Oct 19 2005
BRE has tied up with WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) to work on three new projects connected with the use of recycled and secondary aggregates (RSA).
The overall aim of the projects is to increase the number of applications for which RSA can be used. The WRAP projects, to be run by BRE, will provide the construction and engineering industries with data and guidance that should enable increased use of RSA, leading to potential cost savings and environmental performance improvements.
Limited knowledge of the effects of RSA on the engineering properties of concrete currently restricts the specification and use of RSA for making structural concrete. BRE's investigation into this issue, especially in relation to the new BSEN 1992 ('Eurocode 2') for the design of concrete structures, will provide much needed information for designers.
The perception that RSA in concrete has the potential to leach hazardous materials into drinking water or groundwater is limiting its use. BRE will carry out leaching tests, develop testing protocols and provide a database of information. Output from the project is likely to assist companies in complying with the dangerous substances and water framework directives which look set to become law over the next few years.
Good practice guidance on the use of hydraulically-bound materials - or HBMs - in working platforms and other new applications will be produced by BRE to increase uptake of RSA in this important area. The project will highlight significant new advances and show how HBMs can be safely and innovatively used in a variety of situations, resulting in highly cost-effective solutions.
Approximately 275 million tonnes of aggregates are used each year in the UK as raw construction materials. Of this supply, around 65 million tonnes are already derived from recycled or secondary sources.
These latest WRAP projects are part of a wider programme to identify and address barriers to the continued growth of sustainable aggregate use.
The output from all three projects will be published as WRAP reports and will be available to download from WRAP's websites at www.wrap.org.uk and www.aggregain.org.uk.