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DURABILITY OF RECYCLED CONCRETE
In 1990, Switzerland crushed an old A13 road and reused 66% to 100% of it in new concrete; 20 years later, every recycled test mix was still rated good or very goodNew research highlights the impressive durability of Swiss highways built with recycled concrete over several decades. The A13 motorway too...
In 2021, Danish partners launched DecomBlades to recycle retired wind turbine blades. 5 years later, 40 tonnes of recovered glass fibre had entered new blades in TaiwanSince launching in 2021, Denmark’s DecomBlades project has turned retired wind turbine materials into resources for new turbines. Its pyrol...
Ireland's retired wind-turbine blades are getting strange second lives; old power equipment is now becoming benches, bike parking and picnic tablesIreland's retired wind-turbine blades are getting strange second lives; old power equipment is now becoming benches, bike parking and picni...
In 2024, Arizona put 100% recycled glass beneath a 23-mile interstate expansion; the unusual material helped protect 19 sets of existing highway culvertsWhen Arizona widened Interstate 17, engineers faced a problem that drivers would never notice. Beneath the planned expansion were 19 sets o...
In 2018, the Netherlands turned 1,000 kg of household plastic into a 30-metre cycle path; the road contained the equivalent of 218,000 plastic cupsA Dutch cycle path turned plastic waste into something useful. In 2018, Zwolle opened a 30-metre path made with about 1,000 kilograms of re...
In 2025, Netherlands turned retired wind-turbine blades into a 60-metre highway noise barrier; tests found it performed like a conventional concrete wallNetherlands’ 60-metre Blade Barrier represents more than an unusual highway wall. It is an experiment in what a circular economy can look l...
MIT researchers are giving millions of plastic bottles a new life by turning plastic waste into homes, decks and bridges using AI robotsIn a significant development, the Atlas Building Composites, a spinout of Massachusetts Institute of Technology are turning millions of pla...
Ohio-based company transforms old wind turbine blades into beautiful, sustainable benches, tables and other public-space furnitureIn an innovative twist, retired wind turbine blades are getting a second life as robust public furniture, including stylish benches and tab...
Atlanta turns a nearly 7,000-pound retired wind turbine blade into a 50-foot pedestrian bridge; Colorado blade now helps walkers cross Beaverbrook Park creekA remarkable transformation has taken place in Atlanta's Beaverbrook Park, where an old wind turbine blade has been creatively converted in...
In the year to September 2023, one Australian city used 6,790 litres of waste engine oil to build roads; it became a coating for stone used in road sealsIn the year leading up to September 2023, the City of Greater Geelong transformed thousands of litres of used motor oil into durable public...
In 2009, the US Army built recycled plastic bridges for a 71-ton Abrams tank. 1 year later, Fort Eustis opened 2 thermoplastic railroad bridges to replace old timber tooRecycled plastic composite material offers a durable and sustainable alternative for bridge construction. The world's first vehicular bridg...
In 2021, Australia's RMIT helped Coles put 900,000 pieces of soft plastic into concrete. 1 year later, another Coles development was set to reuse 6.5 million pieces through PolyrokRMIT University developed Polyrok, a plastic aggregate from recycled soft plastics. This innovative material was first used commercially at...
Indian scientists develop a new concrete using human waste to make it significantly stronger than conventional cementScientists have found that biochar made from treated human waste, or faecal sludge, can partially replace cement in concrete and improve it...
In 2011, Axion built a 90-foot plastic bridge over Scotland's River Tweed. 1 year later, ASME reported its six sections took just 4 days to assemble on-site in EdinburghEngineers have developed recycled structural composites from materials such as milk jugs and detergent containers. The technology, pioneere...
In 2019, Victoria's Wyndham City turned 199,000 recycled bottles into a 200-metre footpath. 1 year later, the project had reached 339 metres and delivered 1,700kg in carbon savingsVictoria’s Wyndham City turned 199,000 recycled bottles into a 200-metre footpath in 2019. The project showed how plastic waste could be gi...
In 2022, a Washington State lab study replaced 20% of cement with recycled glass powder; 56-day strength rose 19% with steel milling, while surface resistivity improved 150% with ceramic millingWashington State University engineers are testing recycled glass powder as a cement substitute. This waste material could potentially impro...
Three retired wind turbine blades were ground into concrete in Iowa. Today, it stands as a retaining wall in Downtown Des MoinesRenewablade, an Iowa-based company, is ingeniously reusing retired wind turbine blades by converting them into concrete materials. This eco...
This 7,000-pound wind turbine blade retired from a Colorado wind farm; Today, it serves as a pedestrian bridge in GeorgiaIn a remarkable transformation, a retired 7,000-pound wind turbine blade from a Colorado wind farm has been ingeniously repurposed as a ped...
In 1989, Kentucky engineers built a 750-foot road base using about 80 tons of ponded fly ash; the 11% ash section was reported to perform well against the conventional controlAn experimental road base in Kentucky utilized coal plant residue in 1988. Fly ash has been a federal construction material since the 1970s...
Miami researchers tested concrete that replaced sand with leaded CRT glass; a biopolymer helped limit lead leaching before durability damage raised concernsResearchers explored using toxic CRT glass in concrete mixtures. This hazardous waste contains significant amounts of lead, posing environm...