Boral says test results of solar glass sand in concrete “excellent” so far

Construction materials company Boral has announced that it is trialling recycled sand, sourced from end-of-life and damaged solar panels, in concrete intended for use in Victoria’s North East Link project.

In a statement on Tuesday, the company said it has used a blend of “up to 50 per cent natural sand” with the crushed glass. The latter was sourced from solar panel upcycling company ElecSome.

Boral said it has created “a variety of concrete mixes using solar glass sand” for the project, which was driven by the Spark North East Link Design & Construct Joint Venture. The University of Melbourne has assisted with development and testing.

“Test loads of concrete were transported from the Tullamarine plant to its recently opened Bulleen Concrete Plant, which supplies concrete to the North East Link project, and a trial concrete slab has been laid on site” Boral said in its announcement.

Boral’s Head of Sustainability and Innovation, Dr Ali Nezhad, explained that the success of the concrete mix in a commercial project offered “an effective pathway for recycling of end of life solar panels”.

“Our solar glass sand concrete trial demonstrates the ability and strength of reusing materials to create a circular economy,” added Nezhad. 

“We are excited about the next generation of work being done around new and innovative building construction materials.”

Results so far had been “excellent” in an “assessment of plastic properties including consistency and finishing” as well as “hardened property testing for compliance with relevant standards.”

According to ElecSome’s website it runs Australia’s first solar panel upcycling plant, with capacity to process a million panels per annum.

The Spark JV delivering the North East Link Tunnels involves Webuild, CPB Contractors, GS Engineering & Construction, and China Construction Oceania

The North East Link project involves 6.5 kilometres of tunnels and is one of three road projects by the state government as part of its “Big Build” program. 

The North East Link is billed as “the biggest ever investment in Melbourne’s north east“, runs from Watsonia to Bulleen, and will remove a claimed “15,000 trucks off local roads a day and reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes.”

Picture: supplied

Further reading

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Boral-led team investigates calcined clay in lower-carbon concrete

Boral aims for net zero emissions carbon offset cement

Boral joins councils in recycled rubber asphalt demonstration project