Upcycled Textile Waste Used as Construction Material in Concrete Applications
OBJECTIVES
Create stronger, more durable concrete by using recycled textile fibres as a sustainable construction material
Optimise concrete mix designs using different types of upcycled textile fibres
Test performance to meet structural, durability and environmental standards
Develop low-cost, scalable ways to process textile waste for concrete use
Trial the product in real-world construction with industry and council partners
Team
Chamila Gunasekera
Lead Researcher
Yuguo Yu
Research Fellow
Nayanatara Ruppegoda Gamage
PhD
Partners
Sustainability Victoria
Brimbank City Council
Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Progress
SUMMARY
Led by RMIT in partnership with Luleå University of Technology (Sweden), this project builds on earlier RMIT research that showed scrap carpet fibres can reduce concrete cracking by up to 30%. The current focus is on refining the concrete mix for different construction uses, particularly ground slabs, and developing textile processing techniques that support recycling at scale. Trials show that using 0.3% carpet fibre can significantly improve strength and reduce shrinkage, while also making concrete more durable and less porous. The research team is now working with partners including Sustainability Victoria, City of Brimbank, and textile and carpet companies to conduct field trials. This project is part of the ARC TREMS Circular Economy Hub and supported by a DECRA grant.
The research gained major national and international media attention, with over 94 features across news, science and industry outlets—reaching an estimated audience of 192 million and generating an advertising value of around $7 million. The findings have positioned this work as a leading example of sustainable construction innovation.
OPPORTUNITIES
Access to competitive research funding through ARC and circular economy innovation grants
Scalable recycling pathway for Australia’s growing textile waste problem
Real-world use in council and commercial building projects, reducing waste to landfill
Collaboration across universities, councils, and industry to fast-track product development
Field trial data could help shape future standards for sustainable construction materials
High public and media interest helps attract further partnerships and investment
AS SEEN AT
BEFIB 2024 XI International Symposium on Fiber Reinforced Concrete – Chamila Gunasekara presentation
AS SEEN IN
94 news outlets including mainstream industry and science news platforms blogs and broadcasts, reaching an estimated 192 million people. Notable coverage included Cosmos Magazine, The Cool Down, MSN, Yahoo! News, Interesting Engineering, BGR, 3RRR radio, Xinhua, Technology Networks, Australian Manufacturing Magazine, Sustainability Matters, and The Engineer. “Engineers in Australia have found a way to make stronger and crack-resistant concrete with scrap carpet fibres, rolling out the red carpet for sustainability in the construction sector”
Construction and Building Materials (DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2024.137921) “Enhancement of concrete performance and sustainability through incorporation of diverse waste carpet fibres”
Journal of Building Engineering (DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2024.110027) “A data-enhanced approach for early-age drying induced moisture transport analysis on in-situ casted textile fibre reinforced concrete”
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering (ASCE) (DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0004538) “Utilization of recycled fabric-waste fibers in cementitious composite”
Construction and Building Materials (DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.129785) “Repurposing of blended fabric waste for sustainable cement-based composite: mechanical and microstructural performance”
ACI Materials Journal (DOI: 10.14359/51734688) “Upcycled polypropylene and polytrimethylene terephthalate carpet waste in reinforcing cementitious composites”