Image credit: Murphy
Murphy has begun what it says is the UK’s first permanent-works use of concrete made with Ecocem’s low-carbon cement, as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.
The infrastructure contractor is working with Breedon to use the concrete for a capping beam cast on a contiguous pile wall at Shipley Depot.
The works form part of the multi-billion-pound rail upgrade programme across the Pennines between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York.
150 cubic metres over 12 weeks
The pour is being delivered in 12 phases over 12 weeks and will involve around 150 cu m of concrete.
Murphy said the latest application marks a step up from its previous use of Ecocem’s ACT cement, when 38 cu m of concrete was poured for temporary works at Uxbridge.
Ecocem secured a European Technical Assessment for the cement in 2024. The company says the product can deliver a 70% reduction in CO2 compared with the average European cement blend, by reducing clinker content by up to 70% and replacing it with available fillers and local supplementary cementitious materials.
Carbon savings
Once the Shipley Depot pour is complete, Murphy expects to save 145kg of CO2 per cu m compared with the benchmark CIII/A concrete mix.
Murphy said the total saving is equivalent to the electricity used by 20 UK homes in a year, or an average car travelling around the equator twice.
Kyle Stott, Engineering Manager at Murphy, said: “This latest pour is both an example of innovation utilised for the good of the engineering industry, and a further demonstration of our commitment to creating a greener Murphy, becoming net positive by 2050.”
Murphy is working in the Tru East alliance with Network Rail, VolkerRail, Siemens and Systra on the York to Leeds section.
Source: Murphy
