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Use of 100 % recycled aggregates in concrete – report on practical applications This article reports on eight practical examples of applications for concrete with 100 % recycled aggregates. The applications include reinforced/unreinforced bored piles, foundations, load‐bearing internal/external walls, columns and floor slabs as well as balcony elements. Some components were realised as architectural concrete components. The respective project is summarised together with the results of the concrete development and concrete testing as well as the experience gained from obtaining special approvals in individual cases. Based on the findings from the various practical projects, it can be concluded that concrete with 100 % RC‐GK can be used for a large number of applications, so far limited to up to XC4 and XF3. Compressive strength for ready‐mix concrete up to C35/45 with good workability even with pumped concrete (here: pumping distance 45 m) using 100 % RC‐GK type 1 were possible without any problems. A concrete with sufficient early strength and a final strength of C40/50 was developed for precast elements. In two examples, RC‐GK type 2 was used for the coarse grain fraction and RC‐GK type 1 for the sand. All the projects presented have already been completed or are nearing completion. The feasibility of 100 % RC concrete in practice has thus been successfully demonstrated in several cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the durability of recycled self-compacting concrete in relation to its resistance against freeze-thaw cycles and alkali-silica reactions. It explores the properties of fresh concrete, investigates the impact of various additives, and evaluates key factors such as spalling, weight loss, compressive strength, expansion rate, and ultrasonic properties in hardened concrete samples incorporating different levels of recycled aggregates. The findings illustrate the feasibility of achieving self-compacting recycled concrete by increasing the use of superplasticizers and adding 10% beach sand. Furthermore, incorporating 10% micro-silica and 7.5% wollastonite in the recycled mix enhances the strength of all samples, with the 25% recycled material sample demonstrating the highest strength and durability. Despite a decrease in strength and increased expansion as recycling percentages and freeze-thaw cycles rise, the recycled samples maintain acceptable durability. Additionally, this study employs the R programming language to elucidate the relationship between compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, offering valuable insights into recycled concrete performance and behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the research outlined in this paper is to propose an eco-friendly solution that simultaneously contributes to improving the characteristics of polymer composites. The analyzed solution entails the use of recycled aggregate from crushed concrete rubble. The authors conducted experiments to test the consistency, density, flexural strength, compressive strength, and microstructure of polymer concrete (PC) with different proportions of recycled aggregate (RA). It was found that PC with RA had a higher compressive strength, 96 MPa, than PC with natural aggregate, 89.1 MPa, owing to the formation of a double-layer shell of resin and calcium filler on the surface of porous RA grains. Using a resin with a lower viscosity could improve the performance of PC with RA by filling the cracks and penetrating deeper into the pores. RA is a valuable material for PC production, especially when it contains porous grains with poor mechanical properties, which are otherwise unsuitable for other applications. This article also highlights the environmental and economic benefits of using RA in PC, as it can reduce waste generation and natural resource consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to assess the effect of using recycled aggregates (RA) derived from construction and demolition waste (CDW) on the development of the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of a silty-cement soil from the Guabirotuba Formation, located in the southern region of Brazil. Was considered the influence of various parameters, including RA content, compaction effort, maximum dry specific mass, and porosity/volume cement content (η/Civ). RA contents of 10%, 20%, and 30%, combined with 5% cement by dry soil weight, are studied at curing times of 0, 7, 14, and 28 days, using standard, intermediate, and modified compaction efforts. The results reveal that the addition of RA leads to an increase in the maximum dry specific mass, directly correlating with an increase in the rate of compressive strength gain over time. In the case of the modified compaction effort, the UCS value for the mixture with 30% RA at 28 days of curing reaches 2318 kPa, which is 35% higher compared to the mixture without RA, which has an RCS value of 1711 kPa. Equations establishing a relationship between η/Civ and UCS show that smaller η/Civ values result in greater UCS. Furthermore, a correlation between η/Civ and RA content with UCS suggests that η/Civ has a stronger influence on UCS than RA content. Lastly, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) indicates that incorporating 30% RA reduces the number of pores as well as their size, which enhances the soil structure and its increases stability, resulting in a more compact structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the influence of polypropylene fiber on the mechanical properties of recycled concrete and the bonding performance between recycled concrete and steel bars. The results indicate that the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of concrete decrease with the increase in the replacement rate of recycled aggregate. When the replacement rate of recycled aggregate was 100 %, the compressive strength of concrete decreased by 25.0%, while the splitting tensile strength of concrete decreased by 21.7 %. The compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of recycled aggregate concrete show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing fiber content. When the fiber content is 0.09 %, the compressive strength and tensile strength of recycled aggregate concrete are optimal. The bond strength of recycled concrete pullout specimens with fiber is higher than that of recycled concrete pullout specimens without fiber, while the slip of recycled concrete pullout specimens with fiber is lower than that of recycled concrete pullout specimens without fiber. The maximum improvement in bonding performance between recycled concrete and rebars with a 50 % recycled aggregate replacement rate is 13.7 %, and the maximum improvement in bonding performance between recycled concrete and rebars with a 100 % recycled aggregate replacement rate is 11.8 %. The bond strength shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing fiber content, but the degree of decrease was not significant, while the slip shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with increasing fiber content. Compared to the compressive strength of concrete, the splitting tensile strength can better reflect the bond strength between concrete and rebar. The nonlinear relationship between the bond strength, compressive strength, and splitting tensile strength of recycled concrete is established. This study can effectively improve the mechanical properties of recycled concrete, expand the application scope of recycled concrete technology, and promote the sustainable development of the construction industry.

