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El hormigón armado es el material estructural más empleado en construcción, lo que exige un exhaustivo control tanto de los materiales que lo componen como de su ejecución, con el fin de garantizar la vida útil para la que ha sido proyectado. Uno de los principales problemas de la durabilidad del hormigón armado, es la corrosión de sus armaduras. Existen en la actualidad diferentes métodos que intentan detener el proceso de corrosión, entre ellos, los inhibidores superficiales de corrosión. El continuo incremento en la producción de acero desde el siglo XIX, ha producido un desequilibrio entre los productos fabricados en las industrias siderúrgicas y los residuos generados. Como consecuencia, toneladas de residuos son depositados en vertederos, provocando graves daños medioambientales con el paso del tiempo. El volumen de escorias producidas en la industria siderúrgica en España asciende a 2,55Mt al año, de ahí la importancia del reciclaje de estos productos y de su integración como materia prima en el proceso de fabricación de otros materiales. Partiendo de estas premisas, en el presente trabajo de investigación se ha estudiado el comportamiento a corrosión, de barras de acero de armar embebidas en probetas de mortero, en las que se ha sustituido parcialmente el árido y el cemento por escorias blancas de horno cuchara (LFS), mediante técnicas electroquímicas y gravimétricas. Para ello, se han fabricado probetas prismáticas de 6 x 8 x 2 cm3 con diferentes porcentajes de ión cloruro, introducidos en el momento del amasado, tanto en probetas patrón como en probetas con escorias LFS. El análisis de los resultados obtenidos permite concluir que las probetas patrón y las probetas con escorias LFS tienen comportamientos similares en presencia de cloruros por encima del 0,4% en peso de cemento y por tanto que la sustitución de escorias LFS por arena (25%) y cemento (30%) no afecta negativamente a la corrosión de las armaduras. Por tanto, el uso de escorias LFS en el proceso de fabricación de hormigón armado es una práctica que presenta ventajas competitivas respecto a las técnicas de construcción tradicionales, desde el punto de vista económico y medioambiental. En cuanto a los inhibidores superficiales de corrosión, no han resultado eficaces en probetas con escorias LFS, independientemente del porcentaje de ión cloruro, mientras que en probetas patrón han sido eficaces para porcentajes de ión cloruro igual o inferior al 0,8% en peso de cemento. ABSTRACT Reinforced concrete is the most widely used structural material. This implies that rigorous control must be applied in order to guarantee the life-span and performance of structures made using this composite material. One of the main problems regarding concrete durability is bar corrosion. At present, there are different methods adopted to stop the corrosion process, among them, surface corrosion inhibitors. The continuous growth in steel production since the 19th century has led to an imbalance between waste products generated in steel production processes and their subsequent use. As a consequence, mass dumping at waste disposal sites has been causing a significant environmental problem over the years. The amount of slag produced by the steel industry each year in Spain amounts to 2.55Mt, hence the importance of recycling by-products from steel production so they can be used as primary material in the manufacturing process of other materials. Starting from this working hypothesis, and using electrochemical and gravimetric techniques, this research work aims to analyse and study the corrosion behaviour of steel rebars embedded in mortar specimens, containing ladle furnace slag in partial substitution for aggregate and cement. Prisms were manufactured from 6 x 8 x 2 cm3 with different percentages of chloride ion introduced at the time of mixing, in standard specimens and specimens with LFS slag. Results from the analysis show that the standard specimens and those containing LFS slag display a similar behaviour in the presence of chlorides. Furthermore, when LFS slag is replaced by sand (25%) and cement (30%) corrosion of rebars is not negatively affected. Additionally, the use of LFS slag in the manufacture of reinforced structures is a practice that represents a competitive advantage over traditional construction techniques, from both an economic and environmental point of view Finally, as for surface corrosion inhibitors, they have not proved effective in specimens containing LFS slag, regardless of the percentage of the chloride ion, whereas in standard specimens they have been effective in chloride ion percentages not exceeding 0.8% (as to the cement amount).

El amianto o asbesto ha sido utilizado de forma masiva para multiples aplicaciones durante mucho tiempo. No obstante, una vez descubiertas las afecciones y enfermedades relacionadas con este material, la Union Europea decidio intervenir en la cuestion a traves de una compleja regulacion que los Estados miembros debian trasponer a su ordenamiento juridico nacional. En este sentido, resulta de especial interes la regulacion de la eliminacion de los residuos procedentes de construcciones arquitectonicas y su demolicion. Es por ello, que el objetivo de este estudio se centra en averiguar si dicha regulacion pudiera ser mejorada para avanzar en la eliminacion permanente, y si es posible el reciclaje, de estos materiales. Para ello se analizan comparativamente el caso de dos paises (Italia y Espana) que perteneciendo ambos a la Union Europea, sin embargo, presentan ciertas diferencias. Para alcanzar dicho objetivo, se desarrolla una metodologia basada en el estudio y analisis comparativo de la regulacion en ambos paises, especialmente en cuanto a los requisitos operativos en un vertedero autorizado. Para finalizar, se analizan los procedimientos y tecnologias de eliminacion permanente como es el caso de la inertizacion y su posible regulacion y se confirma la necesidad de acometer una regulacion en cuanto a aplicar tecnicas basadas en la eliminacion definitiva del problema, ya que el deposito eterno en vertedero no resulta una solucion razonable.

Plaster is one of the most used and studied materials in the building process. This paper shows the result of the characterisation of a new plaster-based material enlightened and reinforced with polymers and end-of-life tyres’ recycled materials. As far as end-of-life tyres are a common waste item, this paper offers new recycling possibilities, as well as significant improvements in new building materials. Mechanical, thermal conductivity, sound absorption, fire reaction and environmental impact are studied and analysed. Three different end-of-life tyres’ recycled materials are used, two size rubber and textile fibres. A significant density reduction up to 17% was achieved mainly due to end-of-life materials lower density. Two thermal conductivity measurement methods, heat flux meter and guarded hot plate, were conducted and then compared. A 20% improvement with respect to the reference was achieved in those samples with textile fibre. The two methods’ measurements got a 1% difference in all samples analysed except textile fibre. Thus, this allowed to validate these methods and assure these measurements. Sound absorption was also measured. These materials reached α = 0.32 in high frequencies. Performance in low frequencies were lower. Fire tests led to no ignition results and no fire propagation. Finally, a basic global warming potential impact study based on environmental product declaration (EPD) is conducted. The most relevant result of this study is the potential 20–34% reduction of CO2 emissions with the elaboration of these composites.

The authors would like to thank Jose Miguel Lao-Egea from “Promoción de Empleo Joven e Implantación de la Garantía Juvenil en I+D+I” of Spanish Ministry for Science Innovation and Universities, the Departments of Building Construction and Civil Engineering and Research Group TEP-968 “Tecnologías para la Economía Circular” (Technologies for Circular Economy) of Granada University for their contribution to this research., The environmental problems associated with the construction sector have promoted the worldwide scientific community to pay attention to the use of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste. SciMAT and VOSviewer bibliometric tools have been applied in order to analyse, quantify and visualise the conceptual and social aspects of this scientific field, as well as its evolution between 1973 and 2019. The study of 843 scientific papers in this field has shown that the most important thematic area has been Recycling. In general, the common objective of the published papers was to study the efficient use of resources contained in construction and demolition waste due to their treatment to produce recycled aggregates, particularly for use in concrete. Likewise, some lacks have been observed in other areas of the analysed field, e.g. the use recycled aggregates in applications subject to less demanding regulations (mortars, precast concrete products, or green roofs)., Los problemas medioambientales asociados al sector de la construcción han promovido que la comunidad científica mundial preste una mayor atención al uso de áridos reciclados procedentes de residuos de construcción y demolición. Para analizar, cuantificar y visualizar los aspectos más relevantes de este campo científico, así como su evolución entre 1973 y 2019, se han aplicado las herramientas bibliométricas SciMAT y VOSviewer. La revisión bibliométrica de 843 trabajos científicos publicados en este campo ha mostrado que el área temática más importante ha sido el Reciclaje. El objetivo común de los mismos ha sido el estudio del uso eficiente de los recursos contenidos en los residuos de construcción y demolición para producir áridos reciclados y ser usados en hormigón. Asimismo, se han observado algunas carencias en otros ámbitos del campo analizado, como el uso de áridos reciclados en aplicaciones sujetas a normativas menos exigentes (morteros, prefabricados no estructurales o cubiertas verdes)., Spanish Ministry for Science Innovation and Universities, Departments of Building Construction and Civil Engineering, Research Group TEP-968 “Tecnologías para la Economía Circular” (Technologies for Circular Economy) of Granada University

