Welcome to the March issue of Materials World
The aspect of the built environment that transports us to places is so easily taken for granted by the end-user (until it fails or is closed for maintenance). Indeed, as well as the weather, talking about the bane of traffic and road-works, seemingly around every corner, quite possibly falls under the category of being a British pastime.
An article on Caring for our bridges brings home the challenges facing these structures, the economic and societal impact when they collapse or need maintenance, and the urgent need for retrofitting. As well as materials ageing, 'new challenges are posed by climate change and population growth, like temperature fluctuations and flooding, along with increasing traffic volumes', notes author Dr Georgia Thermou.
Meanwhile England’s National Highways is going the distance on its plans for low-carbon asphalt solutions on major A-roads and motorways, as part of its net-zero roadmap. A whole host of different materials are being developed, tested and trialled as alternatives for the roads’ surface courses and layers of structure beneath them. This mammoth undertaking embraces manufacturers and building contractors supplying to National Highways.
One element includes reviewing specifications to increase the proportion of reclaimed asphalt that can be used. Our contributors from the IOM3 Construction Materials Group call for construction products to move up the waste hierarchy to reuse and upcycling.
We hope you enjoy this issue.
