State of the Art Report Use of Waste Materials in Construction - Technological Development

Abstract Massive quantities of waste materials are produced annually in the major industries of mineral extraction, electricity generation and steel production. Each in turn has vast stockpiles of their waste product. Interestingly the major chemical composition of these combined wastes are similar and each are used to a minor extent in the construction of roads, pavements cement production and asphalt. There are numerous other producers of waste materials and there is the important source of demolition waste and scalpings from road surfaces under repair. There is mounting concern for the environmental effect of depositing these wastes to spoil heaps or as in-fill to large excavations, especially so in the event of leaching out of certain trace elements. In this paper, the major waste materials are introduced, considered and their utilization reviewed. Where information on development of the several wastes is available this is introduced. To mount any form of assault on the continuing use of natural aggregates or other materials in construction there has to be a fundamental change of emphasis in regard to using re-cycled waste materials. Selection of a suitable and effective stabilizing agent for these materials either in isolation or when combined is important but, although they have very similar chemical compositions, they are physically different. To reduce our dependence on natural aggregates and to increase our use of waste materials in construction there may be the opportunity to create manufactured items closer to the source of waste material production. Alternatively Legislation may be required to enforce such change.