After more than two years wearing surgical masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, used masks have become a significant risk for ecosystems, as they are producing wastes in huge amounts. They are a potential source of disturbance by themselves and as microplastic contamination in the water system. As 5500 tons of face masks are estimated to be used each year, there is an urgent need to manage them according to the circular economy principles and avoid their inadequate disposal. In this paper, surgical wear masks (WM), without any further pretreatment, have been introduced as addition to mortars up to 5% in the weight of cement. Mechanical and microstructural characterization have been carried out. The results indicate that adding MW to the cement supposes a decrease in the properties of the material, concerning both strength and durability behavior. However, even adding a 5% of WM in weight of cement, the aspect of the mortars is quite good, the flexural strength is not significantly affected, and the strength and durability parameters are maintained at levels that—even lower than the reference—are quite reasonable for use. Provided that the worldwide production of cement is around 4.1 Bt/year, the introduction of a 5% of WM in less than 1% of the cement produced, would make it possible to get rid of the mask waste being produced.

This research was funded by the State Research Agency (AEI) of Spain and the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), under project: PID2019-108761RB-I00., The need to tackle the urban heat island effect demands the implementation of cool surfaces as a mitigation strategy. This study comprehensively reviews the evolution of this research field from a materials perspective. It provides a bibliometric analysis of the relevant literature using the SciMAT software processing of bibliographic records from 1995 to 2020, for the evolution of cool surfaces. The results obtained show an increased interest in the field from 2011 to 2020, particularly for roof applications, and present the scientific evolution of reflective materials. According to the materials dimension adopted by the development of the research field, the study is refined from a bibliometric analysis of 982 selected records for the analysis of five themes: (i) Pigments; (ii) Phase change materials; (iii) Retroreflective materials; (iv) Ceramic materials; and (v) Glass. These materials present promising results in terms of their solar reflectance performances in the mitigation of the urban heat island phenomenon. At the end of this review, recommendations for future studies are provided for the creation of economic and environmentally friendly materials based on waste glass recycling. This study represents a valuable contribution that provides a scientific background with regard to cool surfaces from a materials perspective for future investigations., State Research Agency (AEI) of Spain, European Commission PID2019-108761RB-I00

This research aims to revalue the possibilities presented by lime mortars for use in renovation and as cladding material on facades. The study focuses on analyzing the technical feasibility of lime mortars with the incorporation of residues from three types of thermal insulation materials: expanded polystyrene with graphite especially suitable for use on facades; expanded polystyrene for use indoors; and insulating mineral wool. The incorporation of these construction and demolition residues makes it possible to improve several technical performance aspects of lime mortars, and to incorporate circular economy criteria in the manufacturing process of these materials. The results showed that the incorporation of mineral wool improves the mechanical resistance to the bending of mortars, increases their durability against freeze–thaw cycles and salt crystallization, and reduces the final shrinkage of mortars. For their part, mortars with the addition of polystyrene-insulating residues reduce mechanical resistance, but also reduce thermal conductivity, and are lighter, which is why they are shown as a possible alternative for use in precast. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

There is a growing interest in multifunctional composites and in the identification of novel applications for recycled materials. In this work, the design and fabrication of multiple particle-loaded polymer composites, including micronized rubber from end-of-life tires, is studied. The integration of these composites as part of ultrasonic transducers can further expand the functionality of the piezoelectric material in the transducer in terms of sensitivity, bandwidth, ringing and axial resolution and help to facilitate the fabrication and use of phantoms for echography. The adopted approach is a multiphase and multiscale one, based on a polymeric matrix with a load of recycled rubber and tungsten powders. A fabrication procedure, compatible with transducer manufacturing, is proposed and successfully used. We also proposed a modelling approach to calculate the complex elastic modulus, the ultrasonic damping and to evaluate the relative influence of particle scattering. It is concluded that it is possible to obtain materials with acoustic impedance in the range 2.35–15.6 MRayl, ultrasound velocity in the range 790–2570 m/s, attenuation at 3 MHz, from 0.96 up to 27 dB/mm with a variation of the attenuation with the frequency following a power law with exponent in the range 1.2–3.2. These ranges of values permit us to obtain most of the material properties demanded in ultrasonic engineering., This research was funded by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (DPI2016-78876-R and MAT2017-87204-R), CSIC (201860E045) and Signus Ecovalor, S.L. Author J.L.V. is member of the SusPlast platform of CSIC

Las industrias siderúrgica y metalúrgica generan grandes cantidades de residuos en forma de escorias de diversa naturaleza procedentes de la fabricación del acero. Aunque se reaprovechan principalmente en la obtención de cemento y como relleno en la estabilización de suelos, aún hay grandes cantidades que acaban depositados en vertederos, con el consiguiente deterioro medioambiental. Esta Tesis Doctoral estudia la valorización de escorias para la fabricación de productos en base yeso en masa o como prefabricados, planteando nuevas formas de producción con estos residuos como materia prima. Se lleva a cabo un estudio comparativo de las propiedades que presentan los yesos con cargas minerales procedentes de los residuos generados en la fabricación del acero, en concreto la escoria negra de Horno Eléctrico de Arco EAF generada en la Metalurgia Primaria, y la escoria blanca de Horno Cuchara LF de los procesos de afino, en comparación con las de los yesos tradicionales. Con el objetivo de mejorar las propiedades de los productos finales, se analiza el efecto de dos aditivos, un superfluidificante para reducir la absorción de agua (SikaMix®) y una emulsión polimérica para mejorar la adherencia superficial (SikaLatex®)., The steel and metallurgical industries generate large amounts of waste as different slags. Even though these slags are mainly recycled in the production of cement and as fillers in the stabilization of soils, there are still large amounts deposited in landfills, with the ensuing environmental impact. This Doctoral Thesis studies the recovery of slag for the fabrication of products based on plaster matrix and as prefabricated, suggesting new forms of construction with this waste as raw material. A comparative study is carried out on the properties of gypsum with mineral fillers from the waste generated in the production of steel, in particular the black slag of Electric Arc Furnace “EAF” generated in Primary Metallurgy, and white slag “LF” from refining processes, in comparison with traditional plaster. Seeking to improve the properties of the final materials, the effect of two additives is deeper analyzed, a super-fluidizer to reduce water absorption (SikaMix®), and a polymer emulsion to improve surface adhesion (SikaLatex®).

