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Netherlands circular in 2050. This government goal to make the Netherlands circular as soon as possible is a daily reality for concrete manufacturer Betonfabriek Nigtevecht. High quality concrete is a sustainable product, where, thanks to its technical lifespan of over 100 years, it takes quite a long time before circularity is an issue.
"This is precisely why it does require that we use raw materials that do not interfere with reuse when the concrete is recycled into granules," said Sascha Tasseron of Betonfabriek Nigtevecht.
Betonfabriek Nigtevecht has been putting concrete reuse into practice for several years. As one of the first and still few producers, the company applies the certified concrete granulate as an aggregate -as a partial substitute for sand and gravel- in the mixtures. "And that without any loss of quality!", adds Tasseron. "Given the raw materials used, the products made from this are suitable again in the distant future to be formed into concrete products in recycled form. Thus the circle is complete again."
Since 1975, Betonfabriek Nigtevecht has been a producer for the rail-infra duo-block sleepers and block-and-slab construction, as used in the tramway systems of The Hague, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
These concrete products are produced using the direct-dismantling system and equipped with bending reinforcement. "This method of production achieves a high daily production with a single production mold," Tasseron explains, "allowing us short delivery times and a competitive product price."
Duo-bloc-tube sleepers are used in asphalt/concrete closed track construction for Light Rail and Tram lines. As here at a project in Scheveningen.
The emergence of express streetcars and metro (light rail) in 1998 created a demand for a more favorably priced variant of the railway sleepers with prestressing reinforcement, as used in train track constructions. "Reason for us, as concrete factory Nigtevecht, to commission TU Delft -section Traffic Engineering- to design and test a mono-block reinforced concrete sleeper. This had to be suitable for vehicles with a nominal static axle load of 130 to 160 kN, a speed of up to 100 km and laid with a center-to-center distance of 0.60 meters. After research and development, followed by extensive, positive testing, this resulted in a patent-pending mono-block sleeper."
The light rail sleepers are produced with CO2 low-emission concrete with which the environment is optimally relieved. In terms of concrete strength class and environmental classes, the concrete product meets high durability requirements (>50 years). "Meanwhile, the product has been used to full satisfaction for many years in projects in the Netherlands, Belgium and France."
Over the years, Betonfabriek Nigtevecht's rail-infra - in addition to the many products for the water and infra industry - has expanded to include sleepers for turnout lanes, crane tracks, roof and facade installations and attraction track. Tasseron concludes, "Not only with our extensive product range, but also in terms of the environment, we like to think along for the best possible result."
