Sustainable Use of Traditional Geomaterials in Construction Practice

Geomaterials derived from the Earth’s crust and used in construction after appropriate processing are among the earliest raw materials exploited, processed and used by humans. Their numerous functional properties include accessibility, workability and serviceability, and these are explored within this volume. In modern society, sustainable use of raw materials, specifically those exploited in large volumes such as geomaterials for construction, raises questions of reducing extraction of primary resources and thus minimizing impacts on natural systems, and also employment of materials and technologies to lower emissions of deleterious substances into the atmosphere. This will be possible only if we fully understand the properties, processing and mode of use of traditional geomaterials. Although most of the papers within this volume were written by geologists, the contributions will also be of interest to those working in cultural heritage, monument conservation, civil engineering and architecture.
Resource management and a Best Available Concept for aggregate sustainability
-
Published:January 01, 2016
-
CiteCitation
S. W. Danielsen, E. Kuznetsova, 2016. "Resource management and a Best Available Concept for aggregate sustainability", Sustainable Use of Traditional Geomaterials in Construction Practice, R. Přikryl, Á. Török, M. Gomez-Heras, K. Miskovsky, M. Theodoridou
Download citation file:
- Share
-
Tools
Abstract
Aggregates are major constituents in construction, the global demand for which approaches some 22 billion tonnes per year. Some major challenges follow: firstly, the dependency on geological conditions and the availability of resources; secondly, the traffic, emissions and energy use connected with transportation; thirdly, the technology of utilizing resources with a variety of properties to meet user requirements; and finally, the need for increased awareness, particularly over issues like land-use conflicts, environmental impact of the aggregate and quarrying industry, and the need to make these activities sustainable.
Aggregate standards have primarily been written by engineers, and engineers are first...
- aggregate
- conservation
- construction materials
- crushed stone
- depletion
- development
- economics
- environmental effects
- environmental management
- exploitation
- export
- gravel deposits
- land management
- land use
- mining
- nonmetal deposits
- planning
- pollution
- production
- public awareness
- quarries
- reclamation
- sustainable development
- technology
- theoretical models
- transportation
- utilization
- life cycle assessment
- best practices
- best available concept