The scientific community has revealed the environmental benefits of recycling construction waste (CW) versus its disposal, and its contribution to circularity. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method enables the environmental impact of CW management to be quantified and facilitates the comparison of recycling versus alternative disposal scenarios. However, due to its complexity, LCA is seldom used by technicians during the design phase, which constitutes a crucial stage in the prevention of environmental impacts. This paper therefore proposes an LCA-based tool, integrated into the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology, that helps designers to automate the environmental assessment of recycling versus disposal. The CW-LCA-BIM tool uses impact factors obtained from an LCA model applied to CW and was applied to the structural system of a building in Spain. Up to 99% of the non-hazardous waste was recyclable or reusable. The management of three types of recyclable waste was assessed: concrete (27.2 t), plastics (4.2 t), and steel (1.5 t). Recycling is shown to be the best option since it prevents 1.4 times (14.6 t) the emissions of the disposal scenario and saves 85 times (148.5 GJ) its energy consumption. This tool can be developed in other waste management systems and infrastructures. It can be useful both for designers for the reduction of the environmental impact of their buildings, and for policy managers for waste-prevention policies. © 2022 by the authors.

Construction waste (CW) is a prime contributor to the stream of total waste worldwide. One of the biggest challenges of the construction industry is to minimise CW and to develop practices of a more sustainable nature for its management and recycling in order to promote its transition towards a more effective circular economy. The implementation of these practices contributes towards mitigating the scarcity of natural resources and the environmental impact of CW. Thus, a preceding and essential step is the estimation of CW during building design, which will allow the adoption of measures for its early reduction and optimisation. For this purpose, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become a useful methodology to predict waste during the early stages of design. There remains, however, a lack of instrumental development. Therefore, this study pro-poses a BIM-based method to estimate CW during building design by integrating a consolidated construction waste quantification model in three different BIM platforms. For its validation, the method is applied to the structural system of a Spanish residential building. The results provide evidence that the proposed method is vendor-neutral and enables the automatic identification and quantification of the waste generated by each building element during the design stage in multiple BIM platforms. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

This research analyzes the durability of mineral wool waste from insulation materials used in the construction industry as reinforcement elements in cements matrices. In order to do this, an experimental plan was drawn up, detailing the production of cement mortar samples containing different types of fibers from insulation waste, on which freeze-thaw, salt crystallization, water vapor permeability, occluded air content and workability period tests were performed, in order to assess their use as raw materials. The test results show that the properties of these new mortars, containing insulation waste, remain optimal over time making them a sustainable alternative for use in outdoor settings.

This article analyzes the effect of fire on plasterboards with aggregates of plastic cable waste, considering the plaster coating as a strategy to reduce the flammability of the added polymers. A real test was performed, using a direct fire set in a Madrid fire station, and a theoretical estimate of the composition of the gas emissions, focused in CO 2 and CO, during a fire in a type room is presented. The results reflect that there is no clear trend between the evolution of temperatures over time and the amount of plastic waste added to the plaster matrix in the different specimens, but a different behavior is obtained depending on the surroundings where they are located. Temperatures of 600 °C are reached between 5 and 10 min after the start of the fire if they are located in a place with heat containment, and they do not reach 400 °C in the same period of time in a place with less heat containment. It was also observed that gypsum can be considered a passive protection of polymers, as it retards the effect of the flame on them. Concerning the gases released, the theoretical calculations, based on the elemental and thermogravimetric analysis of the plastic cable waste, reveal that the amount of carbon dioxide generated in a fire would not pose a risk to people's health whereas the values obtained for the carbon monoxide exceed the limited considered dangerous to health for a period greater than 15 min. Using plastic cable waste as secondary raw material reduces the number of incinerations to be carried out in landfills with this type of waste, thereby decreasing the potential emission of contaminants into the atmosphere and contributing to the sustainability of our planet.

The principal objective of this research project is the disposal of end-of-life tire rubber waste and its incorporation in gypsum composites. As a continuation of previous projects, which established a reduction in the mechanical properties of the resulting products, the behavior of these composites is analyzed with the incorporation of carbon fibers. The density, Shore C hardness, flexural strength, compressive strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity, strength"“strain curves, toughness and resistance values and microstructure of the material are studied and compared. The results obtained show a significant increase in the mechanical tensile strength of all of the samples containing fibers. The moduli of elasticity results show a decrease in rigidity and increase in toughness and resistance of the material produced by incorporating the fibers. An optimum dosage of a water/gypsum ratio of 0.6 and incorporation of 1.5% carbon fibers is proposed. This lightweight material, which offers a high mechanical performance, features characteristics which are suitable for large prefabricated building elements in the form of panels or boards. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Construction and demolition waste represents a growing environmental, social, and economic problem, and has become a priority for European and worldwide policies. The early quantification of construction waste is essential for the minimisation of its production and the improvement of waste management. This requires the development of design-based tools that enable a better understanding of the expected waste produced during the construction phase. Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodologies have gained recognition in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector, largely due to their capacity for data simulation, storage, and management during the building design phase. This study presents a software application, called WE-BIM Add-in, to quantify construction waste (CW) while designing the BIM model in Revit. A validated CW quantification model which enables waste types and quantities per building element to be predicted in detail according to the European List of Waste (LoW) is integrated into the Revit workflow. Design alternatives could be effortlessly simulated in real time to assist practitioners in decision-making during the early design stages. Two alternative structural systems of a Spanish residential building were compared: a reinforced concrete structure, Option 1 (O1), and a steel structure, Option 2 (O2). The results were obtained automatically: O2, in addition to reducing 56% of O1′s waste, would have increased the waste recycling rate by 49%; and displayed in Revit, thereby remaining consistent with those of other studies that compare prefabricated systems with in situ systems. This work provides a basis for future research into the automated estimation of construction waste in BIM which could become a useful tool in waste-prevention policies. © 2022 by the authors.

[EN] Waste management is a crucial issue facing modern society. The generation of sewage sludge is increasing annually due to the urbanization and improvement of sanitation systems of cities. The construction sector has emerged as a solution for the elimination of waste due to the enormous volume of materials that this sector can absorb. This paper evaluates the pozzolanic activity of sewage sludge ash (USSA) obtained following an uncontrolled-combustion process, a simple and economic procedure. Compressive strength of Portland cement/USSA mortars with 5%¿25% by weight USSA were evaluated. Calcium hydroxide/USSA and Portland cement/USSA pastes were chemically and physically characterized through thermogravimetric/differential-thermogravimetric (TG/DTG), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The increase in the replacement of Portland cement by USSA is associated with an increase in the compressive strength of mortars. These values for USSA containing mortars cured for 90 days were in the range of 49.6¿55.4 MPa, higher than the one reached by the reference mortar. According to the microstructural analysis, the increment on the compressive strength can be attributed to the formation of hydrated products (C¿S¿H, C¿A¿S¿H, and C¿A¿H) by the pozzolanic reaction of USSA., This research was financed in part by the Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior-Brasil (Capes)Finance Code 001, and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) (Processo Nos. 309015/2015-4 and 478057/2013-0). Thanks go to the Scanning Electron Microscopy Service of FEIS/UNESP, Servico Municipal Autonomo de Agua e Esgoto (SEMAE) from the Sao Jose do Rio Preto city (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

The objective of this study was to analyze the physico-mechanical properties of gypsum boards including plastic waste aggregates from cable recycling. The plastic cable waste is incor-porated into the gypsum matrix without going through any type of selection and/or treatment, as it is obtained after the cable recycling process. In the experimental process, gypsum boards of different dimensions were manufactured and tested for their Young’s modulus, shock-impact resistance, flexural strength, thermal conductivity, and thermal comfort. The results obtained show a significant increase in the elasticity of the boards with plastic waste (limited cracking), compliance with the minimum value of flexural strength, and a slight improvement in the thermal conductivity coefficient (lower energy demand) and surface comfort (reduced condensation and greater adher-ence). Therefore, the analyzed material could provide a suitable alternative to currently marketed gypsum boards, contributing to sustainable construction not only in new constructions, but also in building renovations. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

La propuesta de implantación de la sede corporativa de Médicos Sin Fronteras Barcelona transforma un edificio existente, situado en el 22@, mediante la creación de espacios funcionales, biofílicos y diseñados para las personas.