This article presents the results of research evaluating the compressive strength of concrete using recycled coarse aggregate, in the case of using fly ash (CP1) and without using fly ash at a content of 5% (CP2). The experimental samples were compressed to test the compressive strength value at different times, including 7 days old, 14 days old and 28 days old. The study designed a recycled concrete composition with a 50-50 ratio of regular aggregate and recycled coarse aggregate, and the concrete has a design compressive strength of 15 Mpa. The compressive strength of concrete was studied and compared in cases with and without fly ash, and compared with another research result on concrete using recycled coarse aggregate.

Reusing waste materials such as construction and demolition waste is an environmentally significant task. This article aims to improve the quality of recycled aggregates after the demolition of concrete structures. Two methods, mechanical cleaning and impregnation, were explored to enhance the quality of coarse aggregates. The findings indicate that mechanical cleaning is more effective than soaking in a sodium silicate solution. The compressive strength of concrete made with mechanically cleaned recycled aggregates was 2.3 times greater than that of concrete made with untreated rubble. Concrete with impregnated rubble had a compressive strength 1.1 times greater than that of concrete with untreated aggregates. Infrared spectroscopy was used to study the microstructure, revealing that the type of treatment does not influence the quantity of portlandite and ettringite in hydrated cement. However, the treatment of recycled aggregates alters the interaction in the gel portion of cement hydration products. Concrete with aggregates treated by sodium silicate has more aluminate components. Additionally, there is a shift of the bands assigned to Si-O stretching to higher wave numbers (from 995 cm–1 to 1088 cm–1), which can be attributed to the formation of calcium-silicate-hydrate gel with a lower calcium/silicon ratio.

Steam curing prefabrication is a feasible way to promote the application of recycled aggregate in the background of building industrialization. The combined use of slag and fly ash contributes to the comprehensive improvement of both the early and later-stage performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). However, the steam curing regime for RAC composed of slag and fly ash remains unclear, including appropriate curing temperatures and time. In this study, the influences of curing temperatures (20, 40, 60, and 80°C), steam curing time (6, 9, and 12 h) and mineral admixtures (slag powder and fly ash) on the demoulding strength and strength development of RAC were investigated. Based on the Arrhenius formula, the hydration reaction rate was characterized by the development of compressive strength, the apparent activation energy related to the steam curing time was calculated, and the energy-based compressive strength model was proposed to realize the early strength prediction of the steam-cured RAC.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the macro and micro properties of stabilized recycled aggregate base layers using gypsum slag cement (GSC) and compare them with ordinary Portland cement (OPC). To achieve this, four levels of recycled aggregate content (0%, 50%, 60%, 70%) and three levels of binder materials (3.5%, 4.5%, 5.5%) were designed, where the binding materials included OPC and GSC. When GSC is used as the binding material with 0% recycled content, two scenarios for the ratio of slag to activator are considered: 4:1 and 4:2. For recycled content of 50%, 60%, and 70%, only the 4:1 ratio is considered. The macro-mechanical properties of the composite material were studied through compaction tests, unconfined compressive strength tests, and indirect tensile strength tests. Microscopic properties were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Macroscopic test results indicate that, at an equal binder content, GSC exhibits a higher moisture content and maximum dry density compared to OPC. Moreover, the unconfined compressive strength and indirect tensile strength of GSC are higher than those of OPC. Microscopic test results reveal that the hydration products of both binding materials are essentially similar; however, under identical curing conditions, the hydration products of GSC are more abundant than those of OPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the improvement effect of nano-clay and polypropylene fiber on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregates, unconfined compression tests and triaxial shear tests were conducted. The experimental results show that adding polypropylene fibers to recycled aggregates increases the unconfined compressive strength by 27% and significantly improves ductility. We added 6% nano-clay to fiber-reinforced recycled aggregates, which increased the unconfined compressive strength of the recycled aggregates by 49% and the residual stress by 146%. However, the ductility decreased. Under low confining pressures, with the addition of nano-clay, the peak deviatoric stress strength of the fiber-reinforced recycled aggregates first decreased and then increased. When the nano-clay content was 8%, this reached a maximum value. However, under high confining pressures, the recycled aggregate particles were tightly interlocked, so that the improvement effect of the fiber and nano-clay was not obvious. As more nano-clay was added, the friction angle of the fiber-reinforced recycled aggregates decreased, while the cohesion increased. When the content of nano-clay was 8%, the cohesive force increased by 110%. The results of this research indicate that adding both polypropylene fibers and nano-clay to recycled aggregates has a better improvement effect on their strength characteristics than adding only polypropylene fibers. This study can provide a reference