A practical guide dedicated to circular concrete.

This practical guide serves as a roadmap for the project team (client, project designer, engineering office, contractor, etc.) to plan, prepare, prescribe, execute, and monitor a construction project involving circular concrete. It also provides concrete producers and suppliers with the necessary guidelines for developing their circular products to meet standards and specifications. Structured like a traditional construction project, it addresses key questions throughout the process.

Motivation: Why choose circular concrete? Concrete has a significant environmental impact due to the large volumes produced globally, particularly in terms of raw material consumption and CO2 emissions. Circular concrete helps reduce this impact, promoting greater societal awareness and wider adoption of this type of concrete.

Technology: What solutions are already available? The guide outlines relevant technologies in Belgium, such as alternative cement types, cement-free binders (e.g., geopolymers), and recycled or artificial aggregates. It provides examples and practical applications for each.

Design: Which concrete to choose and how to specify it in the tender? The client, architect, and engineering offices must make thoughtful choices regarding circular technology, its application, and the level of ambition. These solutions often require validation, especially those outside standard norms. The guide offers advice on these decisions and emphasizes that circular concrete must be explicitly mentioned in the tender, detailing technical criteria and quality requirements.

Preparation: How to ensure a high-quality final result? Producers must align their circular products with market demands and technical specifications. To ensure compliance, they can request quality labels (e.g., BENOR, ATG) or have specific batches tested. If quality labels are not possible, ad hoc agreements can be made between the client and contractor to evaluate the suitability of the circular technology.

Execution: Key practical considerations During execution, it is important to note that circular concrete may behave differently from traditional concrete in terms of workability, setting time, and other characteristics. The guide recommends that producers provide necessary information, and that contractors conduct orientation tests if needed.

This guide is based on years of experience and research by CSTC and will continue to evolve over time. It is available on the Circular.Concrete website, along with additional information on current technologies, environmental impacts, and related research reports.