This review collates the results obtained in more than 100 scientific publications regarding the performance of concrete with granular coal combustion products (GCCP, commonly referred to as coal bottom ash in literature) as a partial substitute for conventional aggregate. The effects of this by-product on the workability, density and mechanical and durability related properties were analysed. Some conclusions and recommendations are provided to facilitate future research. These recommendations include conducting careful assessments of the specific gravity and water absorption properties of GCCP, replacing conventional aggregate by volume, and compensating the water absorption of GCCP. The use of GCCP as an internal curing water reservoir is proposed as the most promising advanced application. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Waste generated by the Construction Sector represents an environmental problem in many countries. To achieve increasingly eco-efficient waste management, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) provides an objective method for the quantification of the potential impact that waste management exerts on the environment. Traditionally, LCA has focused on the evaluation of non-prevention scenarios once the waste is generated, mainly by showing the benefits of recycling vs. disposal. Consequently, the literature has hardly addressed the positive environmental impacts caused by waste prevention, that is, the reduction at source, which constitutes the preferred option of any waste management hierarchy. Therefore, this study proposes a model to simulate the environmental performance of the prevention vs. the non-prevention of construction waste production. The model is applied to an urban system of residential buildings in Spain. The results provide evidence of the environmental benefits achieved with the prevention scenario. The prevention scenario reduces the construction waste generated in the non-prevention scenarios by up to 57%. Furthermore, it allows a potential reduction of up to 4.6 and 171.1 times the impact caused by the disposal scenario; and up to 1.7 and 8.3 times those of the recycling scenario. The model can be implemented in other contexts with other reference buildings, and enables the environmental benefits of reduction strategies to be studied, thereby providing a tool to guide and support decision-making during the building design stage. Moreover, the results obtained can help professionals and policymakers to incorporate effective construction waste prevention measures in waste prevention plans and programs. Spanish Government Spanish Government ref. BIA2017-84830-R

The incorporation of crushed glass as a substitute for natural aggregates in mortar and concrete represents a positive impact on the manufacturing processes. The use of glass residues can lead to the improvement of certain properties of sustainable construction products. In these cases, it is important to analyse in detail the behaviour of the material to verify possible applications at an industrial level and contribute to the development of new construction products and solutions. This work studies the behaviour of mortars with recycled glass as a partial replacement of aggregate against common accelerated decay tests, such as salt crystallization, freezing and thermal shock. The influence on the basic physical and mechanical properties has been evaluated by statistical analysis of the results, observing a particularly significant improvement in the resistance of mortars with recycled glass against the expansive action of salt crystallization (>20%). The influence of alteration processes on the internal structure has been analysed by ultrasound transmission tests and its correlation with Young's modulus. The values obtained are in the range of similar materials, having the samples subjected to freezing test a major degree of deterioration. The internal structures have been studied by scanning electron microscopy, observing in samples subjected to salt crystallization tests a greater homogeneity and a lower degree of microcracking in the aggregate/paste interfaces of the glass grains. © 2021 The Author(s)

Old dwellings usually have shortfalls in insulation, acoustic and thermal, and in security of electrical services in the interior partition walls. A common building solution is to add a wall lining with a laminate base gypsum board that improves both acoustic and thermal insulation and facilitates a new invisible cable layout without demolition. Conventional solutions have had limited success because of time consumption, environmental impact and cost. This research aimed to create an integrated building system to carry out these interior building refurbishment works quickly, cleanly and with low inconvenience and environmental impact. The research specifically focused on incorporating new molded materials that have a low environmental impact and improving the handling and future modification of thewall lining system. In response to the above goals, the product development methodology was applied to the design of an internal panel to be inserted between the existing partition wall and the closure wallboard, which is usually laminated base gypsum board (LGB). The proposed internalpanel is molded with recycled cellulose pulp (Biprocel) and has adequate relief designed to improve cable layout tasks and better join the laminate base gypsum board to the existing wall face. The development resulted from collaboration between the public administration, university researchers and undergraduate students in the co-design process. This research contributes to improving the applications of recycled cellulose fibers in molded panels for the building industry, particularly in refurbishment activities. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

This paper evaluated the pozzolanic activity of ceramic sanitary ware (CSW) waste when blended with Portland cement (PC). CSW waste units were broken, crushed and milled to reduce their particle size. These particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), laser granulometry, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction tests (XRD), and were then used to replace 0–50wt.% PC CEM I 42.5R in pastes and mortars. Workability of the fresh mortars was assessed by the flow-table spread test, and the mechanical properties and microstructure (thermogravimetry, SEM-EDX, XRD and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy tests) were investigated in samples cured at 20°C for up to 365 days. No significant workability variations were observed with increasing waste contents and, although pozzolanic activity of CSW was relatively slow, it improved with the curing time, and mortars prepared with up to 25wt.% ceramic waste satisfied the requirements established for other pozzolanic materials, such as fly ash. En este artículo se evaluó la actividad puzolánica de residuos de cerámica sanitaria (CSW) en mezclas con cemento Portland (PC). Para reducir su tamaño de partícula se rompieron, trituraron y molieron piezas residuales de cerámica sanitaria. Las partículas resultantes fueron caracterizadas mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM-EDX), granulometría láser, fluorescencia de rayos X (XRF) y difracción de rayos X (XRD), utilizándose posteriormente para reemplazar entre un 0 y un 50% de cemento CEM I 42.5R en pastas y morteros. La trabajabilidad de los morteros frescos se evaluó mediante el método de la mesa de sacudidas, y las propiedades mecánicas y microestructura (análisis termogravimétricos, SEM-EDX, XRD y espectroscopía infrarroja por transformada de Fourier) se investigaron en muestras curadas a 20°C hasta 365 días. No se observaron variaciones significativas en la trabajabilidad al incrementar el contenido de residuo cerámico y, aunque la actividad puzolánica de la CSW fue relativamente lenta, mejoró con el tiempo de curado. Así, los morteros desarrollados con hasta un 25% en peso del residuo cerámico cumplieron con los requisitos normativos establecidos para otros materiales puzolánicos, como las cenizas volantes. The authors are grateful to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for supporting this research through Project ECOSOST RTI-2018-097612-B-C21, and to FEDER funding. They also thank the Institute for Science and Technology of Concrete (ICITECH) and Universitat Jaume I for providing the means to perform this study. Thanks are extended to the Scientific Instrumentation Centre of the Universitat Jaume I and the Electron Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politècnica de València for their help with the microstructural characterization analyses.

