Reply to the discussion of the papers “Impact of hydrated magnesium carbonate additives on the carbonation of reactive MgO cements” and “Enhancing the carbonation of MgO cement porous blocks through improved curing conditions”, by S.A. Walling and J.L. Pr

This paper is a reply to the discussion by S.A. Walling and J.L. Provis on our papers “Impact of hydrated magnesium carbonate additives on the carbonation of reactive MgO cements” and “Enhancing the carbonation of MgO cement porous blocks through improved curing conditions”. Walling and Provis discuss the assignment of X-ray diffraction patterns, the use of acid digestion to quantify the degree of carbonation, the interpretation of thermal analysis data, and the stability of hydrated magnesium carbonates. In this reply, we confirm the conclusions made in the two papers based on the combined evidence of microstructural and mechanical performance results.