RC concrete in prefabrication – practical report from a prefabrication plant on consistent use
The circular economy begins when the use of recycled materials in products is no longer questioned, but becomes the new “normal.” In the field of concrete and reinforced concrete construction, too, the use of recycled aggregates must become the norm for sensible areas of application and within the scope of the manufacturer’s capabilities. With today’s regulations and standards, a wide range of applications for the use of RC concrete in the field of reinforced concrete precast construction can be developed. Taking into account the specifications made there, up to 45% of the primary material can be replaced by recycled material without any technical concerns. The way is now clear for a wide range of applications.
As part of its concrete technology and R&D work, J. Lehde GmbH has developed an approach for the consistent use of recycled aggregate in its own concrete in everyday practice. The overarching goal was to achieve standard- and regulation-compliant application without the need for ZiE or abZ. As a result, approximately 1000 m³ of RC concrete was used in the first six months after implementation, saving around 600 tons of primary material. Projects with a 25% RC concrete content in the total concrete volume of the precast reinforced concrete elements were realized. The results demonstrate the potential of the compliant use of RC concrete in precast reinforced concrete elements and are a first step towards recyclable concrete construction.
