Researchers are investigating the reuse of treated timber to enhance green concrete and address timber and packaging waste in Australian landfills.
Repurposed treated timber could be the key to developing greener and more cost-effective alternatives to traditional green concrete, giving a new lease on life to chemically treated timber that would otherwise end up in landfills. According to researchers from the University of New South Wales in Canberra, mixing treated timber waste with geopolymer cement can create an innovative form of green concrete blocks.
Under the guidance of Dr. Amar Khennane and Dr. Jong-Leng, the new building material developed by UNSW researchers meets the Australian Standard for load-bearing structures, making it a viable option for low-rise construction. Dr. Khennane, one of the lead researchers, emphasizes the practical advantages of this innovation. The lightweight geopolymer cement wood blocks could replace conventional wall materials in construction, lowering transportation costs and paving the way for a more affordable and sustainable green concrete construction option.
This advancement is timely, as Australia, aiming for complete circularity by 2030, grapples with the significant issue of treated timber waste, which now accounts for more than 6% of the nation’s landfill content. A team of researchers at the University of New South Wales engineered wood with added chemicals that are difficult and expensive to process. Dr. Khennane observed: “Converting waste wood into other construction materials not only reduces environmental problems associated with storing wood but also provides green materials for construction through the use of green stones.”
The research specifically targeted repurposing chromium copper arsenic-treated wood. The team removed the chemical contaminants and transformed the wood into chips, then dried and mixed with geopolymer cement to form green concrete blocks. The decontaminated wood chips exhibited improved compressive, flexural, specific strength, and increased fractural toughness compared to untreated wood, representing a significant advancement in building circularity.
Looking ahead, Dr. Khennane plans to construct a small cabin using these geopolymer cement wood blocks. The research, pending third-party funding, will assess the impact of this new green concrete material on household energy ratings to reduce energy bills.
The integration of timber and geopolymers is pivotal to the future of construction. According to a report timber, geopolymers, epoxies, and advanced material software are expected to play significant roles in shaping the future of green concrete construction. Michael Barnard, a climate futurist, strategist, and author, highlights in his publication “Cement Displacement and Decarbonization through 2100” that global demand for Portland Cement will sharply decline starting from 2030. The increasing costs associated with carbon pricing and the diminishing demand for large-scale projects will render Portland Cement less competitive, paving the way for alternatives like engineered timber and geopolymers to drive growth in regions such as the Global South, including India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Africa…LEARN MORE
