Crushed Concrete - The Perfect Sub-Base Material
Crushed Concrete - The perfect sub-base material Pre 1970 sub-base material for construction projects was derived from use of primary quarried material.
The use of aggregates such as limestone, granite and basalt were common place and where specified are still used today! The problem with these materials was and still is cost.
Premium material! Premium price as the saying goes.
The construction industry was looking for an alternative material that was not only cheaper but would also pass the stringent tests of the industry governing bodies.
Hardcore (broken bricks and blocks) was readily available from many of the demolition sites across the country.
But this material was not workable like primary aggregates and had a much lower compaction rate so initially it was over looked.
The remedy for this situation was to reduce the material in size and combine some dust fines to allow the particles to bind together.
This material was to be known as crusher run.
The following years were to see crushed aggregates become one of the most innovative materials of the past century.
Orders were running high and the material was living up to expectation.
The introduction of crushed concrete also had a positive impact on the environment, not that anyone was keeping track back in the seventies.
The key environmental impact reduction was coming from the fact that hardcore was no longer being taken to landfill.
Almost all hardcore was being recycled into a crushed material.
Below are a few of the end uses for crushed concrete.
Standard sizes and grades are as follows
The grading certificates for these types of materials now only show particle size and material make up! The use of the material is now down to the architects or engineers requirements.
The latest specifications for crushed concrete with be released in March 2014 although there is little change expected form the 2011 criteria.
The use of aggregates such as limestone, granite and basalt were common place and where specified are still used today! The problem with these materials was and still is cost.
Premium material! Premium price as the saying goes.
The construction industry was looking for an alternative material that was not only cheaper but would also pass the stringent tests of the industry governing bodies.
Hardcore (broken bricks and blocks) was readily available from many of the demolition sites across the country.
But this material was not workable like primary aggregates and had a much lower compaction rate so initially it was over looked.
The remedy for this situation was to reduce the material in size and combine some dust fines to allow the particles to bind together.
This material was to be known as crusher run.
The following years were to see crushed aggregates become one of the most innovative materials of the past century.
Orders were running high and the material was living up to expectation.
The introduction of crushed concrete also had a positive impact on the environment, not that anyone was keeping track back in the seventies.
The key environmental impact reduction was coming from the fact that hardcore was no longer being taken to landfill.
Almost all hardcore was being recycled into a crushed material.
Below are a few of the end uses for crushed concrete.
- Temporary haul roads
- Concrete over site sub-bases
- Drainage and soak away filters
- Road sub-bases
- Piling matt
- Ground leveling material
Standard sizes and grades are as follows
- 6f2 Recycled Concrete - 75mm down to dust
- Type 2 Recycled Concrete - 75mm down to dust ( low brick content)
- Type 1 Recycled Concrete- 50mm down to dust
- Type 1 Frost Heave- 50mm down to dust
- Type 1 MOT - 50 mm down to dust ( limestone or granite composition)
The grading certificates for these types of materials now only show particle size and material make up! The use of the material is now down to the architects or engineers requirements.
The latest specifications for crushed concrete with be released in March 2014 although there is little change expected form the 2011 criteria.
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