for improving the mechanical properties of recycled aggregates and the use of roadbeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to low density, large pores, and numerous cracks, recycled aggregate mortar has defects of lower fluidity and lower strength compared to natural aggregate mortar. In order to modify inherent defects of recycled aggregates, nanosilica (NS) with different dosages (0%, 0.6%, 1.2%, 1.8%, 2.4% and 3%) was added to recycled aggregate mortar (RNC), and 40% natural sand in RNC was replaced by recycled aggregates. Then consistency test, compressive strength test and microscopic tests (SEM, EDS and XRD) were conducted to investigate working performance and microscopic mechanism. It was found that the addition of NS can improve the flowability of RNC, and the consistency value reaches the maximum (53 mm) while NS content is 2.4%, which increases by 14% comparing to the specimen without NS. The compressive strength of RNC increases and decreases with increasing NS content in the ranges of 0–1.8% and 1.8–3% respectively, and compressive strength is 3.3 and 5.9 MPa at curing ages of 7 d and 28 d respectively while NS content is 1.8%, which increase 50% and 14% comparing to the specimen without NS. Meanwhile, the consistency value of the specimen with NS content of 1.8% is 51 mm, which is close the maximum value corresponding to NS content of 2.4%. For that, 1.8% is suggested as the optimal content of NS. Moreover, the addition of NS can reduce the brittleness index and mechanical damage degree, and enhance the energy absorption effect. Microscopic analysis reveals that NS can not only fill the inherent cracks and pores of recycled aggregates, but also promote cement hydration reaction, and more hydration products (C-S-H) can efficiently reduce the cracks and pores of recycled aggregates. It is believed that the finds of this paper can provide theoretical support for the application of recycled aggregates in practical engineering.

Rice husk ash (RHA), an agricultural by‐product, has been added as supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in concrete mixture to improve the compressive properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) in recent years. This study aimed to optimise the mixture design of RAC considering two variables: the replacement ratio (wt.%) of recycled aggregate (RA) to natural aggregate (NA) with three levels (0%, 50% and 100%) and the replacement ratio (wt.%) of RHA to cement with three levels (0%, 10% and 20%). Compression test was implemented at concrete age of 28 days based on the full factorial experiment. By means of response surface methodology (RSM), the optimised RA replacement ratio and RHA replacement ratio can be calculated with respect to the compressive strength and E‐modulus at 28 days, and vice versa the compressive strength and E‐modulus at 28 days of RAC containing RHA can also be predicted. According to response surface modelling, the compressive strength reaches the maximum value when the RA replacement ratio is 0% and the RHA replacement ratio is 7%, and the E‐modulus would reach the maximum when the RA replacement ratio is 17% and the RHA replacement ratio is 7%. The determination coefficient (R2) and adjusted coefficient (R2adj) for the compressive strength model are 0.9632 and 0.9544 respectively, and for the E‐modulus model are 0.9319 and 0.9157 respectively, showing that the models developed by RSM are relatively well correlated with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, special concrete-like self-compacting concrete (SCC) requires sustainability by introducing recycled aggregates as a partial replacement for natural aggregate. Technological development initiatives in the construction sector estimate the 28 days' concrete compressive strength before casting due to faster requirement; one method selected is an artificial neural network. From works of literature, 515 mixed design are collected and utilized for training, validation, and testing data to prepare models. Different applications of SCC require different strengths of concrete. Based on control mix compressive strength, the mix designs are grouped into three families as low, medium, and high strength, apart from a common family. The correlation between input and output variables for three different families is analyzed. ANOVA analyses are done for input parameters. Coefficient of relation (R2) is used for sensitive assessment and results for family I (R2 = 0.9299), family II (R2 = 0.824), family III (R2 = 0.8775), and family IV (R2 = 0.7991). Two further sensitivity analyses indicate that input parameters' influence varies for different families.

The requirement of the construction sector pushes researchers and academicians to determine the 28-day concrete compressive strength due to less consumption of natural products and reduced cost. One recommended method to reduce the cost and simultaneously adopt sustainability is introducing recycled aggregates in concrete. Most typical structures require concrete, which is self-flowable and compactable; specific structures require concrete, which is self-flowable and compactable; one such concrete is self-compacting concrete (SCC). 515 mix design samples for SCC with recycled aggregates are collected from the literature and used for training, validation, and testing to create the model using machine learning techniques (Extra Gradient (XG) Boosting, Ada Boosting, Gradient Boosting, Light Gradient Boosting, Category Boosting, K Nearest Neighbors, Extra Trees, Decision Trees, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine). The correlation between input and output variables is analyzed using ANOVA and is indicated that data can be used to develop machine learning models successfully. Sensitive analysis and error assessment are performed to choose the best machine learning methods, and it found that CB, KNN, and ERT have the highest R2 value and lowest MSE.

