Inspired by research from Nottingham Trent University, we explore an innovative approach to the world of construction, which effectively intertwines the concepts of recycling and quality in a sector traditionally associated with a high ecological footprint.
The Challenge: Convert foundry waste into construction solutions
Within the world of metallurgy, foundry sand has always presented a challenge in terms of waste disposal and management. This byproduct, resulting from metal smelting processes, has been identified by Phone Number List NTU researchers as a promising candidate to lighten the environmental burden of the construction sector.
Guided by Professor Amin Al-Habaibeh, a specialist in intelligent engineering systems, the NTU research team has discovered a surprisingly effective application for this commonly discarded material.
A light and planet-friendly concrete
By incorporating % recycled foundry sand in the mix, it has been possible to develop an ecological concrete that maintains up to % of the resistance of traditional concrete. This proportion has proven to be sufficient to use this new material in applications that do not require extreme resistance, such as curbs, garden slabs and bicycle paths, to name a few examples.
tons of waste towards sustainable construction
The implementation of this practice could divert more than tons of foundry sand, which would otherwise end up in landfills, thus promoting a circular economy in a sector that is crucial for urban development.
This is excellent news for our environment as it indicates that we can reduce the use of natural sand and, therefore, minimize the need to send already used foundry sand to landfills.
Amin Al-Habaibeh
Using waste foundry sand not only reduces the total cost of concrete, but also CO emissions during transport, presenting a cleaner and greener approach to construction.
Decreased resistance: A viable sacrifice
As Sirwan Faraj, a researcher at the NTU School of Architecture, points out, although recycling foundry sand may lead to a slight decrease in the technical performance of the final products, this reduction could still be fully acceptable for a wide range of casting products. specific, depending on the necessary application. It could even be used effectively as a partial or total replacement for standard sand in mortars and concretes of suitable quality.