A-LL), a ‘control’ blend, comprising equal quantities of CEM II/A-LL with GGBS and two novel blended cements containing RCGP. These represent 15% replacement (by mass) of GGBS by RCGP blended with either 40% or 60% CEM II/A-LL. The simulations were performed using the code HYDCEM, a cement hydration simulator, which calls on the thermodynamic model PHREEQC to sequentially simulate the evolution of the four cements. The results suggest that partial replacement of GGBS by 15% RCGP results in no significant change in system chemistry. The partial replacement of cementitious slag by waste container glass provides a route by which this material can be diverted from the landfill inventory, and the mass-balance and energy balance implications will be reported elsewhere.
Modelling Leaching Using C-S-H Solid Solutions Niall Holmes, Mark Tyrer Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2025 Leaching from cement can lead to a loss in performance and durability and can also have an environmental impact. Therefore, it is an important aspect to consider when new cements are being developed and where concrete is to be placed that could lead to the contamination of groundwater. Calibrated thermodynamic models can provide very useful predictions in a matter of seconds for any cement-based material. However, such models need to include accurate representations of the solid-solution nature of the C-S-H gels that are included for the incongruent dissolution of calcium and silica. This study presents the calibration of a thermodynamic model employing the pH-REdox-Equilibrium geochemical software 3.8.7, written in C (PHREEQC 3.8.7), to model the change in the pH and the leaching of calcium (Ca) and silica (Si) from cement against the Ca/Si ratio and over time. The predicted concentrations of Ca and Si and the pH in the leachate were calculated using three solid-solution C-S-H gel models that were taken from the cemdata18 database, namely, CSHQ, CSH3T, and tobermorite–jennite, which have not been analysed before and show good agreement. The calibrated model was used to predict leaching from a CEM II/A-L cement and a blended CEM I + fly-ash with a cement replacement level of 35%. The effect of a sulphate environment (Na2SO4) was also analysed.
Early Age Assessment of a New Course of Irish Fly Ash as a Cement Replacement Nikki Shaji, Niall Holmes, Mark Tyrer Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2024 This paper explores the potential of a new source of fly ash, deposited on the site of a coal-fired power plant in Ireland dating from 1985 to 1995, as a cement replacement material. A series of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses on binder samples with cement replacement levels of 0, 10, 25 and 35% was undertaken to determine the fly ash’s mineralogical composition and to determine its suitability as a supplemental cementitious material (SCM). The XRD results reveal a unique mineral composition with promising characteristics for enhancing the strength and durability of concrete. The experimental results were used to calibrate a thermodynamic model to predict changing phase assemblage and hydration behaviour over time and per replacement level. Thermodynamic models have been shown to give credible predictions of the long-term performance of cements, including SCMs. The initial experimental results’ thermodynamic modelling demonstrates the feasibility of this fly ash source as a sustainable alternative to traditional cement, paving the way for more eco-friendly construction. Ash deposits dating from 1995 to 2005 and from 2005 to the present will be presented in subsequent publications.
CHARACTERIZATION OF AN IRISH SOURCE OF COAL-FIRED FLY ASH AS A CEMENT REPLACEMENT Nikki Maria Shaji, Niall Holmes, Mark Tyrer, and Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2024 This paper presents work underway by the authors to characterise the fly ash available from a coal-fired electricity plant on the west coast of Ireland and determine its suitability as a cement replacement. The experimental programme described includes X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses to evaluate the mineralogical composition and chemical properties of the ash. The XRD analysis revealed the presence of various mineral phases in the fly ash while the XRF analysis provided data on the elemental oxide composition to better understand its chemical characteristics. Initial concrete trials included measurements of the compressive and flexural strength.
Performance of a Single Source of Low-Grade Clay in a Limestone Calcined Clay Cement Mortar Kwabena Boakye, Morteza Khorami, Messaoud Saidani, Eshmaiel Ganjian, Mark Tyrer, et al. Buildings, 2024 The high kaolinite content of metakaolin makes it valuable to other industries, thereby affecting its availability and affordability for the production of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). This work presents a study on the potential utilization of low-grade clay in place of pure metakaolin in the preparation of LC3 for mortar formulations. CEM I was partially substituted with calcined clay and limestone by 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt.%. The weight ratio of calcined clay and limestone was maintained at 2:1 for all mixes and the water-to-binder ratio was 0.48. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and isothermal conduction calorimetry were used to study the hydration process and products after 28 days. Mechanical and durability assessments of the LC3 mortar specimens were conducted. LC3 specimens (marked LC20%, LC30%, LC40%, and LC50%) trailed the control sample by 1.2%, 4%, 9.8%, and 18%, respectively, at 28 days and 1.6%, 2.3%, 3.6%, and 5.5%, respectively, at 91 days. The optimum replacement of OPC clinker, calcined clay, and limestone was 20% (LC20%).
Determining the Macrostructural Stability of Compacted Wyoming Bentonites by a Disaggregation Method José Manuel Moreno-Maroto, Óscar Merlo, Joel Torres-Serra, Jacinto Alonso-Azcárate, Mark Tyrer, et al. Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2023 The use of compacted bentonites in radioactive waste repository barriers is a relevant application of geoenvironmental engineering. The on-site structural characteristics of the bentonites determine the performance and integrity of the barrier. The present work addresses the adaptation of the standardized sand equivalent shaking method for the controlled disaggregation of Wyoming bentonite specimens prepared at low, medium, and high compaction. The evolution of the macrostructural units’ size distribution was determined by sieving at different shaking times. The stability of the compacted material increases with dry density. However, if enough energy is applied in the disaggregation process, the size distribution of the macrostructural units after disaggregation has the same characteristics as that of the uncompacted starting material, regardless of the applied degree of compaction. Since the disaggregation rate is a function of the aggregation level (compaction), it follows that compaction energy is not only spent on reducing porosity but also on generating more stable macrostructural units. These findings pave the way for future research with different materials and test conditions (compaction, moisture, etc.). In addition, the proposed shaking method is adaptable and could also be used in other sectors, such as agriculture, to determine the structural stability of natural soils.
Geomaterials: Latest Advances in Materials for Construction and Engineering Applications Mark Tyrer, José Manuel Moreno-Maroto Applied Sciences Switzerland, 2023 The use of geomaterials spans long back into human history and relicts of man’s endeavours remain as evidence of practical use of rocks and minerals for the benefit of evolving societies [...]
Thermodynamic modelling of cement chemistry at high temperature Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2019
Effects of the nature of chemical activator on the compressive strength of calcined clay geopolymer mortar Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2019
The investigation of aluminium wastes encapsulated in the individual phases of Ordinary Portland Cement Aiche Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings, 2011
The investigation of aluminium wastes encapsulated in the individual phases of ordinary Portland cement Sustainable Engineering Forum Core Programming Topic at the 2011 Aiche Annual Meeting, 2011
The investigation of aluminium wastes encapsulated in the individual phases of ordinary portland cement Environmental Division Core Programming Topic at the 2011 Aiche Annual Meeting, 2011
How to research your new ingredient for concrete and publish 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2010
Manufactured aggregate from waste materials Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies International Conference on Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies, 2007
Recycled Materials in Concrete Barriers American Concrete Institute ACI Special Publication, 2003
In-situ interaction between cement and clay: Implications for geological disposal Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 2001
Chemistry and performance of blended cements and backfills for use in radioactive waste disposal Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 1997
