Abstract
The lack of usable aggregates for civil construction in Rio Branco (capital of Acre, a Federal State in the Amazon region) makes the production and use of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste (CDW) an alternative of great interest. In this study, a comprehensive characterization of CDW collected from 24 construction sites of six building types and three different construction phases (structures, masonry, and finishing) was carried out. The fine and coarse recycled aggregates were produced and evaluated in 10 different compositions. The aggregates’ performance was evaluated in four mixtures designed for laying and coating mortars with a total replacement of conventional aggregates and a mixture designed for a C25 concrete with 50% and 100% replacement of conventional aggregates. CDW mortars showed lower densities and greater water retention, initial adhesion, and mechanical strength than conventional mortars. CDW concretes presented lower densities and greater resistance to chloride penetration than conventional concrete, with a small mechanical strength reduction. The recycled CDW aggregates proved to be technologically feasible for safe application in mortars and concrete; for this reason, it is believed that the alternative and proposed methodology is of great interest to the Amazonian construction industry, considering the high costs of raw materials and the need for defining and consolidating a sustainable development model for the Amazon region.
Highlights
The civil construction industry represented 3.8% of Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019, with 21.4% of the Brazilian industry’s total market that fosters the country’s development and technologies [1]
Sorting and the correct separation of waste is fundamental to ensure the quality of the recycled aggregate
In other countries, the low rates are related to the lack of consumer confidence due to non-screening, generating inconsistent quality aggregates [63,64]
Summary
The civil construction industry represented 3.8% of Brazil’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019, with 21.4% of the Brazilian industry’s total market that fosters the country’s development and technologies [1]. The non-reuse of the generated construction and demolition waste (CDW) causes environmental, economic, and social impacts, representing a serious problem in several cities worldwide. CDW represents more than one-third of the waste generated in the European Union (EU), with a variation in recycling levels between countries from less than 10% to more than 90% [2]. In 2018, 368 million tons of CDW (CDW mineral waste—except soils) were generated, with Germany (86 million), the United Kingdom (69 million), and France (69 million) the largest generators [3]. Research shows that recycling the CDW brings environmental benefits, with the collection and sorting at the origin of the generation being fundamental actions to reduce carbon emissions [6,7]. CDW recycling leads to significant reductions in emissions, energy use, global warming potential (GWP), and conserves landfill spaces [8]
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