In collaboration with Leiden University and the University of Tokyo, Betonstaal.nl and Betonijzer Buig Centrale are participating in an international study into the influence of recycled material on the quality of reinforcing steel.
Reinforcing steel is mainly made of metal scrap from, for example, old cars, fences and refrigerators. During the sorting process, the different types of metal (differant types of stainless steel, aluminum) are separated as much as possible from each other. However, not all of these materials can be sorted out. A part of it is processed during the production of reinforcing steel, which involves mixing different elements.
Are these materials affecting the mechanical properties of reinforcing steel?
That is what the researchers are involved in during this research. Recycle processes from different countries are examined. The difference in recycling of developed countries compared to less developed countries is demonstrable. In less developed countries, sorting is done more cleanly (by hand instead of by machine), resulting in fewer deviant types of metals entering the production process of reinforcing steel.
The study is expected to be completed in March 2018. The research will then be published in various scientific journals.