Sustainable permeable concrete made from seashells

A sustainable permeable concrete has been developed from seashells.

The Concrete solution dRaining for the CLimate and Environment (CIRCLE) project is a collaboration between English and French organisations.

After three years they have created a poured-in-place, permeable concrete pavement made from recycled seashells. The shellfish material can also replace other aggregates to reduce and preserve non-renewable components.

The project was started to address soil urbanisation. Europe is regularly faced with flooding with human, environmental and financial consequences.

On 28 February, the CIRCLE project will host a demonstrator event at Dunston Hall in Norwich, Norfolk (UK). It will feature results from pilot studies, and the business case on using the material.

Project Investigator for CIRCLE's partner team at UEA, Professor Konstantinos Chalvatzis, said the project was looking forward to "bringing together all Circle partners and stakeholders alongside industry experts and a public audience interested in sustainable construction solutions to help fuel a future with a circular economy.

"This will be a unique opportunity to meet with and question our research experts on the CIRCLE project's latest innovation and results."

CIRCLE was supported through the INTERREG VA France (Channel) England Programme, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

It brought together six French and British partner institutions: BUILDERS Ecole d’ingénieurs (lead partner); building materials company EQIOM; Communauté d’Agglomération des 2 Baies en Montreuillois (CA2BM); the University of East Anglia (UEA); University of Central Lancashire (UCLan); and Golfe du Morbihan.

This article first appeared on Construction Manager