Bitublocks are made 100% from waste materials such as crushed glass, steel slag and fly ash (sounds like slang from the hood), all bound together by bitumen, a byproduct of crude oil distillation. Bitumen is currently used to pave roads. The secret is heat-curing the gloop which hardens it. The stuff is six times stronger than concrete, according to inventor John Forth, a civil engineer from the University of Leeds. Blimy.
“Our aim is to completely replace concrete as a structural material”, said Mr. Forth.
Look to see these trash houses in 3-5 years. Asked why so long, an engineer replied, “It’s gonna take awhile for us to break all that glass and round up all those flies’ ashes.”*
Bitublock wall
Spurred by the need for new construction materials, engineers are also working on Vegeblocks, made from waste vegetable oil.
Vegeblocks
Further Reading:
Non-traditional binders for Construction Materials.
Sources: Eureckalert.org; Roland Piquepaille’s Technology Trends; Technology Horizons.
* quote added by the author for comic relief (and TB)
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