Uptake of advanced and sustainable engineering materials in civil infrastructure projects

Uptake of advanced and sustainable engineering materials in civil infrastructure projects

Advanced and sustainable engineering materials, such as engineered fibre composites, geoploymer cement, and recycled concrete have the potential to reduce demand on scarce resources, improve safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to positive initiatives in civil engineering design and construction in areas like foundations and structural members. For example, engineered fibre composites can replace other materials (such as timber), because of their high strength to weight ratio, light weight and ease of installation. They can also have positive impacts on sustainability. While advanced materials have several advantages, their take-up by industry, and in particular small and medium enterprise companies (SMEs), has in a number of cases been relatively slow. This is likely to be the result of a number of factors, such as relatively high cost, financial risk in using an unproven technology, lack of suitable design standards, an unproven life cycle, uncertainty over long-term sustainability issues, and possible changed building and construction methods. Advantages and disadvantages of the use of selected advanced and sustainable materials in civil engineering projects are investigated. A weighted scoring methodology for improved evaluation of their advantages and disadvantages, with a view to aiding decisions, is proposed.

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