Title: Material flows analysis of construction aggregates in Taiwan

Authors: Teng-Yuan Hsiao, Yue-Hwa Yu, I-Cheng Chang

Addresses: Department of Leisure, Recreation and Tourism Management, National Kaohsiung Hospitality College, 1, Sung-Ho Rd., Hsiao-Kang Kaohsiung 812, Taiwan. ' Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71, Chou-Shan Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan. ' Department of Environmental Engineering, National Ilan University, 1, Sec. 1, Shen-Lung Rd., I-Lan 260, Taiwan

Abstract: Recent decades of economic and industrial development have accelerated the demand for and use of construction aggregates in Taiwan. Material Flows Analysis (MFA), the most common analysis tool of the scientific field of industrial ecology, was employed in this study. The study calculated, within a decade period, the deposits, domestic production, demand, import, export, per capita and per unit area demand, Total construction Aggregates Requirements (TAR) Intensity of Use (IU) and Efficiency of Use (EU). This paper shows the amount of waste concrete in construction works. From the analysis, we established two system dynamic models: the Supply and Demand Model (SDM) and the Recycle and Filled soil site capacity Model (RFM) to simulate and forecast the use of construction aggregates. The results showed that land aggregates will gradually replace riverbed aggregates as main sources for the construction industry. The capacity of construction wastes will be overloaded in the year 2007. The findings can provide a reliable reference for the Taiwanese government in its decision-making processes concerning the national dematerialisation and waste concrete recycling policy of construction aggregates.

Keywords: construction aggregates; industrial ecology; material flow analysis; MFA; system dynamics; dematerialisation; material flows; Taiwan; waste concrete; simulation; forecasting; land aggregates; riverbed aggregates; construction waste; concrete recycling; recycling policy.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2009.029079

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2009 Vol.6 No.2, pp.135 - 152

Published online: 03 Nov 2009 *

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