Construction Debris Research Articles

New approaches to the development of construction technologies

The paper presents data on the volume of materials consumed by builders and the carbon dioxide emissions that occur during this process. The reasons for the formation and volume of construction debris are considered. Recycling technologies currently used in the demolition of buildings are associated with crushing. The resulting concrete mix is used only for filling low-level earthworks due to the rapid carbonation of concrete surfaces. The scrap metal formed during crushing is used for remelting, polluting the atmosphere and requiring a large amount of energy. It is proved that due to the low economic and environmental efficiency, this method of recycling is a dead end. Studies have found that the constant increase in the strength of concrete and the absence of a decrease in the strength characteristics of reinforcing steels, stone materials, bricks, which are operated for a long time in favorable temperature and humidity conditions, allows them to be reused. General approaches have been developed that require changes in the existing technologies for the renovation of urban areas, the demolition of individual buildings and structures that currently exist. To reduce CO2 emissions and construction debris, it is enough to increase the volume of gentrification, reconstruction, major repairs, and re-profiling of the existing residential and industrial stock. When demolishing buildings, it is necessary to abandon the method of collapse of building structures with their further fragmentation. The method of piecemeal dismantling with repeated use of materials, products and structures (after determining their strength indicators by specialists), allows you to dramatically reduce the problems of construction debris and carbon dioxide emissions.

Modification of Bitumen Properties Using Waste Polymer in Context of Bangladesh

Proper disposal of plastics and its derivatives is one of the biggest challenges all over the globe. Due to the improper management of plastic product environment is being polluted. Plastic waste generation and plastic waste-based pollution in Bangladesh is leaping at a high pace. Among numerous ways of disposal of waste plastics, one can be using it in flexible pavement construction. According to the Bangladesh Waste Database 2014, Dhaka city alone produces 25.44% (5,925.51 tons/ day) of waste, of which 8.45% is plastic. In the construction of bituminous pavement, plastics, as well as construction debris, are being used in the form of aggregate and filler materials popularly. This study focusses on the improvement of properties of bitumen by blending it with LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) and PP (Polypropylene) at a different proportion. Three cases were considered in the study for plastic waste addition, Case-01:- only LDPE; Case-02:- LDPE: PP=3:1; Case-03:- LDPE: PP=1:1. For each case, 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% of plastic waste was mixed with bitumen. It was found that the penetration value and ductility decrease with the increasing proportion of plastic waste in bitumen, whereas the softening point increases for every case. Loss on heating, flash & fire point also been improved with the plastic addition. The performance of Case- 03 (LDPE: PP=1:1) is better than others. Minimum penetration value, 11 and maximum softening point, 90°C, is found for this case, which indicates a 90% improvement compared to virgin bitumen. Due to the addition of plastic waste, the ductility always gets affected. But overall, a significant improvement in the properties of bitumen is noticeable.

Comparative analysis on natural and recycled coarse aggregate concrete

Globally, in today’s world with rapid industrialization we see huge amount of waste disposed into landfills and we all know after the water, Concrete is one of the majorly used material throughout the globe. In India, construction presently generating a lot of construction and demolition debris. We should consider available options to bring the waste to production lines by recycling. In this present research work we utilized recycled coarse aggregates collected from crushed concrete. In concrete, coarse aggregate is accounts for major volume of concrete Recycling coarse aggregates (RCA) will be ideal option to reduce the amount of concrete waste goes into landfills. In this research work the main focus is to find the change in compressive strength of our required concrete combination by using Recycled coarse aggregates alternate to Virgin coarse aggregates and compare the recycled coarse aggregate concrete strength with natural coarse aggregate concrete strength.

CONCRETE RECYCLING: SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICAL GAIN FOR SMART CITIES

Abstract. Recycled aggregate concrete is a new technology for using a developed type of concrete that combines technicality with the environmental and recycling aspect. It is based on the reuse of old demolished concrete in the format of new aggregates for new concrete. The main advantage of this concrete is the reuse of construction debris which is a huge management problem in addition to complying with countries' requirements for recycling rates. This technology will also solve the problem of shortage of natural resources from which many countries suffer. Thus, this new technology is at the forefront of research and improvement studies in order to identify the technical characteristics: Mechanical properties, formulation, durability ... of a new concrete based on these aggregates. Morocco, as a developing country, favors the promotion of new technologies. It is true that the Moroccan standardization does not specify recycled aggregates but the use is more and more common in the last decade mainly in road works. The structural elements of the building require further study in order to technically validate the choice of concrete.

