KEYWORDS
alternative materials, planning, procurement
INTRODUCTION
The aim of the Finnish Transport Agency (FTA) is to increase the use of alternative materials in earthworks for transport projects and thereby to decrease the volume of virgin materials used in construction. As one of the major clients in the Finnish infrastructure field, the FTA’s guidelines and quality requirements shall have a significant impact on the promoting of alternative materials throughout the sector. By increasing the use of alternative materials, the FTA wants to do its share in meeting the challenges posed by circular economy.
During the UUMA2 programme (Finnish national programme of Recovered Materials in Earthworks, 2013–2017), the FTA recognised a need to develop its own planning, project and procurement processes. The increased use of alternative materials in earthworks for transport projects requires them to be taken into consideration at an early stage of the planning process and well before the contract phase. In 2016, the FTA started a development project to compile experiences from test construction sites over the years. This was followed with a pilot project in 2017, the objective being to draw up guidelines for reports of alternative materials and to update current planning and procurement processes.
1. Report of alternative materials
In 2016–2017 reports of alternative materials were commissioned for several road and railway projects that were at the planning or implementation stage. Based on the reports, content recommendations for reports of alternative materials for roads and railways in preliminary engineering, final engineering and construction planning phases were given. At the preliminary engineering planning phase, it is important to identify availability and opportunities for using alternative materials. At the final engineering planning phase, a limited or a broader study on alternative materials can be chosen, depending on the scope and scheduling of the project in question and on the availability of alternative materials. At the construction planning phase, the report should include detailed information that directly contributes to planning and/or contracting, such as cross-sections of alternative structures or the procurement or storage of alternative materials. A research report based on the pilot project was published early in 2018 and its results will be used to develop the FTA’s guidelines for using alternative materials.
2. Development of procurement processes
The procurement document templates of the FTA will be updated during 2018. A separate sub-website will be set up under the ‘Procurement guidelines’ page in the Agency’s Intranet for compiling up-to-date information on alternative materials. The outcome of the FTA’s development of planning and procurement processes will be made available to other relevant parties to be utilized in their own practices.
REFERENCES
Ahlqvist, E., (2018). Väyläsuunnittelun uusiomateriaaliselvitykset (Report of alternative materials for road and railway planning projects). Research reports of the Finnish Transport Agency, 6/2018.
Lessons learnt from practical projects , Regulations and legislation