The main problem of our cities is the lack of treatment and final disposal of construction and demolition waste (CDW), which, accompanied by a lack of knowledge, becomes a major problem. Likewise, a city in the north of Peru (Cutervo) is not immune to the problematic reality experienced in the country and worldwide, since the lack of CDW management projects has generated the formation of informal dumps. The main objective of this research is to determine the technical and economic feasibility of using CDW for the production of pedestrian pavers, given that it includes measurements of the physical and mechanical characteristics to be analyzed. It is concluded that the use of CDW in the production of paving stones is feasible, from the economic and technical aspects, incurring a reduction in cost.

The main problem of our cities is the lack of treatment and final disposal of construction and demolition waste (CDW), which, accompanied by a lack of knowledge, becomes a major problem. Likewise, a city in the north of Peru (Cutervo) is not immune to the problematic reality experienced in the country and worldwide, since the lack of CDW management projects has generated the formation of informal dumps. The main objective of this research is to determine the technical and economic feasibility of using CDW for the production of pedestrian pavers, given that it includes measurements of the physical and mechanical characteristics to be analyzed. It is concluded that the use of CDW in the production of paving stones is feasible, from the economic and technical aspects, incurring a reduction in cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing construction and demolition waste (CDW) and the large amount of energy consumption in the building operation process are high-profile issues at present. In the construction industry, recycled aggregated (RA) from CDW can be reutilized in construction, along with green materials, for example, as a road base layer, as aggregate in concrete, etc. Phase change materials (PCM) are often used as building materials due to their good latent heat storage properties. With the use of RA as a matrix to absorb PCM, a thermal performance aggregate can be obtained. This work studied the physical properties of RA from Portugal and combined PCM with RA to prepare a green thermal aggregate through two methodologies using a vacuum and atmospheric pressure. The green aggregate was used in concrete to observe its effect on the compressive strength of concrete. The results showed that the amount of PCM absorbed by the RA mainly depends on the porosity of the matrix material. At the same time, the volume expansion coefficient of PCM was 2.7%, which was not enough to destroy the RA. Ultimately, as the amount of green thermal aggregate increases, the compressive strength of concrete decreases. Green thermal aggregate prepared under vacuum conditions has a greater negative impact on the compressive strength of concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses to study some properties of recycled aggregate concretes (RAC) according to the equivalent water absorption of aggregates and the parent concrete strength of RCA and thus new relationships were deduced. The results indicated that 1% increase of the equivalent water absorption induced 0.12% increase in superplasticiser dosages. The hyperbolic model seems to be more adequate to estimate compressive strength and shrinkage of RAC when the parent concrete strength and the equivalent water absorption were introduced. According to the obtained results, the parent concrete strength of RCA must not be less than 10 MPa than that of the reference concrete to avoid the drop in compressive strength. For high equivalent water absorption, the ultimate shrinkage became higher and slower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) are influenced by the composition and particle size distribution of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA). The study herein designed seven distinct groups of RACs with varying aggregate fractal dimensions (D) and one group of natural concrete (NAC). The impact of D on the workability, compressive strength, resistance to chloride ion penetration, and carbonation resistance of RAC was measured. It was found that an increase in the D value led to a decrease in the slump and slump flow, with the compressive strength and chloride ion penetration increasing and then decreasing, and carbonation gradually declined. The optimal fractal dimension was thereby determined to be 2.547 by a strength model accommodating two parameters of D and the curing age. Additionally, the mass percentage of each particle size for the corresponding gradation was presented. The compressive strength and chloride permeation resistance of RAC (D = 1.0) relative to RAC (D = 2.5) was increased by 16.7% and 13.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the carbonation depth of RAC (D = 2.5) was comparable to that of NAC. Additionally, the carbonation resistance of RAC was influenced by both the size distribution and the degree of natural carbonation of RCA, resulting in four distinct features relative to NAC. It is thereby feasible to enhance RAC performance through the manipulation of RCA's fractal dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides the results of an experiment on the possibility of using high-volume ground granulated blast furnace slag (HVGGBFS)-based concrete as mass concrete. In addition to the control concrete, the total weight of the binder was 75% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) and 25% ordinary Portland cement (OPC). For the aggregates, both natural and recycled aggregates were used. Three specimens with dimensions of 800 mm × 800 mm × 800 mm were prepared to simulate mass concrete. The workability, temperature aging and strength of the mass concrete were tested. The test results showed that utilizing HVGGBFS concrete as mass concrete can significantly reduce the heat of hydration due to the low heat of hydration of GGBFS, while the heat of hydration of GGBFS and recycled aggregate combination is 11.2% higher than normal concrete, with a slump that is 31.3% lower than that of plain concrete. The results also showed that the use of recycled aggregates in HVGGBFS concrete can significantly reduce workability. However, the compressive strength is higher than when natural aggregates are used due to the alkali activation effect caused by the recycled aggregates. The compressive strength at 7 and 28 days increased by 33.7% and 16.