Understanding the influence of properties of fine recycled aggregates on recycled concrete

Abstract

Scarcity of fine natural aggregates suitable for concrete, the pollution caused by their mining and the great environmental impact produced by the final disposal of waste concrete, have all motivated several studies about their use as recycled aggregates for concrete, particularly the fine fraction. The use of fine recycled concrete aggregates (FRCAs) is directly linked to the feasibility of obtaining target properties in concrete. Agreement about FRCA’s technical viability has not yet been achieved. In this paper, the properties of FRCA associated with different features of the parent concrete and with the performance of recycled aggregate concrete prepared with them were analysed. The results show that the FRCA paste content is not linked to the compressive strength level of the parent concrete. In addition, the total water-to-cement ratio in recycled aggregate concrete seems to have a greater influence on concrete performance compared with quality and composition of FRCA.