Research project RE: Concrete is studying the waste process in the concrete industry and the existing recycling scenarios. Concrete is currently recycled in the form of landfills or load bearing layers at road construction. RE:Concrete is about using recycled concrete in new concrete as a high-utility application realizing a so called closed loop recycling.

Sustainability gains include among others reduced environmental impact due to extended technical life of the concrete and reduced transport of the waste.

The project aims to investigate possible technics for the quality assessment of recycled concrete and thus contributing to a viable concrete recycling chain and new job opportunities on a regional level.

RE: Concrete is a doctoral student project, conducted in cooperation between the University of Borås and Rise, Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute, and is funded by Gunnar Ivarsson Foundation for Sustainable Built Environment, Rise, Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute and the University of Borås.

A Master degree examwork connected to RE: Concrete is about replacing natural aggregates in concrete with crushed rock, a material similar by its properties to that of crushed concrete. Testing of various degrees of natural aggregate replacement and its impact on concrete workability, 1-day and 28-day compressive strength are examined at Ulricehamn Betong laboratories.

Publications

Sadagopan M., Malaga K., Nagy A.: RE:Concrete - Study on Recycling of Concrete in Sweden, Nordic Concrete Research, Proceedings XXIII NCR Symposium, Aalborg, Danmark, 2017

Sadagopan M., Malaga K., Nagy A.: RE:Concrete - Study on Recycling of Concrete in Sweden, Nordic Concrete Research, NCR no. 56 – 1/2017.