Easy sustainability gains using RoadCem in highways/infrastructure & temporary works.

Easy sustainability gains using RoadCem in highways/infrastructure & temporary works

Sustainability has become the watchword for the UK construction industry over the last few years.

It can mean different things to different people, organisations, and regulatory authorities. In the specific area of soil stabilisation, it has become synonymous with reducing the embodied CO2 within the stabilised end product, primarily by targeting the cement content of those products.

Soil stabilisation is a well-established global construction technique which can be used to provide robust bearing layers for temporary or permanent highways applications in the form of the production of CBGM’s and / or the in-situ rehabilitation of older tar-based roads.

In most of these applications it is the use of cement which contributes the most to the embodied CO2 of the final stabilised layer. It therefore makes complete sense to try and reduce that critical component to its absolute minimum if we are to succeed in reducing the overall embodied CO2 of any product, but without compromising the end performance in the process.

Sensible, sustainable low carbon Car Park Design for Toyota. 300mm RoadCem stabilised in-situ soils with 30mm Asphalt bound directly with tack coat to RoadCem soil surface. Fast to construct, low cost, and maintenance free.

This is exactly how the RoadCem product works within any cementitious binder – by making the chemical reactions within the mixture more extensive thereby allowing the most efficient use of the cement particles and water.

This simple effect can reduce the required cement content by as much as 30% but still achieves the same cured strengths as well as enhanced flexural stiffness and complete water resistance. Being the strongest soil stabilisation technology, our claim is that a RoadCem solution offers the lowest embodied carbon soil stabilisation solution currently available in the UK market.

This is well illustrated by the independent 2018 NiBE Environmental Report which makes an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparison between a conventional road paving construction and a RoadCem alternative construction. NiBE Environmental Report This Nano scale particle wrapping technology of RoadCem, enables even the weakest of soils to be stabilised.

The economics and embodied CO2 of stabilised soils can be additionally enhanced by the use of waste streams ashes such as; Fly Ash (PVA), GGBS and now IBA which when incorporated to partially replace the cement for soil stabilisation offers further benefits including enhanced secondary sulphate resistance

This has been further confirmed by UK based research into the use of RoadCem and cement substitutes by Coventry University in a research report published in the June 2020 edition of “Transportation Geotechnics”. Results indicated the beneficial effects of adding RoadCem in addition to cement replacement products as illustrated by the enhanced strength gain with 50% of the OPC replaced by waste steam ashes as well as the sulphate swelling being at near 0% for the same blend.

RoadCem is the most sustainable and durable technology for the construction of permanent highways, all temporary works applications including site access roads, car parks, works compounds and working platform for cranes and piling operations.

RoadCem stabilisation even is strong enough to be used without the need for any additional surface protection, thereby allowing 100% recyclability for your temporary works requirements.

Through our technical partners at Rodgers Leask Consulting Engineers, we can provide fully warranted engineered designs and specifications for both temporary works applications and permanent roads and foundation elements in accordance with the latest DMRB Guidance CD225, which replaces the IAN 73-06 advice.

We would be happy to talk through the most sustainable and cost-effective options for all your temporary and permanent project requirements. We are confident that our environmentally friendly solutions will also save you time and cost so please don’t hesitate to contact us for an initial discussion.

Further information on the use of RoadCem in temporary works applications can be found within our Flipbook