Researcher / Writer

Department/faculty: Architecture & the Built Environment
Level: Master degree
Working hours: 24 hours per week
Contract: 2 years
Salary: €3475 to €4757 per month gross fulltime

The applicant (researcher/writer) will work within the framework of the European project “Seramco’. The main objective of this project is to provide knowledge and material to start high-quality recycling of secondhand (demolished) concrete, brick, tiles, and ceramics, to enable the re-use of those materials for advanced prefab products. The current world conditions, from which we increasingly understand our planet as one circular system and acknowledge the urgency of a transition of our economy to a sustainable economy, makes this project very relevant.

About 50% of primary raw materials in the EU are used in the building sector, which is also responsible for about one third of all waste. Until now, recycled materials are mostly down-cycled to be used primarily as filling materials. Although the recycling quota of CBTC in northwestern Europe is more than 70%, only about 2-4% is re-used for concrete production.

This project aims to increase the utilisation of construction and demolition waste as high-quality secondary raw materials for cement and concrete production. To understand the range of potential application of this recycled concrete, research will be undertaken to determine local and global needs and potential developments.

SeRaMCo’s overall outputs will be:
(a) technologies enabling the use of recycled material in cement and concrete production.
(b) cement and CPP from 100 % recycled aggregates.
(c) new applications of concrete precast products (which will be the main task for the TU Delft, and for which we will organise several design studios).