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To promote the regeneration of waste concrete resources, calcined attapulgite (NAT) was used to improve the properties of recycled concrete. The effects of recycled aggregate replacement ratio and calcined NAT content on the workability, compressive strength, and resistance to chloride ion penetration of recycled concrete were investigated and combined with X-ray diffraction to analyze the phase transition of calcined NAT, scanning electron microscope and pore size analyzer to analyze the microstructure of recycled concrete. The test results show that calcination can improve the NAT volcanic ash effect. The increased recycled aggregate substitution rate decreased the compressive properties and resistance to chloride ion penetration of recycled concrete at all ages. When calcined NAT is not incorporated, there are more pores and cracks in the recycled concrete. When the appropriate amount of calcined NAT is incorporated, the pores and cracks in the concrete are reduced, and the interface transition zone is more compacted. Regarding workability, compressive strength, resistance to chloride ion attack, and microstructure, the optimum amount of calcined NAT is 6% when the recycled aggregate substitution rate was 30% . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limestone-calcined clay cement (LC3) is one of the green or low-carbon binder options for replacing Portland cement, leading to sustainable construction. Reducing the thermal conductivity of the building's rendering mortar is helpful in reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling in buildings. In this study, LC3 has been prepared by replacing 60 wt% of White Portland Cement (WPC) with a blend of limestone (LS) powder and metakaolin (MK) with LS: MK of 1:2 (wt%). Lightweight LC3-based mortars were prepared in which the binder was combined with recycled fine aggregate (RFA) from autoclaved aerated concrete waste (AACW) with aggregate volume contents of 25, 50, and 75%. Mechanical, thermal, and hygric parameters, including compressive strength, in-direct tensile strength, bulk density, thermal conductivity, volume of permeable voids (VPV), and capillary water absorption, have been investigated after 28 days of curing. In order to explore the thermal stability of the prepared mortars, the residual strength after exposure to standard fire has been examined. The LC3-mortar incorporating 75 vol% of AACW possessed a bulk density of 1230 kg/m3; i.e., below the specified limit for lightweight rendering mortars. In addition, a reduced thermal conductivity (as low as 0.21 W/m K) has been obtained. Even at the highest volume content of AACW in the LC3-binder matrix, the lowest compressive strength was significant (13 MPa). Moreover, the newly developed mortars showed enhanced strength retention efficiency; a residual strength of about 61.5% was achieved after standard fire exposure for an hour (1hr). SEM analysis exhibited adequate bonding and a dense interface between the AACW aggregate and the LC3-binder matrix.

Due to expansion in infrastructure and increased development of urbanization in Ethiopia, most of the places are covered either by impermeable cement concrete or bitumen that blocks the percolation of water from rainfall. A porous concrete made of zero fine aggregates, creating a pore that permits the concrete to be water permeable, is highly desirable. Similarly, the demand for natural coarse aggregates remains high, while natural resources are being depleted. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the properties of porous concrete using recycled concrete aggregate as a partial replacement for natural coarse aggregate. Experimental tests were conducted on cement setting time, workability of concrete, compressive, split tensile, porosity, and permeability of porous concrete. The properties of porous concrete at different ratios—0, 15, 30, 45 and 60%—revealed that RCA is suitable for use as coarse aggregate. The optimum replacement percentage of recycled aggregate for porous concrete in terms of strength is 30%, with 28th-day compressive strength of 17.37 MPa. However, slight increments were observed in porosity and permeability coefficient. Therefore, the concrete produced in this study is structural concrete, which is suitable for walkways and other concrete flat works, whereby heavy vehicle traffic loads do not exist.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the macro and micro properties of stabilized recycled aggregate base layers using gypsum slag cement (GSC) and compare them with ordinary Portland cement (OPC). To achieve this, four levels of recycled aggregate content (0%, 50%, 60%, 70%) and three levels of binder materials (3.5%, 4.5%, 5.5%) were designed, where the binding materials included OPC and GSC. When GSC is used as the binding material with 0% recycled content, two scenarios for the ratio of slag to activator are considered: 4:1 and 4:2. For recycled content of 50%, 60%, and 70%, only the 4:1 ratio is considered. The macro-mechanical properties of the composite material were studied through compaction tests, unconfined compressive strength tests, and indirect tensile strength tests. Microscopic properties were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Macroscopic test results indicate that, at an equal binder content, GSC exhibits a higher moisture content and maximum dry density compared to OPC. Moreover, the unconfined compressive strength and indirect tensile strength of GSC are higher than those of OPC. Microscopic test results reveal that the hydration products of both binding materials are essentially similar; however, under identical curing conditions, the hydration products of GSC are more abundant than those of OPC.

