KOLLAM: At a time when Kerala grapples with the growing crisis of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, a team of engineers from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has developed a sustainable solution that could transform the state's construction practices. The researchers highlighted that dumping of debris from construction and demolition projects has created severe environmental problems. In Ernakulam's Marad area alone, demolishing high-rises generated nearly 90 tonnes of concrete waste, much of which ended up in landfills or along water bodies.
To tackle this, Vishnu Vijayan, a research scholar at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and dean of Baselios Mathews College of Engineering, Sasthamcotta, along with Mini K M and Sanjay Kumar Shukla of Edith Cowan University, Australia, has introduced the slurry immersion technique to upgrade low-grade recycled aggregates.
The method improves the strength and durability of recycled materials, making them suitable for new construction projects. "Our approach ensures that discarded materials can return to the construction cycle without compromising quality. This can help reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry while lowering costs and promoting eco-friendly building practices," said Vishnu Vijayan.