Hydraulically Bound Material is increasingly popular in construction circles, presenting a greener alternative to virgin concrete. A major component of concrete is cement. Cement and the industrial processes that produce it have a huge environmental impact. The cement industry is a primary producer of carbon dioxide and contributor to global carbon emissions.

Concrete from demolished buildings has also been a major contributor to landfills, but the cement it contains damages topsoil and is not biodegradable. At the same time, concrete is ubiquitous in construction projects due its durability, strength and protective attributes. It has always been considered cost effective and largely safe, but for the industry to survive, alternatives are necessary.

“The emphasis on sustainability has increased awareness of the high level of use of primary materials and the excessive production of construction waste,” says Stuart Gready, Managing Director of OCL Regeneration Limited. “There is growing pressure to move towards more sustainable construction materials by reducing the consumption of primary aggregates.”

One alternative that is gaining popularity is concrete recycling. This is a more energy efficient process than producing virgin concrete and also reduces the impact on landfill sites and topsoil. “Due to advances in technology, recycled concrete is now of a high standard and can in fact be used safely in applications such as road construction,” says Stuart Gready, Managing Director of OCL Regeneration Limited.

OCL Regeneration specialises in recycled and secondary aggregate building materials, of which Hydraulically Bound Material (HBM) forms a significant part. A hydraulically bound mixture is a mixture of aggregate, water and binder which is widely used in the pavement construction. Hydraulically Bound Material (HBM) is the generic name for a range of recycled concrete products.

HBM includes Cement Bound Granular Material (CBGM), Fly Ash Bound Material (FABM) and Slag Bound Material (SBM). OCL produces all three recycled concrete products at their recycling facilities and on a national consulting basis. “CBGM, FABM and SBM all have important applications in the construction industry,” says Gready.

CBGM is used in road, airfield, port and other heavy duty pavement construction projects. It is an affordable, flexible, and a great sustainable alternative to asphalt construction.
Fly Ash Bound Material is used in the construction of sturdy pavements. It is also used in road construction because it is versatile and high performing.
Slag Bound Material uses the hydraulic combination of granulated blast furnace slag and air cooled steel slag or concrete. It is widely used in the construction of highways where thickness and strength is required.

Concern for the environment, difficulty in sourcing primary aggregates, increasing costs of transport and the advent of aggregates tax, all promote recycled and secondary aggregates as the natural solution.

“The improved quality of recycled materials and their increased acceptability for high specification usage means they now provide a real alternative to primary, virgin products,” says Gready. “OCL Regeneration helps their customers to meet their environmental targets by producing high quality, innovative, recycled concrete products with a much reduced carbon footprint.”

OCL Regeneration Limited provides quality, recycled and sustainable building materials and construction solutions across the UK. OCL uses modern and effective material recycling techniques to provide high quality, sustainable and environmentally friendly construction and building materials. OCL is a private independent company whose management and staff have many years experience in the sustainable building materials and recycled construction materials sector. OCL produces sustainable aggregates, asphalt and surfacing materials at their recycling facilities and serves many sectors of the construction industry including builders and structural civil engineers, road construction and surfacing contractors, utility providers and contractors, land remediation contractors and the waste and landfill sector. OCL are recognised as experts and leaders in innovative, value for money, sustainable material solutions. For more information, visit: www.oclonline.co.uk.