Spent fluorescent lamps glass (SFLG) waste, manually and mechanically processed in a lamps waste treatment plant, was used to partially replace up to 50 wt% Portland cement (PC). Both waste types exhibited similar pozzolanic activity. The mortars containing up to 35 wt% SFLG met the specifications for other pozzolanic materials (e.g. fly ash) and, after 90 curing days, their compressive strength values were similar to or higher than those of the 100% PC sample (58.8 MPa). Our results provide an alternative reutilization process for this hazardous waste to reuse SFLG as-received (no washing to reduce mercury) and contributes to less PC use. © 2021 The Author(s)

The incorporation of waste of different nature as components of mortars and cement concretes is a scientifically valid option that allows us to obtain a positive environmental balance in the manufacturing process of these construction materials. Considering the capacity of improvement of the thermal properties provided by glass, this work approaches the recovery by forced rehydration of mortars based on recycled glass after undergoing a process of heating at high temperature. Its mineralogical by XRD, structural evolution by SEM, X-ray computed tomography and DTA/TGA along with its physical-mechanical properties has been analyzed. Results have shown that, although the initial influence of glass can lead to inconsistent results according to the dosage and alteration process suffered, the favourable effect of the crushed glass after a thermal degradation and the subsequent rehydration treatment is observed. The rehydrated material based on recycled glass develops a capacity of mechanical recovery 6.2 times higher than the conventional mortar. This is due to the thermal an alkaline activation of amorphous silica, which favours the new formation of hydrated silicates as manifested the variation of the eccentricity coefficient of the pores: 0.5707 for conventional mortar and 0.6627 for glass based one. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

The research presented in this article analysed the influence of incorporating precast concrete waste as an alternative to coarse aggregate in self-compacting concrete to generate new precast elements. The experimental study involved the characterization of recycled aggregate and the design of the mix of the new self-compacting concrete (SCC). The experimental study evaluates the physical processes that affect the durability of concrete with percentages of incorporation such as 20%, 50% and 100% of recycled aggregate. Two types of SCC were manufactured with minimum compressive strength of 30 MPa and 45 MPa. The properties analysed were density of hardened SCC, shrinkage cracking, freeze-thaw resistance, resistance to ageing by thermal shock and abrasion resistance. The results obtained were compared with those of the control concrete, observing great capacity of the SCC under physical aggressions that affect durability. The results of this research show that it is possible to use the recycled aggregate coming from precast pieces in order to the manufacture of self-compacting recycled concrete in the same precast industry. However, high loss of proprieties occurs for a 100% substitution, while for 20% and 50%, the variations with respect to control concrete are smaller. In addition, taking advantage of this waste to incorporate it back into the production chain contributes to more sustainable construction. This research was funded by Junta de Castilla y León (Regional Government) for funding UIC-231 through project BU119P17; MINECO for funding through project BIA2014-55576-C2-1-R; FEDER (European Regional Development Funds) and LADICIM

The canning industry in Galicia produces 25 thousand tonnes of mussel by-product (i.e. unconsumed shells) per year, having a significant environmental impact. Mussel shell becomes suitable for different uses after undergoing heat treatment such as poultry feed or bedding, etc. However, other end uses for this by-product must still be explored. Building insulation material (for instance expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, polyurethane, etc.) has a significant harmful effect on the environment, which is especially seen when analysing its entire life cycle (use of large amounts of energy and water for production, difficulty recycling or reusing waste in the event of demolition or refurbishment, etc.). The aim of this research is to prove the feasibility of using mussel shell as a building solution. Mussel shell has been found to have thermal and acoustic characteristics suitable for using it as building insulation material. Mussel shell confined inside an enclosed space (e.g. a wooden box) has a thermal conductivity similar to that of a light conifer wood, so it can be considered a material with low thermal conductivity. Furthermore, several acoustic studies indicate that a section of confined mussel shell displays a behaviour similar to that of commercialised insulation material. The embodied energy of mussel shell as a loose-fill material is similar to that of other bio-based insulation materials. The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate that it is possible to design mussel shells building solutions, that actively participate in environmentally responsive architecture. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Agroforestry creates value but also a huge amount of waste outside its value chain. Tree pruning is an example of such a low value waste, that is typically discarded or incinerated in the fields or used to recover energy. Nonetheless, tree prunings are rich in wood fibers that can be used as polymer reinforcement. Although there are some bio-based polymers, the majority of industries use oil-based ones. The election of the materials is usually based on a ratio between properties and cost. Bio-based polymers are more expensive than oil-based ones. This work shows how a bio-polyethylene matrix can be reinforced with fibers from orange tree prunings to obtain materials with notable tensile properties. These bio-based materials can show a balanced cost due to the use of a cheap reinforcement with an expensive matrix. The matrix used showed a tensile strength of 18.65 MPa, which reached 42.54 MPa after the addition of 50 wt.% of reinforcement. The obtained values allow the use of the studied composite to replace polypropylene and some of its composites under tensile loads This research was funded by the CTQ2010-21660-C03-03 grant of the Spanish ministry of science and innovation

Mussel shells, composed of calcium carbonate (>95%) and organic matter, are suitable alternatives to conventional sand in mortar. In addition, the use of lime instead of cement as a binder has also been considered for sustainable construction materials as well as in restorative applications. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of air lime mortar through the analysis of the water transport properties of air lime mortar produced with mussel shell aggregates at different ages. Four mortar groups were obtained from the reference mortar by replacing limestone sand with mussel shell sand at substitution rates of 25%, 50%, and 75%. Water absorption, capillary uptake, weight variation, and drying from the fresh state up till one and two years were determined. The organic matter content and flaky seashell shape are responsible for the main differences observed between the mussel mortars and reference mortar. These two characteristics promote transport tortuosity paths and hydrophobic behaviour leading to reduced capillary uptake and increased drying resistance index. Furthermore, they enhance water retention, which increases the carbonation rate. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

The replacement of natural aggregates with different recycled materials in mortars and concretes has fostered significant progress in the construction sector, thus reducing the need to extract virgin raw materials. The incorporation of household glass waste in cement mortar was studied to determine its behaviour as a replacement for sand; this paper studies its mechanical properties at room temperature and after a 800 °C heating process. The results were evaluated using Student's t-test. Changes in thermal properties through the addition of glass to mortars were also studied. Various proportions of ground glass were used to replace the aggregate. The resistance values presented statistically significant differences. Mortars with ground glass aggregate also showed a clear improvement in the thermal conductivity coefficient and thermal diffusivity, reflecting a positive behaviour in relation to their thermal response and insulation capacity. Internal mortar structures were not affected by the incorporation of ground glass. © 2020 Elsev

Nowadays, nobody can deny that climate change is a reality and that the life cycle of buildings contributes greatly to that reality. Therefore, proposals such as the circular economy must be integrated into the construction sector. This article shows part of the results of a research project whose objective is to introduce circular economy criteria in building materials, seeking new uses for construction and demolition waste from buildings. In particular, this article analyses the possibility of replacing fibres currently used to reinforce cement mortars with recycled fibres. After consulting the bibliography, we can conclude that some studies analyse the behaviour of cement mortars reinforced with different types of fibres, but none has been found that analyses the behaviour of these mortars for the application of continuous coatings. For this purpose, a two-stage experimental plan is designed to test cement mortar samples with different types of fibres, recycled fibres and commercial fibres, taking into consideration the characteristics that these mortars have to comply to be applied as continuous coatings. Moreover, a detailed study about the porosity of these mortars and its influence on how the mortars behave with regard to compression, water vapour permeability and impermeability has been conducted. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the mortars containing recycled fibres have very similar resistance, absorption and permeability values to those containing commercial fibres, so that they might be suitable for application as external coatings.

The properties and the behaviour of plaster mortars designed with Polyurethane FoamWaste (PFW) are studied in this investigation. A characterization of the mixtures is completed, in accordance with the technical specifications of European Norms. The incorporation of polyurethane waste foam can yield porous and lighter mortars, with better resistance to water-vapour permeability, although with weaker mechanical strength and higher levels of absorbency. Nevertheless, suitable mechanical strengths were achieved, resulting in a new material that is compliant with the requirements of the construction industry. The use of PFW in the the manufacture of gypsum mortars for construction reduces the consumption of natural resources and, at the same time, recovers an industrial waste that is otherwise difficult to recycle. © 2020 by the authors.

