Combined Use of Fine and Coarse Recycled Concrete Aggregates in Concrete for Sustainable Development: A Review

Abstract

AbstractIn the recent days, questions of sustainability are top of mind since we utilise a lot of natural resources for construction materials. The consumption of natural resources is one of the major problems which is not only deploying the virgin materials but also create an ecological imbalance. In this concern, recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) produced from the construction and demolition (C&D) wastes could be an appropriate solution as it provides an alternative to the conventional aggregates (both fine and coarse). The present review paper focussed on the combined use of fine recycled concrete aggregate (FRCA) and coarse recycled concrete aggregate (CRCA) in the production of an eco-friendly sustainable concrete. Though limited research has been done on FRCA, recent research has observed that the combined use of CRCA and FRCA can produce more sustainable concrete as compared to the application of CRCA and FRCA alone because in combined use most of the recycled materials are utilised without generating new by-products. It has also been reviewed that if the RCA mix having both fine and coarse recycled aggregate is adjusted to compensate for the water absorbed by FRCA during mixing, basic mechanical properties can be similar to those of normal aggregate concrete. The aim of the review paper is to study the different properties of concrete made with recycled concrete aggregate (both fine and coarse) with particular emphasis on the hardened properties and analysing the viability of its application in construction industry towards sustainable development. Many researchers concluded that the durability and mechanical properties of both FRCA and CRCA are marginally lower to those of standard concrete which can be enhanced by applying suitable admixtures and different treatment methods. This paper also focuses on various modified approaches for better performance of RCAs, identifies the knowledge gaps and develop a specific guideline for further research.KeywordsSustainable concreteConstruction & demolition wasteRecycled concrete aggregateFine and coarse recycled concrete aggregateMechanical properties