New technology to safely recycle rubble from destroyed buildings into new concrete, which is as strong and safe as conventional concrete, is being developed at the University of Leeds.
The process involves crushing the rubble, stripping out any steel, textiles or hazardous materials, such as asbestos, and reverse processing it to produce the aggregate materials used to create fresh concrete.
This two-year project, led by the University, was made possible through funding from the UK Government under the first round of InnovateUkraine.
On this project, the university is collaborating with a consortium of British, Ukrainian, and Dutch organisations* to deliver the Safe, Sustainable, and Swift Reconstruction of Ukraine (S3RoU) project, which will start recycling some of the estimated 1.4 billion tonnes of concrete debris from bombed buildings.
Rebuilding from the rubble
An engineer from Ukraine is also involved, joining the University of Leeds for expert training on how to use this pioneering rubble recycling technology to help rebuild his war-torn country.
Associate Professor Oleksii Hunyak is working with researchers at the University to carry out eco-friendly reconstruction of the 150,000 buildings and structures destroyed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Professor Hunyak, based at the Lviv Polytechnic National University, says he is excited about taking on the challenge of using a greener way to help his homeland recover from the conflict.
He said: “We are grateful to be working with the University of Leeds to safely recycle rubble from destroyed buildings into new concrete so we can rebuild my country in a faster, cheaper and greener way.
Sustainable approach
The project lead Professor Theodore Hanein, Chair of Construction Materials Science in the School of Civil Engineering at Leeds, said: “We have all seen the harrowing scenes of carnage in Ukraine on our television screens.
“We want to help its people rebuild their country in a way that causes less damage to our planet overall.
“If Ukraine reconstruction is carried out in the traditional way, the consequences for the environment will be hugely significant.
“Recycling rubble will help people rebuild buildings and their lives in a much more sustainable manner.
“By recycling rubble into low-energy and low-carbon construction materials, manufactured in a responsible, resilient, and sustainable manner, we will create a circular economy.
“We will develop technologies that can be used globally in post-conflict and end-of-life infrastructure reconstruction, as well as to help all parts of the world affected by disasters such as earthquakes and floods.”
The first reconstruction work using recycled rubble is expected to happen later this year.
Professor Hanein explained: “This is a new technology so another challenge will be combating the public’s perceptions that recycled rubble might be inferior quality.
“Eventually we want to be helping to rebuild people’s houses so families can move back home but initially the plan is to demonstrate recycled rubble is safe by using it to reconstruct a community building such as a museum or town hall.
“We will show that re-using materials from waste concrete is exactly the same quality as using entirely new concrete and that your house is not going to collapse or have problems.
“We are proud to be playing our part in helping the Ukrainian people to rebuild their communities as they attempt to restore some normality to their lives.”
Eco-friendly process
Leon Black, Professor of Infrastructure Materials in the School of Civil Engineering at Leeds, said: “I’m proud to be a part of this project, not just for its support in reconstructing the devastation inflicted by the invasion of Ukraine, but also in helping to develop and demonstrate technology that can be rolled out globally to reduce the environmental impact of demolition waste.”
The global construction industry faces challenges to minimise its environmental footprint practically from cement production, as well as managing demolition waste.
Traditional practices often lead to low-grade reuse of rubble, such as backfill or landscaping, which waste valuable resources and compromise environmental benefits.
It is hoped that the University’s rubble recycling technology can eventually be used to support other countries around the world affected by war or natural disasters, including earthquakes.
Beyond emergencies, cement is estimated to contribute to between 4% and 8% of global CO2 emissions, so adopting this technology could help countries like the UK reach their own Net Zero targets.
*Four Ukrainian organisations are partners on the project: Lviv Polytechnic National University; the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering, in Rivne, western Ukraine; Eco+Logic, a Kyiv-based waste management company; and ReThink, a Ukrainian NGO. Other collaborators include the University of Sheffield, University of Oxford, Imperial College London and Dutch firm C2CA.
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