The utilization of recycled aggregate can avert the squandering of resources and the destruction of the environment. Nevertheless, there exists a slew of old cement mortar and microcracks on the surface of recycled aggregate, which give rise to the poor performance of aggregates in concrete. In this study, for the sake of ameliorating this property of recycled aggregates, the surface of the recycled aggregates is covered with a layer of cement mortar to compensate for the microcracks on the surface and reinforce the bond between old cement mortar and aggregates. In order to demonstrate the influence of recycled aggregate by different cement mortar pretreatment methods, this study prepared natural aggregate concrete (NAC) and concretes with recycled aggregate after the wetting pretreatment (RAC-W) and cement mortar pretreatment (RAC-C), and conducted uniaxial compressive strength tests on different types of concrete at different curing ages. The test results indicated that the compressive strength of RAC-C at a 7 d curing age was higher than that of RAC-W and NAC, and the compressive strength of RAC-C at a 28 d curing age was higher than RAC-W but lower than NAC. The compressive strength of NAC and RAC-W at a 7 d curing age was about 70% of that at a 28 d curing age, and the compressive strength of RAC-C at a 7 d curing age was about 85–90% of that at a 28 d curing age. The compressive strength of RAC-C increased dramatically at the early stage, while the post-strength of the NAC and RAC-W groups increased rapidly. The fracture surface of RAC-W mainly occurred in the transition zone between the recycled aggregates and old cement mortar under the pressure of the uniaxial compressive load. However, the main failure of RAC-C was the crushing destruction of cement mortar. With changes in the amount of cement added beforehand, the proportion of aggregate damage and A-P interface damage of RAC-C also changed accordingly. Therefore, the recycled aggregate pretreated with cement mortar can significantly improve the compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete. The optimal amount of pre-added cement was 25%, which is recommended for practical engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, using recyled aggregate and seawater as replacing natural aggregate and freshwater in mixing have been main priority to be a new concrete construction material. However, in order to asses their strength performance in fast and accurate, an appropriate method needs to be determined. Therefore, the aim of this research is to evaluate and predict the compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) mixed seawater using Schmidt rebound hammer test (SRH) and the result value was corresponded to concrete compressive testing machine (CTM) as control test of concrete specimens. Total 72 samples divided into three concrete mixtures were designed and prepared in cylindrical samples with w/c ratio of 0.45 and target compressive strength of 25 MPa. The first mixture was named natural aggregate concrete (NAC) or BAN as control concrete with 100% natural aggregate and fresh water. The second and third mixtures were named BAR-50 and BAR-100 with the BAN replacement of 50% and 100% RAC respectively. Seawater as mixing was performed in mixture concrete of BAR-50 and BAR-100. All sample mixtures were then wet cured at different age of 7, 28, 56 and 90 days in fresh water. The results show a good correlation between SRH and CTM tests with having high correlation of R2=0.9908. Also, a proposed mathematical model, equation 1, is created for quick calculation in predicting compressive strength of RCA. Therefore, the usage of SRH test is a realistic alternative to predict the compressive strength of recycled concrete with different percentage of replacement of NAC and mixing seawater.

This paper aims to investigate some properties of recycled aggregates concrete (RAC) containing various amount of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) supplied from different parent concrete strength. Three concretes with different strengths were made. After hardening, they were crushed and the obtained RCA were used to substitute 20%, 40% and 60% of coarse ordinary aggregates (COA) in concrete mix. The properties of these RCA according to their parent concrete strength were analyzed and their effects on the workability, compressive strength and shrinkage were quantified. Concrete workability and final shrinkage seem to be related to the equivalent water absorption of coarse recycled aggregates. An equivalent granular expression can be used in classical model to predict compressive strength according to the RCA content and its parent concrete strength.

The reuse of construction demolition waste and rubber waste has been a key challenge in recent decades due to the decrease in natural material resources and the huge amounts of abundantly available waste. When recycled aggregates (RCA) and crumb rubber (RBR) are used together as partial substitutions for coarse and fine aggregates, respectively, in concrete, it leads to a decrease in the compressive strength when compared to natural aggregate concrete, so it is needed to construct models that can predict the strength before using them. In this paper, response surface methodology was utilized to develop predictive models for the influence of the combined incorporation of RCA and RBR in concrete on the compressive strength. The predictions were based on the results of 100 various concrete mixes obtained from previous works and from the literature. The variables included w/c ratio (0.39 and 0.5), RBR replacement (0% to 40%), levels of RCA replacement (0% to 100%), and durations of 7 and 28 days. The compressive strength was taken as a response. All models and their terms were validated using various statistical tests. The results showed that linear and quadratic models and their terms were significant, and can be utilized for the prediction of the compressive strength with less error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Due to expansion in infrastructure and increased development of urbanization in Ethiopia, most of the places are covered either by impermeable cement concrete or bitumen that blocks the percolation of water from rainfall. A porous concrete made of zero fine aggregates, creating a pore that permits the concrete to be water permeable, is highly desirable. Similarly, the demand for natural coarse aggregates remains high, while natural resources are being depleted. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the properties of porous concrete using recycled concrete aggregate as a partial replacement for natural coarse aggregate. Experimental tests were conducted on cement setting time, workability of concrete, compressive, split tensile, porosity, and permeability of porous concrete. The properties of porous concrete at different ratios—0, 15, 30, 45 and 60%—revealed that RCA is suitable for use as coarse aggregate. The optimum replacement percentage of recycled aggregate for porous concrete in terms of strength is 30%, with 28th-day compressive strength of 17.37 MPa. However, slight increments were observed in porosity and permeability coefficient. Therefore, the concrete produced in this study is structural concrete, which is suitable for walkways and other concrete flat works, whereby heavy vehicle traffic loads do not exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidisciplinary approach is used to evaluate concrete with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) from technical, environmental impacts and product circularity perspectives. Two RCA replacements investigated, RAC50: fine aggregates; RAC100: both coarse, fine aggregates. Reference, recycled concretes have same cement content, similar workability and compressive strength requirement, proven experimentally. RCA is sourced from pre-fab element discards of a Swedish plant, the logistical alternatives requiring environmental impact analysis. Alternatives are RCA crushing at plant and crushing at a different location including transportation. LCA shows transportation is second largest contributor after cement in all impact categories. RAC alternatives show lower total impact than reference concrete due to RCA replacement. A circularity index for concrete based on economic value of recirculated aggregates; supplements LCA for sustainability reporting. Circularity index results: RAC100 > RAC50 > RC. Combining circularity index with LCA helps optimize recycling process with regard to amount of recycled material and logistics respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geopolymer cement (GPC) is a sustainable alternative to ordinary Portland cement (OPC) that considerably cuts the emission of carbon dioxide linked to the building of concrete structures. Over the last few decades, while a large number of papers have been written concerning the use of GPC with natural aggregates and OPC with recycled aggregates, few papers have been devoted to investigating the use of Geopolymer Recycled Aggregate Concrete (GRAC) in structural members. Most of them show more interest in the mechanical strength of the material, rather than the structural behavior of RC members. This review critically compiles the present and past research on the behavior of structural members cast with different types and compositions of GRAC. The focus is on the few research studies investigating the structural behavior of GRAC elements, with an analysis of the load-bearing capacity, the load-deflection mechanism, shear behavior, tensile and flexural strength, and ductility of GRAC structural members. This review aims to indicate the research and experimental tests needed in the future for characterizing the behavior of structural members made up of GRAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycled concrete aggregates are one of the types of recycled aggregates that have the most abundance compared to other recycled aggregates. In this research, by using the replacement of recycled concrete aggregates instead of natural aggregates, the mechanical properties of this type of concrete have been investigated. The replacement of natural aggregates with recycled aggregates was done in four percentages of 0, 15, 30 and 45, and this replacement was done both independently (i.e. sand or gravel separately) and simultaneously (both sand and gravel together). According to the use of 50% sand and 50% sand in the reference mixing plan and by replacing the percentages with coarse and fine recycled concrete aggregates, 21 mixing plans were used. The ratio of water to cement was kept constant in all mixing plans and was considered equal to 0.42. To compensate for the decrease in strength due to the replacement of recycled aggregates, micro silica in different percentages of 7.5 and 15 and super plasticizers were used in the mixing designs. By performing various tests, the mechanical properties of concrete samples were investigated. The results showed that the best mixing design in terms of compressive strength is the design containing 7.5% micro silica and 15% recycled sand, in terms of tensile strength, the design containing 7.5% micro silica and 45% recycled sand, in terms of flexural strength, the design containing 7.5% micro silica and 30% recycled sand, the plan containing 15% micro silica and 15% recycled sand was determined. By examining the mechanical properties of concrete samples, it was determined that the recycled mixing plans contain 15%, 30% recycled gravel and 45% recycled sand with 7.5% microsilica, as well as the mixing plan of 15% recycled sand with 15% microsilica., among the recycled mixing plans, they had the highest amount of overall utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the statistical analysis on the compressive strength of concrete with strength ranging from 30 MPa to 130 MPa. To obtain these concrete strengths, concrete mixes with virgin aggregates were prepared with four different wate r to cementitious content (w/c) ratios i.e., 0.45, 0.36, 0.24, and 0.18. With w/c ratio of 0.45, a mix is also designed using recycled construction and demolition coarse aggregate to compare statistical characteristics