Witchford Recycling Centre
Steel fibre reinforced concrete
Hanson Concrete, working in partnership with Sika, supplied steel fibre reinforced concrete to the new purpose‑built recycling centre that has recently been built at Witchford, near Ely, for Cambridgeshire County Council. This new state-of-the-art centre replaces the old and smaller existing open‑air site at Grunty Fen.
Groundwork contractor Steve Hill Construction, working with main contractor Willmott Dixon, were looking for a cost‑effective solution to construct a strong, durable base slab, without using traditional steel mesh reinforcement. Hanson Concrete were able to offer a concrete mix which included Sika®ViscoCrete® 15RM liquid admixture as a water reducer and superplasticiser, and Novocon HE1050 steel fibres to produce a tough, durable concrete slab with increased crack, impact and abrasion resistance, fully able to withstand the rigours of a working recycling site.
In use, the public will be able to use the environmentally friendly facility under cover and over two split levels, which eliminates the need to climb steps to deposit their waste. The building, which is being built by the council to encourage more recycling and less landfilling, will have an innovative green roof to help minimise any impact on the surrounding environment.
Witchford Recycling Centre will be able to cope with waste ranging from cardboard, batteries and old mobile phones to carpets, tyres and engine oil. From here, waste will be distributed to specialist centres around the UK for recycling.