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It’s crystal clear: crushed glass could save our sand
Crushed wine bottles and other recycled glass could replace sand in vital tunnelling supports, cutting construction costs and improving the sustainability of sand mining.
University of Queensland engineers are working on the second phase of an industry-sponsored project using crushed waste glass (CWG) to replace sand in shotcrete used to support tunnels and underground spaces.
Dr Mehdi Serati from UQ’s School of Civil Engineering said the amount of sand in the world was finite, so ingenuity was necessary to solve the problem of a looming shortage.
“If we don’t do something about sand depletion at a global scale, our grandchildren are not going to see sandy beaches,” Dr Serati said.