Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC), which has already gained acceptance in the construction of dams, container handling facilities, dry-land log sorting areas, and road construction has now found yet another use: composting facilities. The owners of Scott’s composting facility selected RCC as the best material for their working surface. They have credited the RCC slab with lower operation costs, higher equipment efficiency and increased yield which is essential to this operation. As wastes are composted and stored directly on the slab, minimal contamination of the final product results. The RCC also provides a positive means to direct surface drainage to a holding pond located on the site.
Roller Compacted Concrete Construction
RCC Construction
RCC is an almost dry concrete mixture that is placed, then compacted with a roller. It is comprised of local aggregates or crushed recycled concrete, Portland cement and water.
The attributes of RCC:
- Economical to construct
- Withstands high loads and abrasion without rutting
- Durable in the Canadran climate
- Is itself 100% recyclable
At Scott’s composting facility, the RCC:
- Has an average compressive strength of 30 MPa, which equals that of a high-quality concrete
- Provides good drainage
- Eliminates contamination of the compost
The Composting Process
- Materials suitable for cornposting are varied and include food waste, leaves, selected clean waste paper, clean wood waste and horse manure
- Windrows of compost require turning once per week, minimum
- Composting results in the generation of high temperatures in the windrows, which accelerate the process
- Completion of the composting process takes 10 to 11 weeks
Windrowed Compost
Scott’s composting facility which opened in October 1991 is licensed to process 100 tonnes of material per day. Fifty percent of its production is supplied to local nurseries, golf courses and residential garden uses. while the remainder is supplied to the family farm to help qualify its products as being organically grown.
Roller-compacted concrete is the ideal material for a wide variety of applications in today’s environmentally conscious world. Recycling organic waste by composting on an RCC slab represents a fine example of good environmental stewardship.
Owner/Site Design Consultant: Scott’s Cornposting Farm Inc.
Pavement Design Consultant: John Emery Geotechnical Engineering Limited
Contractor: Duffenn Constructron Company
Composting on Concrete (1992-1)