After two years of research VicRoads has updated its road base Standard Specification Section 820 to allow for a higher level of brick in Class 3 and Class 4 Crushed Concrete materials. The specification also includes requirements for registration of mix designs for crushed concrete.
The Alex Fraser Group, one of Australia’s largest producers of recycled crushed concrete products, has welcomed the changes.
According to the Group’s General Manager of Recycling Industries Peter Murphy the decision ‘makes sense’ and will allow greater flexibility for the end user without compromising the result.
“While a high quality brick product has been produced and used in commercial construction for many years, the previous wording of Section 820 of the VicRoads specifications limited its use.
“Following extensive research coordinated by Swinburne University in consultation with the Australian Roads Research Board and Sustainability Victoria – VicRoads Standard Specification Section 820 has been revised to allow for a higher percentage of brick. Other additives may also include asphalt and rock.”
Under the updated Section 820 the allowance for brick in Class 3 crushed concrete has increased from 3% to 15% and in Class 4 products it has gone from 5% to 50% for suppliers with registered mix designs.
“This means some great products like our Class 4 crushed concrete can now be used in accordance with VicRoads specifications offering greater choice in the market,” Mr Murphy said.
“The Class 4 crushed concrete has significant benefits over equivalent quarried products and can offer better performance in wet weather.”
VicRoads will register mix designs for combinations of source materials where it is very confident that a supplier can manage it with a high degree of control. The process is very similar to a quarry importing fines for a crushed rock product.
The Alex Fraser Group believes onsite NATA accredited laboratories and close monitoring are the key to successfully producing and supplying products that meet stringent VicRoads specifications.
“We run NATA accredited laboratories on all our sites and VicRoads surveillance has increased to be more comparable with traditional quarries, ensuring that recycling facilities like ours that supply VicRoads projects are consistently producing quality materials,” Mr Murphy said.
The enhanced VicRoads specification is yet another indication that the use of crushed concrete materials will continue to rise into the future.
Alex Fraser Group Sales Manager Jason Walsh has witnessed the rise of crushed concrete use over the past 15 years and expects to see more and more people adopting it as a preferred option when they recognize not only its environmental benefit but the significant financial savings associated with using crushed concrete.
“Many contractors now use crushed concrete as their first preference for materials. Price is always a factor in the buying decision and the reduced density of the crushed concrete results in significant savings,” he said.
“Other key factors include the reliability of supply and convenience of locations.”
Combined with the fact that crushed concrete has a carbon footprint 65% less than equivalent products from quarries and it makes for a winning formula.
The Alex Fraser Group is positioning itself to significantly expand its capacity in coming years with two state-of-the-art recycling facilities nearing completion in the next few months at its Victorian sites at Laverton North and Clayton. An expansion of the Epping facility will also commence in 2010.
This multi-million dollar investment in plant and equipment upgrades will help the group achieve its objective of producing three million tonnes of quality material for civil construction annually from its Victorian operation.
According to Peter Murphy the ongoing support and cooperation of all levels of government is required to further promote recycling and the use of recycled products in mainstream projects.
“As the scale of concrete recycling facilities have increased, the ability to reliably supply a broad range of projects has increased. Applications vary from freeway construction to drainage, residential and commercial subdivisions.
“VicRoads have taken a cautious but progressive approach to the use of recycled materials since 1993, and this has seen hundreds of thousands of tonnes used in freeway construction in recent years. The widespread use of recycled materials by VicRoads has also set an example for other government departments.
“Some local governments have been proactive in allowing the use of recycled materials for years and many subdivisions and road construction and maintenance projects now contain high percentages of recycled crushed concrete.
“Other local governments are just now starting to increase their use of recycled materials. While at a high level they are aiming to be supportive in the use of recycled materials, there is often confusion on projects as to where a recycled material can be used. This is often simply a breakdown in communication and if a contractor encounters limitations on the use of recycled crushed concrete they should contact their supplier so the issue can be clarified with council.”
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