Recovery and reuse of structural products from end-of-life buildings

Abstract

Buildings and construction have been identified as having the greatest potential for circular economy value creation. One source of value creation is to recover and reuse building products from end-of-service-life buildings, rather than destructive demolition and downcycling. While there is a trade in non-structural and heritage product recovery and reuse, the largest volume, mass and value of most buildings comprise structural elements – concrete, brick and masonry, and steel – which present many challenges. A comprehensive literature review confirms limited attention to innovation and advanced techniques to address these challenges and therefore the potential reuse of the stocks of accumulated building products globally and associated environmental benefits. Potential techniques being tested in an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council circular economy research programme are referenced as a key building block towards circular economy building system redesign.

Numerical Prediction and Corresponding Circular Economy Approaches for Resource Optimisation and Recovery of Underground Structures

“…(i) For aboveground infrastructures such as buildings, several studies have begun to explore ways to embody emission reduction and promote CE approaches in other stages of the life cycle, such as design [27][28][29] or end of life [19,30]. For instance, the reuse of concrete panels reduced the cost of new construction by 20-30%, in addition to having a very low carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) footprint [27,31,32].…”

“…steel sheet cladding, light steel as door frames, load-bearing steel sections, has been investigated by researchers [33][34][35][36][37] without reducing large quantities of construction and demolition waste. The reuse and recovery of clay bricks and other masonry blocks jointed by either lime-based or cement-based mortar has also been increasingly addressed to retain the high embodied energy of these products [10,19,38]. In terms of concrete and its related composite structures, research on demountable composite beams has been conducted as design for disassembly (DfD) during demolition [39,40], and the reuse and recycling potential of precast concrete wall panels and concrete slabs from the demolition of high-rise buildings has been discussed by Huuhka et al [27] and the Kerkrade project [41].…”

“…Thus, all the lining components in the good condition can be reclaimed for reuse rather than recycled to retain their value. Development of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) to achieve reclamation and further excavation procedures, with embedded punching and saw cutting to reclaim bricks from mortar joints [19] Updating product value to promote the economics of brick reclamation…”

“…Remanufacturing the reclaimed brick into brick slips with higher economic value as a façade for new railway stations and new metros [19] New segmental concrete lining The components in dangerous sections are more likely to endure heavy pressure and yield. For safety reasons, the remaining unreliable ones that are close to the yield strength can be recycled to optimise the resource recovery of the underground infrastructures.…”

“…A circular economy is based on reusing biological and technological resources for as long as possible in closed-loop systems [18]. In a future circular economy, all aboveground and underground infrastructures (structures/components/materials) would be material and product banks and demountable/adaptable to retain high-value components and materials, and remanufacture of components from EoSL structures would be carried out and stored locally and then reused in new structures, also locally, to minimise transport cost [19]. Reclamation and reuse could contribute to the UK demand for around 400 Mt of new materials each year for new construction, replacement or maintenance of infrastructure and buildings [19].…”