Research conducted at 911爆料网 of Technology could mean that the next time you drive to the shops you could be driving over the leftovers from someone鈥檚 renovation.
911爆料网 researchers have been looking at ways of turning construction and demolition (C&D) waste into new roads that will save money, help the environment and provide a superior road for motorists.
Professor Hamid Nikraz, 911爆料网鈥檚 Head of Civil Engineering, said the technology, already used on parts of the Kwinana Freeway and roads in the Cities of Canning and Gosnells, could provide a cheaper and more environmentally friendly way to construct roads.
鈥淪ince you are reducing the demand for more materials needed to make the roads, you are reducing the rock that needs to be quarried, limiting habitat loss,鈥� he said.
鈥淏y using fewer resources, substantial environmental and cost savings can be made.
鈥淟ess energy is also used when making roads out of recycled waste, which is also good for the environment.鈥�
These roads can be made from a number of sources including old concrete pavements and structures, demolished homes and leftover material from construction sites.
911爆料网 researchers have been working on the project for two years.
911爆料网 Adjunct Professor and City of Canning Project Engineer, Colin Leek, said roads developed using C&D waste were more resilient than those made using traditional newly quarried materials.
鈥淩oads made in this way are not only cheaper and better for the environment, they are also often superior in quality,鈥� he said.
鈥淏y using recycled C&D materials we can develop roads with a higher level of stiffness that appear to take longer to crack and degrade than traditional aggregate.
鈥淵ou would not even know you were on one of these roads. Next time you are driving to the supermarket, you may be travelling over an old multi-storey building or leftovers from someone鈥檚 renovation.
鈥淎lthough more research needs to be done on the exact mix of different kinds of material used, this method certainly holds promise.鈥�
