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What is Leca® Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LWA)
Leca ® Lightweight Aggregate (LWA) is a natural, unique and sustainable lightweight clay aggregate. LECA® LWA has remarkable properties which ensure its versatility for use in a vast number of structural and geotechnical applications. It is the only "all in one" aggregate solution for Architects and Civil Engineers to overcome problematic areas in construction and design.
The Manufacturing Process
During the LECA ® LWA manufacturing process, natural clay is kiln-fired at high temperature to create an incombustible ceramic material. The individual clay particles begin to fuse at 950°c, and the clay material begins to melt at temperatures exceeding 1150°c to form the ceramic shell of the honeycomb pellet.
Fundamental Properties of Leca® Lightweight Aggregate
Overview
- Stability – reduces the risk of embankment landslide and deformation
- Reduced settlements - less damage to road structures, rail beds, pipelines and other structures
- Reduced earth pressure - in structural backfill against foundations, retaining walls and bridge abutments
- Drainage - on sports grounds, fields, slopes and roads
- Insulation - protection for roads surface, structure, pipelines and service mains
- Frost stability - in road and rail beds
- Limited compaction – Exerted energy during compaction is minimal with a reduction in volume of approximately 10 - 12%.
- Low density and ease of handling, coupled with consistent high quality, make Leca® LWA a highly competitive alternative to other lightweight materials
Leca Video Collection
We have collected all our videos where you will find all our key geotechnical videos including major civil engineering case studies, sustainability highlights and installation/ compaction focused videos.
Leca Video Collection
LECA Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
LECA Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) Available Now
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Commitment to Sustainability - Our NEXT STEP
Our intermediate commitment is reducing the greenhouse gas emissions by 30% in 2025 followed by 50% reduction by 2030, achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050. For that LECA will invest in clean processes, substituting the consumption of fossil fuels with green energy. At the same time, we intend to reduce the consumption of virgin materials in our operations and improving the circular economy with our customers and partners. To bring to You and to the Planet an even more sustainable product.
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Simple Solution
Whilst LECA® LWA is a simple product, our solutions are innovative.
Alone, it is one single expanded clay pellet, but when combining the pellets into an aggregate, the civil engineering possibilities become endless - whether it is lightening road and railway embankments, insulating and filling of swimming pool surrounds, reducing pressure within quay extensions, lightweight fill in foundations and behind retaining walls, general load compensation, within structural elements, insulating and lightening pipelines, drainage and insulating sports pitches and courts, lightening the load over tunnels and bridge development and much more.
The simplicity of this product makes it extremely versatile and flexible in the construction process.
Civils & Infrastructure Design Disciplines
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Partnerships with leading UK Construction Teams
We are proud to have partnered many of the UK's leading design and geotechnical design teams throughout the UK including Ramboll, Bam Nuttall, WSP, AECOM, Curtins, Mott MacDonald, Network Rail, Highways England and Balfour Beatty to work on some of the most groundbreaking and innovative geotechnical projects. Our innovative and unique material has proved to be a lightweight solution synonymous with groundwork issues, speed of delivery and sustainability.
Civils and Infrastructure
LECA ® LWA can be used in a variety of structural and geotechnical type projects and its significant properties such as being light in weight, extremely strong and ease to handle have proven that LECA ® LWA is for many civil engineers the aggregate of choice. LECA® LWA is a simple and powerfully effective alternative to conventional aggregates with the advantage of being able to be pneumatically blown into difficult to access locations, allowing construction time to be significantly reduced in comparison to other solutions containing heavy aggregate materials.