Sustainable solid-waste management in coastal and marine tourism cities in Vietnam: A hierarchical-level approach

This study contributes to assess the sustainable solid-waste management of coastal and marine cities in Vietnam due to prior studies are lacking to develop a set of measures in hierarchical structure. Coastal and marine tourism cities are the largest and fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. City infrastructures are being developed in the absence of a solid-waste management capacity and create a gap in the measurement of sustainable solid-waste management. This study employs both qualitative techniques and quantitative measures to extend the literature. An exploratory factor analysis is applied to test the proposed hierarchical framework's validity and reliability. A fuzzy synthetic evaluation and a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory are used to evaluate sustainable solid-waste management in the cities. A set of criteria that consider the economic benefit, environment assessment and social impact are constructed on six aspects: funding and expenditures, tourism activities, the policy and legal framework, environmental co-creation, stakeholder participation and community awareness. The result reveals the causal interrelationships among the aspects and that stakeholder participation, tourism activities, and the policy and legal framework are the causal attributes for achieving sustainability performance. Civil construction debris, the tourist flow, the support of political leadership, cost-sharing and mutual strategy adoption, and technical cooperation are also found to be success criteria that contribute as practical guidelines for practitioners and communities. More emphasis needs to be placed on coastal and marine environments, and doing so has the highest priority value and contributes to raising awareness of issues in the development process.

Suggested key variables for assessment of soil quality in urban roadside tree systems

Urban roadside soils are important growth media for roadside trees. However, typical assessment variables are limited in describing the characteristics of roadside soils. We assessed the characteristics of roadside soils using the pre- and new suggested variables and recommended optimal soil variables that are representative of roadside tree health. Seventy-three roadside soils were collected for measurement, while six urban forest soils were prepared as a control. Samples were used to evaluate both pre-suggested and new variables. The former included bulk density, penetration resistance (PR), pH, organic matter (OM), fluorescein diacetate (FDA) activity, and respiration. To improve the pre-suggested variables, we modified the bulk density using PR and investigated the elemental ratios and stable isotopic signatures of particulate organic matter (POM). Two criteria were used to select the variables for urban roadside soils: (1) the variable should identify distinct characteristics of roadside and urban forest soils and (2) the variable should have a high correlation with urban tree health variables: leaf chlorophyll content and tree vigor. The bulk density measured using the conventional method underestimated soil compaction because obtaining intact cores was challenging. The modified bulk density (BDmodified) obtained from the soil PR is suggested to better represent soil compaction. The roadside soils were affected by de-icing materials, construction debris, and atmospheric alkali particles, which increased the soil pH. The unexpectedly higher OM contents in the roadside soils, where tree origins are limited, possibly due to soil OM sources such as vehicular emissions, animal excreta, and sewer flooding. These OM sources may alter the C/H ratio (POM-C/H) and the stable isotopic signature of POM, leading to OM quality changes. Soil respiration better reflected the changes in the microbial activity of the roadside soils, rather than FDA activity. The newly suggested soil variables, BDmofieid, pH, POM-C/H, and RES, were significantly correlated with leaf chlorophyll content and tree vigor (P < 0.05). Using a multiple regression analysis, the newly suggested set of soil variables, including the BDmodified, soil pH, POM-C/H, and soil respiration, showed high predictive power for the growth of urban roadside trees. Future studies should apply these variables to other cities or broader areas and confirm their predictive ability regarding the health of roadside trees.

Utilization of powdered glass in lime-stabilized clayey soil with sea water

The waste glass is one of the huge volume construction and demolition (C&D) debris and using it in the construction, significantly reduces the area required for the storage and contributes to the conservation of natural resources while reducing the carbon footprint. In the light of these data, the answer to the question of whether glass powder could be considered as a stabilizing additive with sea water in lime-stabilized clayey soil so that clayey soil could be used in road pavement and embankment construction has been investigated. A series of experimental studies conducted to determine the effect of additives on the geotechnical properties of the clayey soil such as moisture-density relationships, strength, and consistency. The samples were prepared by blending 5% lime and different percentages of powdered glass such as 10%, 20% and 25% with three different clayey soil that were used as subgrade soil. The results of the tests indicate that powdered glass, sea water and clayey soils are very compatible to react with each other and additives improve geotechnical properties of clayey soils in a way so that it decreases plasticity index and increases workability of clayey soils. In addition, the additives increase California bearing ratio and unconfined compressive strength of clayey soils up to ten times depending on usage rates.

