S3RoU will advance innovative and field-deployable technologies to rebuild Ukraine by upcycling demolition waste and war-generated rubble into sustainable construction materials, applying a whole-system circular approach.
S3RoU will employ innovative asbestos-detection methods and rapid elemental and mineral characterisation to identify suitable materials for recycling. The project will optimise separation and treatment processes to extract high-value components and establish a decision-support framework for efficient resource use. Life-cycle and environmental assessments will guide improvements in energy efficiency and material recovery.
A major outcome will be a mobile waste-recycling line, deployable near demolition or construction sites. Using advanced fracture mechanics and phase-field modelling, S3RoU will define low-energy crushing strategies to improve the fragmentation of heterogeneous, quasi-brittle materials.
Recovered materials will be transformed into three product groups:
- recycled aggregates for new concrete;
- supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) from thermally treated paste;
- feedstock for low-carbon cement manufacturing.
The project will raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of Everox concrete-separation technology from TRL 5 to TRL 7, help Eco-Logic optimise waste-sorting systems, and expand sustainable material production.
The main deliverables include:
- an integrated mobile platform for separating and processing rubble;
- demonstration of material reuse in concrete production;
- innovative chemical and thermomechanical separation methods, including microwave-assisted sintering for energy-efficient cement manufacturing;
- a decision toolbox recommending optimal upcycling routes based on chemical composition, volume, life-cycle performance, and economic value.
Through these innovations, S3RoU will provide scalable, low-carbon solutions to transform conflict-related waste into valuable resources, supporting a safe, sustainable, and rapid reconstruction of Ukraine’s infrastructure.