bETon

bETon will maximize the circular use of recovered aggregates, thus minimizing waste generation, material transport and environmental footprint, with the Einstein Telescope (ET) as a showcase.

The project will develop smart AI-assisted automatic characterization of recovered aggregates during excavation enables quality-based application-oriented sorting. While some material will be of optimal use in the wider industry, within bETon, low-carbon, sustainable cements and structural concrete elements are developed for on-site use of the ET aggregates and binder constituents. Integrated AI-assisted quality and ageing assessment of concrete structural elements (e.g. tunnel liners) paves the way for custom quality/property-based applications and regulation development for use of next generation cement and concrete in the whole construction industry.

Main aim: The overarching aim of bETon is to build new knowledge and develop technologies for 1) smart recovery of construction resources from hard-rock materials excavated during tunnelling, and 2) on-site use of the recovered materials as aggregates or mineral additions for low-carbon sustainable structural concrete. This will enable to minimize waste generation, material transport and environmental footprint of the ET project as well as potential follow-up projects.