Performance Evaluation of Construction and Demolition Debris as Substitute for Aggregate in Hot Mix Asphalt

Performance Evaluation of Construction and Demolition Debris as Substitute for Aggregate in Hot Mix Asphalt

It Rained What in Where? A Collaborative Approach to Improve Response and Remediation of Water Intrusions in Clinical Areas

<h3>Background</h3> Water intrusions in clinical areas pose major challenges by significantly impacting patient care, patient flow, and structural integrity. Proper remediation is imperative to protect patients from environmental pathogens, construction debris, dust, and mold. Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), and Facilities Services proactively partnered to improve our water intrusion response. Using Performance Improvement (PI) methodologies, we worked to collaboratively create a standardized process for response, communication, and remediation of water intrusions that impact patient care environments. <h3>Methods</h3> Key stakeholders from IPC, EHS, and Facilities were assembled to assess current state processes and resources. The Lean/Six Sigma methodology of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) was utilized to identify and improve workflow and procedures. Current-state process maps were created and fishbone diagrams were used to identify key root causes. To measure success, identified deviations in procedure or communication were tracked by EHS or IPC in an electronic system. <h3>Results</h3> Process-mapping revealed shift- and staff-dependent variation in communication and response to water intrusions. During Improve phase, the team generated one standardized process applicable to any shift and any Facility department, further clarified roles and responsibilities in existing procedures, streamlined alerts, and created a checklist to ensure reliable remediation. This checklist eliminated department-specific job aids, generated smoother hand-offs between shifts, and fostered departmental accountability. The last 6 months of work resulted in a 50% reduction in reported deviations in communication or remediation compared to baseline. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Using PI methodology, we collaborated with key stakeholders to generate a standardized process for communicating, immediately responding, and remediating water intrusions in patient care environments. Next steps include continued collaboration with Facilities to standardize workflows for other infrastructure failures.

Influence of parameters of retaining walls and loose soils on the stability of slopes in the new construction of residential complexes

The stability of the slope in the existing and design provisions is investigated, the constructive decisions of retaining walls on protection of the territory of construction of a residential complex in a zone of a slope are substantiated. The stability of the slope when using rational landslide structures is estimated.&#x0D; The results of the calculation of the slope stability for five characteristic sections on the basis of engineering-geological survey are analyzed. For each of the given sections the finite-element scheme according to the last data on change of a relief is created. The slope was formed artificially by filling the existing ravine with construction debris from the demolition of old houses and from the excavation of ditches for the first houses of the complex. Five sections along the slope are considered and its stability in the natural state and design positions is determined. Also the constructive decisions of retaining walls on protection of the territory of construction of a residential complex as along the slope there are bulk soils with various difference of heights are substantiated. This requires a separate approach to the choice of parameters of retaining walls, namely the dimensions of the piles and their mutual placement, as well as the choice of the angle of the bulk soil along the slope.&#x0D; The calculations were performed using numerical simulation of the stress-strain state of the system "slope soils-retaining wall" using the finite element method. An elastic-plastic model of soil deformation with a change in soil parameters (deformation module) depending on the level of stresses in the soil is adopted. Hardening soil model (HSM) used. Calculations of slope stability involve taking into account the technological sequence of erection of retaining walls and modeling of the phased development of the pit. The simulation was performed in several stages: Stage 1 - determination of stresses from the own shaft, Stage 2 - assessment of slope stability before construction, Stage 3 - installation of retaining wall piles, Stage 4 - assessment of slope stability after landslides. Based on these studies, practical recommendations were developed for the design of each section of the retaining wall in accordance with the characteristic cross-sections.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in processed yard trash.

This work examines polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in yard trash at various stages of the yard trash management cycle of collection, stockpiling, grinding and screening into mulch, and composting. Total extractable PAH concentrations were measured in yard trash at various management stages from 10 locations in Florida. The concentrations of 16 PAH compounds in processed yard trash ranged from 0.38 to 14 mg kg-1. PAH concentrations were detected in vegetative material harvested from a residential neighborhood, but were below the United States Environmental Protection Agency residential regional screening levels (RSLs). PAH concentrations near or above the RSLs were common in both unprocessed and processed yard trash collected at waste management facilities. PAH concentrations were amongst the highest in newly ground yard trash samples and were amongst the lowest in composted yard trash samples. These findings are important because land application of some waste materials, such as construction and demolition debris fines and street sweepings, are sometimes limited due to PAH. If processed yard trash, which is commonly land applied in residential settings, possesses similar PAH concentrations, evaluation of current risk assessment practices for land-applied wastes may require further examination.