La utilización de residuos de espumas rígidas de poliuretano generados en la industria, como sustitutivo de la arena en los morteros para albañilería, tiene un doble efecto beneficioso para la preservación del medio ambiente. Por un lado se reciclan unos desechos que generalmente acaban en vertederos y por otro se disminuye el consumo de áridos que se extraen de la naturaleza. La caracterización física y química de los morteros confeccionados con los residuos de espuma de poliuretano, nos muestra que las mezclas obtenidas tienen propiedades que los pueden hacer aptos para su utilización en obras de construcción. Por ello se han diseñado distintas mezclas con varias clases de cemento, arena y dos tipos de espuma, empleando diferentes dosificaciones con el objeto de comprobar la viabilidad de los morteros. Para la fase experimental del estudio de las propiedades de los morteros se han seguido las normas UNE-EN aplicables a los morteros para albañilería, y a falta de normativa concreta, se han utilizado aquéllas que se refieren a materiales similares como la piedra natural. La consistencia, densidad y aire ocluido en estado fresco y la densidad y resistencias mecánicas a flexión y compresión en estado endurecido han indicado que la mayoría de los morteros estudiados cumplen con las especificaciones de la normativa de aplicación. El principal inconveniente encontrado ha sido la elevada cantidad de cemento por metro cúbico de mortero en las mezclas con resistencias mecánicas altas, lo que ha obligado a seleccionar las dosificaciones con mejor ratio de resistencia por cantidad de cemento, primando especialmente los morteros con mayor contenido de espuma. Se han estudiado las modificaciones que producen el empleo de dos tipos de aditivos en los morteros seleccionados y además se ha profundizado en el conocimiento de otras propiedades tales como la trabajabilidad y retención de agua, resistencia a la adhesión y a la abrasión, realizando por último, ensayos de envejecimiento acelerado para comprobar la durabilidad. Los resultados obtenidos en la fase de experimentación han sido similares a los de los morteros de uso habitual en albañilería, destacando fundamentalmente la mejor trabajabilidad, menor densidad del mortero endurecido, mayor elasticidad y un importante incremento de la permeabilidad al vapor en todas las dosificaciones estudiadas.

Los criterios Passivhaus pueden aplicarse a cualquier clima. Para muestra, un edificio: Airlab, una apuesta por la construcción en seco industrializada y replicable, que quiere derribar el mito de que el aislamiento solamente es para los climas fríos.

This article analyzes the feasibility of using construction and demolition waste (expanded polystyrene, ceramic, and concrete waste) in a gypsum matrix to manufacture plaster for interior coatings or for prefabricated elements for interior partitions. To do this, several gypsum specimens were prepared (4 &times, 4 &times, 16 cm) incorporating different percentages of waste based on the weight of the gypsum (25%, 50%, and 75% of ceramic, concrete, and a mixture of both). Reference samples were also produced (without additions) to compare the results obtained. The compounds with the best performance were selected and lightened by preparing other samples in which 1/3 and 2/3 of the volume of ceramic, concrete, and mixed waste were replaced with expanded polystyrene (EPS). All samples were tested in the laboratory and the following physical and mechanical characteristics were determined: density, surface hardness, flexural strength, compressive strength, capillary water absorption, and thermal conductivity. Several applications were proposed for the selected compounds. A gypsum block with a sandwich configuration was obtained (40 &times, 20 &times, 10 cm) using the optimum compound. The block was further tested regarding its density and compression strength. A comparative analysis showed that it is possible to produce materials with a gypsum matrix by adding ceramic, concrete, and EPS waste, improving the behavior of the traditional gypsum and enabling them to be applied in various construction applications. These applications have a lower environmental impact than ordinary ones because they use less primary raw material, due to the reuse of waste.

Los residuos de construcción y demolición representan aproximadamente un tercio de los residuos totales generados en la Unión Europea. Estos residuos son fácilmente reciclables pero para obtener materiales reciclados de alta calidad es imprescindible una adecuada separación en origen de los residuos generados. Como no puede ser de otra manera, una adecuada gestión de los residuos empieza por un buen estudio de la generación de los mismos. El Real Decreto 105/2008, de 1 de febrero, por el que se regula la producción y gestión de los residuos de construcción y demolición establece la obligación de elaborar un Estudio de Gestión de Residuos en todos los proyectos de obras de construcción y demolición. En este estudio se deben recoger los tipos y cantidades de residuos que se tiene previsto generar, así como las medidas previstas para la separación de cada tipo de residuo y su correcta gestión. El potencial del sector de la edificación en la mejora de la gestión de estos residuos es indiscutible. Por lo tanto, cualquier acción destinada a ello, en especial aquella que permita mejorar la calidad del tratamiento de residuos, contará sin duda con el apoyo de este Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica, pues contribuirá a un mejor uso de los recursos disponibles. Un ejemplo de estas medidas es la estimación de los ratios nacionales de generación de residuos de construcción y demolición, pues pueden ser un buena ayuda para todos los agentes del sector, pero muy especialmente para los técnicos responsables de la redacción o seguimiento y aceptación de los documentos técnicos vinculados al cumplimiento de las obligaciones establecidas en el Real Decreto 105/2008, de 1 de febrero, ya que les permitirá estimar las cantidades y los tipos de residuos que se generarán en una obra de construcción y especialmente y presentar Estudios más acordes con la realidad del sector.

In the present study, residue from olive groves has been used for the manufacture of clay ceramic bricks as a new environmentally-friendly solution. For this purpose, waste products of olive cultivation, such as olive prunings, leaves and wood, were ground to obtain a particle size of 0-2 mm; 7.5%, 15% and 25% of olive waste was added to the clay, clay bodies were moulded in pastes with the incorporation of 7.5, 15 and 25% by volume of waste; and finally, the green bodies were fired at 850 degrees C. The influence of the type and ratio of waste on the physical and mechanical properties of waste clay bricks was studied and compared with clay bricks without waste following standard procedures. Ceramic samples were characterized using a series of technological tests, such as linear shrinkage, bulk density, apparent porosity, water absorption, suction, compressive strength and thermal conductivity. The best results were obtained from the samples containing 7.5% olive waste showing that these organic pore-forming wastes have the potential for producing lighter bricks that could be marketed as low density clay masonry units with adequate mechanical properties and higher thermal insulating capacity. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cigarette butts are one of the most common waste on the planet and are not biodegradable, so they remain on the landscape for many years. Cigarette butt composition makes it suitable to be added during the manufacture of construction materials, so it can be considered a waste recovery material, helping to reduce the ecological footprint of the construction sector. This article shows the characterization of gypsum composites containing cigarette butt waste. Several gypsum specimens were prepared incorporating different percentages of cigarette butt waste (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%). Samples without waste additions were also prepared in order to compare the results obtained. Samples were tested for density, superficial hardness, flexural and compressive strength, bonding strength and acoustic performance. Results show that it is possible to add cigarette butts in a gypsum matrix, resulting in better mechanical behavior than traditional gypsums. © 2020 by the authors.

The carbonation process is studied from young ages up to 2 years in mortars with fine mussel shell aggregate. Mussel shell aggregate affects lime mortars due to its shape (angular and flaky) and texture (smooth), and also its microstructure consisting of 2% organic matter in the form of protein and polysaccharides (chitin). Its effect is analysed in pore structure, microstructure by SEM, carbonation by phenolphthalein, and mechanical strength by means of compressive strength and ultrasounds. Conclusions show that the use of mussel shell aggregate delays carbonation at young ages (28 days) while increasing the total carbonated area at longer ages (1 and 2 years). These two different trends can be seen in all of the properties analysed. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

The main aim of this study has been to determine the influence of total water to cement ratio, recycled fine aggregate from construction and demolition waste, and air entraining/plasticizer admixture on the properties of masonry mortar. Two mortar series were prepared using varying percentages of dry or pre-soaked recycled fine aggregate to replace natural fine aggregate, and four different dosages of air entraining/plasticizer admixture. Data were analysed using three-way and one-way ANOVA, in order to determine the effect of the factors and to compare the means of the mortars manufactured. The results showed the technical feasibility of masonry mortars manufactured with up to 100% of recycled fine aggregate. In addition, total water to cement ratio was the most determining factor for consistency, dry bulk density, and compressive and flexural strength; the recycled fine aggregate for bulk density; and the air entraining/plasticizer admixture for air content and capillary water absorption coefficient. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

El impacto ambiental del sector de la construcción, responsable del 40% del consumo total de energía primaria de la Unión Europea, requiere la reducción tanto de la energía incorporada de los materiales de construcción como de la energía operativa que consume un edificio durante su vida útil. La madera y los residuos agrícolas pueden proporcionar materiales renovables de origen biológico de origen local que ayudan a construir una economía circular y a reducir el impacto ambiental del sector de la construcción. Este artículo muestra un ejemplo de un panel aislante estructural prefabricado, hecho con materiales de base biológica, diseñado para su uso en edificios de energía casi nula.

