Recycled coarse aggregate in concrete

What is it about?

Recycled coarse aggregates are produced from demolition and crushing of concrete rubble from deteriorated concrete structures such as buildings, pavements and bridges. Our study was aimed at re-investigating if recycled coarse aggregate from construction and demolition waste can be used as full replacement of natural coarse aggregate for the production of structural concrete.

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Why is it important?

Construction and demolition wastes are non-biodegradable materials and contribute to environmental problems if not managed effectively. Many construction and demolition wastes will remain in the environment for hundreds of years. Recycling demolished concrete rubble for production of alternative aggregate for concrete is a possible solution to waste management of concrete. Our findings show that: a) the physical properties of both natural aggregate concrete and recycled aggregate concrete are comparable and are within the range of normal weight concrete; b) compressive strength of recycled coarse aggregate is less than that of natural coarse aggregate and c) good quality recycled coarse aggregate can serve as replacement of natural coarse aggregate based on the compressive strength, bulk density and workability properties.