with respect to concrete made using virgin aggregates. The presented statistical analysis includes measure of central tendency, dispersion of the data, distribution shape properties, and precision of the mean. A normal and a log-normal distribution has been established and validated for the experimental data set of all the mixes. A correlation has also been established for the compressive strength of 100mm cube and 150mm cube. Analysis shows an increase in dispersion of data with increase in the mean compressive strength of the mix. The mix with Construction and demolition waste aggregate shows a higher standard deviation than the mix with virgin aggregates at the same w/c ratio. The correlation curve for the compressive strength of 100 mm and 150 mm size cubes, shows a conversion factor of 1.04, suggesting an insignificant difference of the compressive strength values of 100 mm and 150 mm cubes for the mix studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, recycled fine aggregates (RA) were successfully adopted to produce strain-hardening cementitious composites with a compressive strength of over 120 MPa. A multiple-scale investigation was conducted to study the tensile performance and cracking mechanism of the developed cement-based composites. Compared to the fine silica sand-based counterpart, significantly higher tensile strain capacity (>5%), more distinguished multiple cracking, and smaller average crack width (<100 μm) were achieved in RA-based strain-hardening cementitious composites. Supported by microscopic and mesoscopic results, the old mortar of RA with loose microstructures and weak RA/matrix interfaces were found to work as "additional flaws" in the matrix, which effectively tailored the distribution of active flaws and promoted multiple cracking behavior. In addition, the developed RA-based composites presented higher sustainability and lower material costs compared to fine silica sand-based ones. This study provides a new avenue for the upcycling of construction wastes in developing greener high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites. [Display omitted] • Recycled fine aggregates (RA) were successfully adopted in SHCC with a compressive strength of over 120 MPa. • Higher RA content resulted in a higher tensile strain capacity (>5%) and a smaller average crack width (<100 μm). • RA tailored the distribution of matrix active flaws and hence promoted the multiple cracking behavior. • Higher RA content reduced the embodied carbon, embodied energy and cost of SHCC matrices. • Use of RA simultaneously enhanced the tensile ductility and sustainability of high-strength SHCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) are influenced by the composition and particle size distribution of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA). The study herein designed seven distinct groups of RACs with varying aggregate fractal dimensions (D) and one group of natural concrete (NAC). The impact of D on the workability, compressive strength, resistance to chloride ion penetration, and carbonation resistance of RAC was measured. It was found that an increase in the D value led to a decrease in the slump and slump flow, with the compressive strength and chloride ion penetration increasing and then decreasing, and carbonation gradually declined. The optimal fractal dimension was thereby determined to be 2.547 by a strength model accommodating two parameters of D and the curing age. Additionally, the mass percentage of each particle size for the corresponding gradation was presented. The compressive strength and chloride permeation resistance of RAC (D = 1.0) relative to RAC (D = 2.5) was increased by 16.7% and 13.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the carbonation depth of RAC (D = 2.5) was comparable to that of NAC. Additionally, the carbonation resistance of RAC was influenced by both the size distribution and the degree of natural carbonation of RCA, resulting in four distinct features relative to NAC. It is thereby feasible to enhance RAC performance through the manipulation of RCA’s fractal dimensions.

Interlocking concrete blocks (ICBs) have been recently used worldwide to be alternative conventional blocks. ICBs are more sustainable, low involve low production cost, and environment-friendly as they emit less carbon dioxide than normal ones. ICBs have been used particularly in war zones and places affected by natural disasters where the need for quick, sustainable, low-cost buildings and earthquake-resistant buildings is indispensable. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review about different types of ICBs. It aims to demonstrate different configurations of ICBs incorporated with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and other additive materials used for construction. To achieve this, the compares different related studies which analyse the compressive strength results of RCA mixtures with different RCA replacements, w/c ratio, and mix proportions. Additionally, the paper discusses several techniques and methods to improve the behaviour of ICBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of adding a type of superplasticizer (polycarboxylate ether -PCE) on the workability and mechanical properties of concrete containing recycled coarse aggregate (RCA). The effect of increasing the PCE dosage while changing the water/cement ratio on RCA strength was also studied. To accomplish these goals, three groups of concrete mixtures were prepared. The variable in these groups was the water/cement ratio (0.53, 0.57, and 0.615). In each group, the natural aggregate was replaced by two proportions of RCA (50 and 100%) and different proportions of PCE were added for each replacement ratio. The findings encourage the use of PCE in recycled concrete. It was found that the addition of PCE improves the properties of recycled concrete in terms of workability and compactness. The addition of PCE also compensates for the compressive strength that is lost due to the replacement of natural aggregate with recycled coarse aggregate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the contradiction of difficulty to deal of large amount of construction waste and exhaustion of the sandstone and other natural resources, the recycled aggregate-composite micronized concrete (RAPC) was prepared by recycled aggregate (RA)and recycled mixed powder (RP)recovered from construction waste. The mineral composition and micro morphology of RP, the com pressive strength, splitting tensile strength and pore characteristics of RAPC were analyzed. The results showed that the different effects on pore structure and mechanical property of RAPC were produced by RA and RP of different substitution rates. At the same RP substitution rate, the internal curing effect was played by 30% RA. The compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of RAPC reached the peak when the RA substitution rate was 30%. At the same RA substitution rate, the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of RAPC reached the maximum when the RP substitution rate was 15%, due to the secondary hydration reaction was played between the hydration product of RAPC and RP which had potential volcanic ash activity. The failure modes of RAPC with different RA and RP substitution rates were obviously different. The micro pore characteristics of RAPC were studied by mercury injection test (MIP), and the above test results were verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]