Publication
Concrete rubble is among the most wasted materials worldwide. In this paper, we present a panorama of the upcycling potential of disused concrete rubble as construction material for new low-carbon structures. We identify 15 existing structural applications of concrete rubble reuse, 6 of which are currently supported with full-scale built demonstrators. Through analysis of 10 site visits and 19 interviews, we identify 7 opportunities (e.g., related to cheapness, sustainability, and localness) and 9 limitations (e.g., related to disparity and uncertainty) linked to this untapped material, and we compare them to those of stone and newly-produced concrete. Possible processing and assembly strategies specific to concrete rubble pieces are also documented. An analysis of the applicability of concrete rubble to 19 structural typologies highlights solutions that are technically possible, structurally relevant, and sustainably convenient. The analysis coupled with the review of full-scale precedents highlight the diversity and extent of remaining solutions to be explored. Wall and vault applications are detailed through structural design explorations encompassing 185 processing strategies and functional requirements. The authors identify foundations and retaining walls as environmentally convenient applications, surface-active compression structures as structurally relevant applications; and highlight readily implementable solutions, such as gabions walls.