Boron as a contaminant at construction and demolition (C&D) debris landfills

Elevated boron concentrations above the regulatory standard were inadvertently discovered in downgradient groundwater monitoring wells at 22 construction and demolition (C&D) debris landfills in Florida, US. This created a unique opportunity to evaluate whether C&D debris can be considered a plausible source of boron at unlined landfills. Approximately 1200 historical landfill-leachate and groundwater records were surveyed from semi-annual and annual monitoring reports covering a 9-year period. Laboratory leaching experiments were conducted on soils from each of these sites to determine if the source could have been boron mobilized from naturally occurring soils. Historical leachate quality data from lined landfills near four of the unlined C&D debris landfills were examined to determine if leachate from the unlined landfills could be the boron source. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 1312, or Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP), and the EPA Method 1316 were performed on materials commonly found in C&D debris to see if these products have the potential to leach appreciable levels of boron. The results of this work indicate leachate from unlined C&D debris landfills as the most plausible source of elevated boron concentrations in downgradient monitoring wells.

End-of-Life Materials Used as Supplementary Cementitious Materials in the Concrete Industry.

A sustainable solution for the global construction industry can be partial substitution of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) by use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) sourced from industrial end-of-life (EOL) products that contain calcareous, siliceous and aluminous materials. Candidate EOL materials include fly ash (FA), silica fume (SF), natural pozzolanic materials like sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA), palm oil fuel ash (POFA), rice husk ash (RHA), mine tailings, marble dust, construction and demolition debris (CDD). Studies have revealed these materials to be cementitious and/or pozzolanic in nature. Their use as SCMs would decrease the amount of cement used in the production of concrete, decreasing carbon emissions associated with cement production. In addition to cement substitution, EOL products as SCMs have also served as coarse and also fine aggregates in the production of eco-friendly concretes.

Prediction of H2S Concentration in Landfill Gas Resulting from Construction and Demolition Debris and the Selection of Treatment Method

AbstractHydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentration in landfill gas (LFG) is predominately dependent on the biodegradation of gypsum drywall, a major component of construction and demolition (C&D) debris....

EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY TESTING OF PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS IN THE PREPARATION OF PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

The purpose of this work is to examine the physical and mechanical properties of soils in the preparation of project documentation. A laboratory testing of the physical and mechanical properties of soils located on the construction site of an apartment building at: Kirov region, Vyatskopolyansky district, village. Krasnaya Polyana, Druzhba str., 1. Methods. Laboratory work was carried out on a mixture of loam, sand, in the roof layer with small construction debris, sandy loam brown, hard, plastic interlayers; sandy loam brown, plastic. The geological structure of the survey area was carried out with the help of engineering - geological wells to a depth of 8.0 m. Upper quaternary alluvial deposits (a2III), represented by sandy loam hard and plastic, overlain by technogenic deposits (t IV), were uncovered. Results And Discussion. Alluvial deposits (a2III) are exposed under man-made deposits at a depth of 0.7-1.0 m (abs. OTM. 64.38 – 64.83 m) and are represented by: brown sandy loam, hard (EGE-2*), plastic interlayers, with loam interlayers up to 0.2 m.. Layer thickness is 2.1-2.5 m; brown sandy loam, plastic (EGE-3), with layers of dusty sand up to 0.2 m. Uncovered power: is 4.8 – 4.9 m. Conclusions. According to CP** 11-105-97, part II of the territory is assigned to section I-A-2-seasonally (annually) flooded. According to a set of factors, the complexity category of engineering-geological conditions is defined as II (average) (CP 47.13330.2012 [10] ADJ. A). The standard depth of seasonal freezing for sandy loam is 2.01 m. According to the degree of frost heaviness, sandy loams are hard (EGE-2), characterized as weakly porous. Technogenic soils (EGE-1), taking into account the increase in humidity in the pre-winter period, are classified as weakly porous.

Environmental benefits of construction and demolition debris recycling: Evidence from an Indian case study using life cycle assessment