El impacto ambiental del sector de la construcción, responsable del 40% del consumo total de energía primaria de la Unión Europea, requiere la reducción tanto de la energía incorporada de los materiales de construcción como de la energía operativa que consume un edificio durante su vida útil. La madera y los residuos agrícolas pueden proporcionar materiales renovables de origen biológico de origen local que ayudan a construir una economía circular y a reducir el impacto ambiental del sector de la construcción. Este artículo muestra un ejemplo de un panel aislante estructural prefabricado, hecho con materiales de base biológica, diseñado para su uso en edificios de energía casi nula.

New energy-efficient materials are increasingly used in architecture and civil engineering today. Many of these are based on the reuse of plants and plant residues from industry and agriculture for the production of bio-sustainable insulation materials, and as aggregates in concretes. This paper presents the results of our study of research into hemp concrete, an emerging material in the green building sector, since it first appeared about twenty-five years ago to the present day. The study centres on a growing bibliography over this period, emphasizing some fundamental parameters of hemp raw materials and related building materials, the binders used in the production of hemp aggregate concretes and assessments of different aspects of their performance. The most important properties of hemp concrete vary according to the quality of the plant aggregates, the choice of binders (typically aerial or hydraulic lime), the proportions of the raw materials and the application techniques. Organic aggregates are less stable than inorganic aggregates and are therefore more difficult to use in a concrete mix with both inorganic and organic binders. Among other reasons, this is due to the disproportionate amount of water required in the mixing of plant-based concretes and to the release of organic compounds, which can have serious effects on the hardening process. This problem was identified in scientific studies on the use of hemp concrete in sustainable, bioclimatic construction, whether applied as a semi-liquid mass or as a precast element. This new biomaterial offers excellent results in terms of its application on site and has important physical properties, such as high durability and easy conservation. This study seeks to provide a useful tool for future research into sustainable building materials, better use of available energy and plant-based resources and more efficient recycling of the waste produced by human activities. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

The aim of this article is to analyse the water-resistant properties of gypsum compounds with plastic cable waste added in order to determine the suitability of their use as an alternative to combat moisture problems in buildings. In the experimental process, test samples were made and subjected to capillary water absorption, water vapour permeability, wet chamber, water-stove cycle and total water absorption tests, and their porosimetry was also studied using the mercury porosimetry test. The results showed a significant decrease in water absorption and retention capacity. This is due in part to the reduced pore volume of the compounds that is achieved without affecting the hygrothermal properties of the gypsum products and keeping their mechanical properties above the minimum values indicated in the regulations. Thus, the material studied is a good alternative to the gypsums currently available on the market to be applied in the areas of buildings most exposed to water and it contributes to reduce environmental impacts. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Los edificios consumen el 50 % de energía y emiten el 30 % de los de gases de efecto invernadero a nivel mundial. Se están diseñando estrategias para mejorar su eficiencia energética, reducir su impacto ambiental y su influencia en el cambio climático, teniendo en cuenta todo su ciclo de vida. La finalidad de esta Tesis es validar la simulación energética de edificios como herramienta de I+D+i para conseguir esos objetivos. Se han establecido criterios de aplicación de las diferentes herramientas de simulación disponibles según la finalidad del I+D+i, estando orientados a la toma de decisiones por los distintos agentes intervinientes. Se ha aplicado en cuatro proyectos de I+D+i: el estudio energético de un hospital, el comportamiento energético de nuevos materiales de construcción con residuos industriales valorizados, y el estudio de coste-efectividad de medidas de mejora de la eficiencia energética y de energías renovables a nivel de distrito., Buildings consume 50 % of energy and emit 30 % of greenhouse gases worldwide. Strategies are being designed to improve their energy efficiency, reduce their environmental impact and their influence on climate change, considering their entire life cycle. The purpose of this Thesis is to validate the energy simulation of buildings as an R&D&I tool to achieve these objectives. Criteria have been established for the application of the different simulation tools available according to the purpose of R&D&I, being oriented towards decision-making by the different intervening agents. It has been applied to four R&D&I projects: the energy study of a hospital, the energy behaviour of new construction materials with recovered industrial waste, and the cost-effectiveness study of measures to improve energy efficiency and renewable energy at the district level.

Proyecto: El proyecto MARKETcons es una iniciativa que pretende implementar en el mercado un nuevo servicio para crear, impulsar y difundir un punto de encuentro entre usuarios para la reutilización de productos de la construcción presentes en los edificios existentes mediante un portal web y una APP para smartphones. Con esta iniciativa se quiere impulsar la economía circular ligada a el concepto de "prevención de residuos" en la fase de consumo de los productos presentes en los edificios, y relacionarlo con la cultura de conservación y mantenimiento para alargar la fase de uso los edificios. *La economia circular: El modelo de economía lineal basado en extraer recursos, elaborar productos, consumir y rechazarlos, ha llegado a su fin, ya que no puede aplicarse indefinidamente en un Planeta con los recursos limitados y es por eso que hay que evolucionar hacia un modelo circular de consumo (economía circular). La economía circular plantea una transición hacia un modelo basado en la prevención de los residuos, la reutilización y la recogida, reciclado y valorización de los productos una vez han terminado su vida de referencia minimizando al máximo su vertido. La reutilización de productos en la sociedad de nuestro país no está suficientemente estructurada, aunque que forma parte de la legislación española actual y de la política medioambiental comunitaria, que establece una jerarquía de residuos, que sitúa la prevención en su base, se define como la fase en la que se establecen las medidas para reducir la cantidad de residuos mediante la reutilización de los productos o el alargamiento de su vida útil y la reducción de los impactos medioambientales adversos mediante el ahorro del uso de materias primas y energía. El segundo escalón de esta jerarquía de residuos es la preparación para la reutilización, que se define como la operación de valorización consistente en la comprobación, limpieza o reparación, mediante la cual los productos o componentes de productos se preparan para poder ser reutilizados sin lugar a transformación previa. Es en este apartado en el que pretende actuar el proyecto MARKETcons, mediante la prevención de los residuos a través del compartimento y reutilización de los productos que están presentes en los edificios, y que otro usuario puede usar con la misma finalidad para la que fueron concebidos, alargando la vida de referencia del producto y la vida útil del edificio. Este proceso no puede ser utilizado en todos los productos, ni de una forma indiscriminada y es por ello que consideramos importante y acertado que esta iniciativa esté vinculada al Colegio Profesional que agrupa a los profesionales técnicos colegiados que mayoritariamente se dedican al mantenimiento, rehabilitación, deconstrucción y control de calidad de las obras de edificación, dando seguridad y rigurosidad a la operación de reutilización de productos.

