Syria could be rebuilt by recycling rubble left by war

Sheffield University works with country's academics to find ways to reuse debris

Up to 50 per cent of the raw materials used in concrete could be replaced without significantly affecting performance, according to new research. Photo: University of Sheffield

Concrete rubble left behind by the war in Syria could be recycled and used to help rebuild key infrastructure quicker and more sustainably, new research says.

The University of Sheffield has been working with academics from Syria to find a way to use the debris left behind by buildings which have been destroyed.

The study has shown that recycled aggregate — made from the rubble of war-destroyed buildings — can be used as a sustainable alternative to the raw materials in concrete.

The research, published in the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, proves that up to 50 per cent of the raw materials used in concrete could be replaced without significantly affecting performance.

It follows a four-year project won ways to help rebuild the nation.

“Sadly, the ongoing civil war in Syria has left more than 130,000 buildings destroyed, and now after the devastating earthquake even more buildings have been damaged or destroyed in northern parts of the country,” said Theodore Hanein, UKRI future leaders fellow at the University of Sheffield, said.

“For the past four years we’ve been working with Syrian academics to find ways of reusing the vast amount of rubble that has been left behind by the war and we have now found a way to recycle it that could help the country recover once it comes to the time of rebuilding.

“One of the big barriers to reusing materials to make new concrete is determining whether the final product will be as strong and reliable as concrete produced in the traditional way. Our paper shows how this can be done in Syria, with the potential to replicate this work around the world.”

The Sheffield researchers used their expertise in sustainable engineering, in collaboration with experts from the department of civil and structural engineering and from Middle East Technical University in Turkey, to co-ordinate a series of studies.

The study found that by recycling the rubble it would make rebuilding quicker and cheaper as Syria would not need to import as many raw materials.

It would also help to reduce carbon emissions and make the rebuilding process more sustainable.

“The ongoing collaboration with our Syrian colleagues will assist the development of cost-effective and sustainable building solutions,” Maurizio Guadagnini, senior lecturer in civil and structural engineering at the University of Sheffield, said.

“This work will support the implementation of technologies that can help create more resilient communities and address critical global challenges.”

Kate Robertson, adviser for the Middle East/Syria programme at the Council for At-Risk Academics, said the methods will also be able to help rebuild following the earthquakes in February.

“Cara is most grateful to this amazing group of researchers from Sheffield and Metu, who have given their time to help guide and support this incredibly important work in the context of Syria,” she said.

“It is envisaged that using these methods to help rebuild Syria could create the foundation for it to become a technological hub for green and circular materials and construction solutions in the region into the future. [This is] all the more important given the devastating earthquakes that have struck both Turkey and Syria.”