The adversarial effects of construction and demolition (C&D) waste on the environment are on the increase. While materials such as metals, wood, glass and plastics are segregated and diverted for reuse/recycling, C&D debris consisting of concrete, bricks and tiles are landfilled in most of the countries. LCA studies have indicated a clear preference for recycling. However, it has been inferred that the environmental credits obtained in these studies were mainly from recycling of metals and wood and studies focusing on environmental impacts/benefits evaluation of C&D debris recycling is limited. This is particularly relevant in the cases of developing countries like India, where C&D debris forms a bulk of C&D waste generation. Therefore, this paper evaluates the environmental impacts of four different scenarios for managing C&D debris comprising the present (S1) and future (S2) landfilling options and recycling options without transfer stations (S3) and with transfer stations (S4). LCA according to ISO methodology is performed based on locally sourced data supplemented with Ecoinvent database. IMPACT 2002+ impact assessment method has been applied for environmental impact quantification using SimaPro software. Landfilling of C&D debris generates environmental impacts, and recycling scenarios generate environmental benefits in all 15 impact categories. Single score values of landfilling scenarios are 1.83 mPt (S1) and 2.78 mpt (S2) and that of C&D debris recycling are −2.56 mPt (S3) and −1.91 mPt (S4). The robustness of the results was shown through sensitivity analysis. Recycling remains beneficial compared to landfilling as long as the diesel and electricity consumption of C&D debris recycling facility remains less than 475% of the current consumption. Furthermore, even if the transportation distance from quarry to crushing unit is reduced to zero, recycling still remains a better alternative. The merit of considering the future landfilling scenario in the decision making has been discussed since the challenges that might be encountered in setting up new landfills are underestimated. The implications of the findings and their relevance to urban local bodies have also been discussed to help policymakers take informed decisions while facing challenges of managing C&D debris.

Evaluation of CBR Characteristics of Waste Dust from Construction Debris as Pavement Material

In this study an attempt is made to investigate the properties and CBR characteristics of fine sand and waste dust from construction debris. Attempts are also made to study the effect of soaking period on CBR value of waste dust from construction debris. Waste dusts passing through 600 µm sieve from construction debris and river sand are selected for investigation. Standard Test procedures specified by AASHTO are followed in this investigation. The testing includes the determination of specific gravity, sieve analysis, optimum moisture content, dry density and CBR value. Dense unit weight, specific gravity and fineness modulus of construction debris is 1273.44 Kg/m³, 2.43 and 1.36 respectively and for fine sand 1132.25 Kg/m³, 2.62 and 1.64 respectively. Un-soaked CBR value of construction debris and fine sand are 10.36% and 12.5% respectively. Soaked CBR values of construction debris and fine sand are 5.36% and 6.07% respectively. The study reveals that waste dust from construction debris is as good as fine sand for construction of sub-grade from the stand point of properties and CBR characteristics.

Use of Construction and Demolition Debris in Architectural Application and Buildings with Special Emphasis on Economic Aspects. A Review

Use of Construction and Demolition Debris in Architectural Application and Buildings with Special Emphasis on Economic Aspects. A Review

Feasible and Experimental Study on Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate using Construction Debris

Concrete is the most widely used construction material today. The constituents of concrete are coarse aggregate, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water. Concrete plays a major role in the construction industry and a large quantum of concrete is being utilized. River sand, which isone of the constituent used in the production of conventional concrete, has become expensive and also a scarce material. In view of this,the utilization of demolished aggregate which isa waste material has been accepted as building material in many countries for the past three decades. The demand of natural sand in the construction industry has increased a lot resulting in the reduction of sources and an increase in price. Thus an increased need to identify a suitable alternative material from industrial waste in place of river sand, that is eco-friendly and inexpensive construction debris i.e fresh concrete being extensively used as an alternative to the sand in the production of concrete. There is an increase in need to find new alternative materials to replace river sand so that excess river erosion is prevented and high strength concrete is obtained at lower cost. One such material is building construction debris: a by-product obtained during construction and demolition waste. An experimental investigation is carried out on M 25 concrete containing debris during construction in the different range of 20%, 30% &amp; 40% by weight of sand. Material was produced, tested and compared with conventional concrete in terms of workability and strength. These tests were carried out on standard cube of 150×150×150 mm and beam of 700×150×150 mm for 28 days to determine the mechanical properties of concrete.

The Influence of Waste Composition on Landfill Gas Generation in a Pilot-Scale Lysimeter

The Sudokwon landfill site in Korea, is one of the largest landfill sites in the world, and consists of a first landfill site and second landfill site. The second landfill site generates 3–30 times more H2S than that of the first landfill site. However, the cause of the increase in H2S has not been identified. In this study, the main causes of H2S concentration increase were investigated in the second landfill site in the Sudokwon landfill site. We classified wastes at the Sudokwon landfill site into seven types including Construction and demolition (C&amp;D) debris waste. A lysimeter reactor was designed as a similar environment to the Sudokwon landfill site for simulation. In addition, the experiment was conducted under the same conditions. Three components and elements were analyzed to identify the composition of waste in the landfill site. Leachate was analyzed through a chemical oxygen demand and SO42− standard method. For landfill gas, a gas analyzer was used. The trend in the generation of leachate and landfill gas depending on waste composition at the landfill site was observed and the cause of the increase in H2S was examined. As a result, landfilling of C&amp;D debris waste is recommended as a single landfill.