Construction and built environment
Facilitated by Dr Biplob Pramanik (RMIT University)
Vani Naidoo (InfraGroup)
Recycled plastic in construction
Abstract not available.
Dr Mohammad Saberian (RMIT University)
Repurposing healthcare waste: transforming plastic-based PPE into construction materials
Plastic-based PPE waste has caused severe environmental pollution. The RMIT research team, led by Professor Jie Li, has conducted a series of groundbreaking studies on the feasibility of utilising healthcare plastics, including face masks, gloves, and isolation gowns, for various civil and construction applications, such as asphalt, road base, subbase and subgrade, and concrete. A comprehensive series of mechanical and microstructural tests were conducted. The results indicated that incorporating specific contents of healthcare plastics in these applications can enhance the performance of concrete and road pavement. This presentation will highlight the findings of our research on PPE waste.
Presentation by Associate Professor Dilan Robert (RMIT University)
Transforming municipal solid wastes with plastics for constructing roads
Traditional building and road construction rely heavily on resource-intensive mining, resulting in material shortages and the consumption of high energy, which contributes to elevated carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, Australia generates over 14 millions of tons of municipal solid wastes (MSW) every year. Recognizing the gravity of these issues, innovative recycling strategies have emerged, involving the incorporation of MSW ash (from paper, wood and plastics) into fired clay bricks, tiles and roads. While the products manufactured from recycled wastes have satisfied the relevant compliance requirements, they outperform the conventional products in saving energy and manufacturing costs. We are currently focused on scaling up the production process to facilitate the commercialization of our innovative recycled waste emended construction products.
Presentation not available. Please contact the presenter directly.
Virtual material lab for design of concrete incorporating plastic wastes
The Virtual Material Lab for Designing Concrete Incorporating Plastic Wastes is a pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing sustainable construction practices. This innovative platform leverages advanced simulations and computational models to assess and optimize concrete mixes that integrate plastic waste materials. By providing a virtual environment, it enables researchers and engineers to explore various formulations, predict performance characteristics, and evaluate environmental impacts without the need for extensive physical testing. This approach not only accelerates the development process but also promotes the recycling of plastic waste, contributing to resource conservation and reducing the environmental footprint of construction projects.
Presentation not available. Please contact the presenter directly.
Dr Thomas Loh (RMIT University)
Upcycling of polymer composites
Plastic contributes significantly to the global waste problem, including from the building and construction sector. One example is aluminium composite panels (ACP’s). These panels are fabricated by bonding sheets of aluminium onto a polyethylene-based core, and throughout the early 21st century they were installed extensively on high-rise buildings. The 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, in which ACP’s contributed significantly, resulted in a blanket ban on ACP’s in many countries. Consequently, there was a near overnight need to dispose of stockpiles of ACP’s and the ongoing supply of ACP’s from building fire-safety remediation works. Like many composite materials, ACP’s are economical to put together but impractical to separate for disposal. This work presents the development of a bespoke process to efficiently and effectively deconstruct ACP’s thereby enabling both the aluminium and polymer components to be recycled.