In the spring, 6Aika’s project ILPO climate-friendly business districts and value chains’ opened two pilot service procurements for the development of the Taraste district. Solutions were sought for stabilising/strengthening moraine and low-quality soil in field structures as well as for constructing lightweight fills from circular-economy materials. The first pilot is for Ecolan Oy’s solution for the construction of lightweight fills.
Tarasten Kiertotalousalue Oy enables the reception, storage and handling of various materials within its area either in its facility or as a field activity. Significant amounts of circular-economy materials are used in the construction of the streets, plots and protective structures of the district, and the ‘material banking model’ is also used in the district starting from preconstruction. Due to the activities located on the side closest to Tampere, the area has been profiled for activities requiring heavy environmental permit processes and environmental impact assessments.
The ‘pilot service’ search was aimed at companies involved in infrastructure construction and the reuse of materials. The aim of the search related to the construction of lightweight fills was to find viable solutions either in the materials produced within the economic area or from the materials available at economically advantageous transport distances.
A lightweight structure provides a good alternative to various subgrade reinforcement methods, such as stabilisation or piling. Lightweight refers to the reduction of the load caused by rock aggregate by replacing some of it with a lighter material, in which case the effect is the same as the reduction of levelling.
“The Taraste district is one of the most important circular-economy areas in the Tampere region, and the aim there is to operate in accordance with the principles of sustainable development from the start of the infrastructure construction. The use of recovered materials and the piloting of new innovations in the district play an important role in the development of the district.”
Pirkko Eteläaho, Project Manager, Business Tampere
The Ecolan Infra® TR Diesel Material developed by Ecolan Oy is an industrially granulated coarse aggregate made from ash generated as side streams of power plants, the granularity of which can be controlled by way of screening. The product can be used in infrastructure construction projects where the material must offer good thermal insulation, resistance to frost, lightness and mechanical resistance.
“Ecolan Infra® TR has long been used as a drainage and insulation layer, especially in road and field structures, and we have already gained a comfortable foothold in the market for infrastructure construction materials. Through this pilot service procurement, we will be able to demonstrate the excellent lightweight properties of Infra® TR as well as diversify its applications.”
Juha Ahvenainen, CEO, Ecolan Oy
The pilot is intended to compare, among other things, the dimensioning of the lightweight structure with other materials, and the material and economic savings achieved through the lightweight structure which is implemented. Another aim is to see if anything else emerges in the construction that has not been taken into account in the past. The pilot and reporting will take place in autumn 2020 and will result in a publicly available report on the design and implementation of lightweight structures implemented using Infra TR.
Bringing the city and its residents, businesses and communities together is at the core of Tampere’s strategy. Co-creation in the Smart Tampere programme has already resulted in more than 50 different solutions. Methods vary, but a common factor is the opening up of challenges to companies and communities and the aim of creating better solutions to meet the needs of the city and its residents. Among the solutions have been technological solutions and service concepts to facilitate day-to-day activities, for example.
More info:
Pirkko Eteläaho
Project Manager, circular economy
Business Tampere
pirkko.etelaaho@businesstampere.fi
040 630 4840
Photo: Mirella Mellonmaa / Business Tampere