Recycled concrete has a microstructure more complex than natural concrete, as it includes new interfacial transition zones, the quality of which is conditioned by the state of humidity of the aggregates used, which in turn will affect the final properties of the concrete. Bearing in mind the greater absorption capacity of recycled aggregates, it is important to improve its properties by means of a treatment method that is capable of reducing the negative effects that this may produce in the new concrete. Therefore, the influence of the presoaking method of recycled aggregates on the formation of the microstructure of concretes manufactured with these aggregates is analysed, to determine which treatment is the most effective for the production of concretes for non-structural use. The results show that the microstructure of the evaluated concretes differs according to the treatment method used, the most optimal method being one that uses aggregates without pre-soaking., Análisis microestructural de hormigones fabricados con áridos gruesos reciclados premojados según diferentes métodos. El hormigón reciclado tiene una microestructura más compleja que el natural, ya que incluye nuevas zonas de transición interfacial, cuya calidad está condicionada por el estado de humedad de los áridos utilizados, lo que a su vez repercutirá en las propiedades finales del hormigón. Teniendo en cuenta la mayor capacidad de absorción de los áridos reciclados, se considera fundamental la mejora de sus propiedades, mediante un método de tratamiento que sea capaz de disminuir los efectos negativos que éstos puedan producir en el hormigón. Por ello, se analiza la influencia del método de premojado de los áridos reciclados en la formación de la microestructura de hormigones fabricados con estos áridos, para así determinar qué tratamiento es el más eficaz. Los resultados muestran que la microestructura de los hormigones evaluados difiere según el método de tratamiento utilizado, siendo el más óptimo el que utiliza los áridos sin premojar., Research group "Materiales de Construccion, Restauracion y Dinamica de Suelos" of the Andalusian Research Plan TEP-942

In the European Union, the demand for polyurethane is continually growing. In 2017, the estimated value of polyurethane production was 700,400 Tn, of which 27.3% is taken to landfill, which causes an environmental problem. In this paper, the behaviour of various polyurethane foams from the waste of different types of industries will be analyzed with the aim of assessing their potential use in construction materials. To achieve this, the wastes were chemically tested by means of CHNS, TGA, and leaching tests. They were tested microstructurally by means of SEM. The processing parameters of the waste was calculated after identifying its granulometry and its physical properties i.e., density and water absorption capacity. In addition, the possibility of incorporating these wastes in plaster matrices was studied by determining their rendering in an operational context, finding out their mechanical resistance to flexion and compression at seven days, their reaction to fire as well as their weight per unit of area, and their thermal behaviour. The results show that in all cases, the waste is inert and does not undergo leaching. The generation process of the waste determines the foam&rsquo, s microstructure in addition to its physical-chemical properties, which directly affect building materials in which they are included, thus offering different ways in which they can be applied.

La Unión Europea ha desarrollado políticas de gestión orientadas al desarrollo sostenible dentro del plan Horizonte 2020, apostando por cambios específicos entre los que se encuentran la reutilización y reciclado de residuos que se producen en grandes cantidades. Asimismo según la ficha técnica de “Residuos de Construcción y Demolición” publicada por el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, en España el 54% de los residuos generados en el ámbito de la construcción corresponden a desechos de materiales cerámicos, los cuales se contemplan en la Lista Europea de Residuos como “Residuos Industriales No Peligrosos”. Debido a esta situación, se han ido incorporando, en el reglamento interno español, una serie de normativas enfocadas a la minimización del impacto ambiental ocasionado por la edificación, como por ejemplo el Real Decreto 105/2008 el cual promociona que la gestión de residuos debe realizarse de manera adecuada, convirtiéndolos en recursos y generando un ahorro de materias primas. Por ello el CEDEX ha redactado una guía de reutilización de RCD como materia prima alternativa para la fabricación de mortero, hormigón, ladrillos y áridos ligeros. Sin embargo, aún falta por incluir información sobre la posibilidad de incorporar estos RCD en la fabricación de productos de yeso. Por tanto, el objetivo principal de la presente Tesis Doctoral es analizar la viabilidad de incorporar en una matriz de escayola residuos cerámicos (chamota) procedentes de la industria y de la construcción y demolición de edificios, así como buscar aplicaciones. Para ello se diseña un plan experimental en tres fases para demostrar la viabilidad de introducir varios tipos de residuos cerámicos procedentes de fábrica, obra nueva y obra de rehabilitación en una matriz de escayola. En la primera fase del plan experimental se analizan dichos residuos y se añaden en diferentes porcentajes y granulometrías, seleccionando finalmente los que mejores resultados ofrecen. En una segunda fase se lleva a cabo una serie de mejoras sobre el material objeto de estudio y en la tercera fase se realiza un estudio más profundo sobre la aplicación de dichos materiales como revestimiento interior continuo. Los resultados obtenidos muestran compuestos que mejoran los valores de referencia de la escayola sin adiciones respecto a la dureza superficial, absorción de agua por capilaridad, adherencia y las resistencias mecánicas. Por lo que se alcanza el objetivo de la tesis, sustituir materia prima costosa para el medio ambiente (el yeso) por un material reciclado (RC) y obtener un compuesto viable para ser empleado como revestimiento de paramentos interiores en el sector de la edificación, ofreciendo así una alternativa a la reutilización del residuo cerámico. ----------ABSTRACT---------- The European Union has developed management policies based on the sustainable development within the 2020 Horizon framework. They are focused on specific changes such as the recycling of waste produced in a huge quantities. Also, according to the data sheet "Construction and Demolition Waste" published by the Ministry of Environment, in Spain 54% of the waste generated correspond to ceramics, which are referred to in the European Waste List (MAM Order / 304/2002) as "Non-Hazardous Industrial Waste (RINP)". Because of this situation, the Spanish government has created several regulations focused on minimizing the environmental impact caused by the construction industry and, in particular, a specific standard for the proper management of the CDW (Royal Decree 105/2008), which aims to promote their reduction and avoid landfilling, promoting as well the correct waste management to turn them into resources and save raw materials. Therefore CEDEX has created a guide to reuse CDW as raw material for the manufacture of mortar, concrete, brick and lightweight aggregate. However, no manual establishes strategies for recycling wastes in gypsum composites. Due to these reasons, the aim of this Doctoral Thesis is to analyze the feasibility of incorporating ceramic waste (chamotte) generated from the industry, building construction and building demolition projects, in a plaster matrix, as well as seeking applications. An experimental plan is designed in three phases to prove the feasibility of introducing differents types of ceramic waste (CW) in a plaster matrix. In the first phase of the experimental plan, these CW are analyzed and added in different percentages and granulometries. Then the ones that provide the best results were selected. In a second phase, some improvements have been apply on the material. In the third pase a Deep syudy was carried out a on the application as interior finishing. The experimental result show how these compounds improve their properties such as surface hardness, capillarity water absorption, adhesion and mechanical properties. Due to these reasons, the main aim of this Doctoral Thesis has been achieved. The gypsum has been replacement by recycling materials which are an alternative for reducing the ceramic waste in an immediately future.

El objetivo de este articulo es el estudio de viabilidad de la utilizacion de yeso con EPS procedente del reciclaje para fabricar elementos para la construccion de particiones. En este articulo se presentan varias propuestas de bloques para particiones realizados con yeso y poliestireno expandido (EPS) procedente de residuos de construccion y demolicion, asi como se resumen los resultados obtenidos en los distintos ensayos realizados para comprobar su comportamiento mecanico y de esta manera compararlos con elementos constructivos similares que se comercializan en la actualidad. En este trabajo, realizado en el ambito del proyecto Waste to Resources (W2R), se estudian diferentes soluciones de bloques basados en un sistema sandwich en el que las caras externas del bloque se forman por placas de YL de 6 mm, encerrando un nucleo a base de material aligerado de baja densidad, y por tanto, gran deformabilidad. Palabras clave: Residuos de construccion y demolicion; Particiones; Yeso; Construccion sostenible; Reciclaje.