Scott Bros and Teesside University join forces on on low-carbon concrete

UK-based aggregates firm Scott Bros is working with Teesside University to run trials to see by much it can reduce the OPC content in concrete.

The company, which specialises in recycling material into aggregates for the construction industry, has been investigating uses for filter cake, which is a byproduct from its wash plant, which converts construction and waste into sand and aggregate. The use of low-value filter cake as alternative binder could enable concrete producers to reduce the amount of OPC and therefore, CO₂ emissions.

Teesside University’s School of Science, Engineering and Digital Technologies has been supporting Scott Bros through a GBP612,000 research project, funded by Innovate UK. The project assesses how much of the material can be substituted while achieving the same strength and durability of traditional concrete.

It is expected that Scott Bros plant will have the capacity to produce 480m³ of low-carbon concrete per day once commissioned.