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Article history:
Received 8 January 2010
Received in revised form 9 February 2010
Accepted 11 February 2010
Available online 16 March 2010
Keywords:
Coarse recycled aggregate
Drying shrinkage
Elastic modulus
Recycled-concrete aggregate
a b s t r a c t
In this paper an investigation of mechanical behaviour and elastic properties of recycled-aggregate concretes is presented. These concretes were prepared by alternatively using two different (coarse and ner
coarse) recycled-aggregate fractions both made of recycled concrete coming from a recycling plant in
which rubble from demolition is collected and suitably treated. Several concrete mixtures were prepared
by using only virgin aggregates (as reference), 30% ner coarse recycled aggregate replacing ne gravel
and 30% coarse recycled aggregate replacing gravel. Five different water to cement ratios were adopted
as: 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60. Concrete workability was in the slump range of 190200 mm. Compression tests were carried out after 28 days of wet curing. In addition, concrete elastic modulus and drying shrinkage were evaluated. Results obtained showed that structural concrete up to C32/40 strength
class can be manufactured by replacing 30% virgin aggregate with recycled-concrete aggregate. Moreover, a correlation between elastic modulus and compressive strength of recycled-aggregate concrete
was found and compared to those reported in the literature. Finally, on the basis of drying shrinkage
results, particularly if ner coarse recycled-concrete aggregate is added to the mixture, lower strains
could be detected especially for earlier curing time.
2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Crushing concrete to produce coarse aggregate for the production
of new concrete is one common means for achieving a more environmentally-friendly concrete. This reduces the consumption of natural
resources as well as the disposal of waste concrete in landlls.
In fact, the use of recycled-aggregate concrete (RAC) is acquiring
particular interest in civil construction as regards to sustainable
development. Many studies demonstrate the feasibility of the use
of crushed concrete as coarse aggregates [18], its use being already accounted for in the regulations of many countries. In Italy,
the use of 30% recycled concrete instead of virgin aggregate is
denitively allowed for producing concretes (C30/37 strength
class) since July 2009 [9]. Nevertheless, in the Italian regulations
no indication about predictions of RAC elastic modulus and drying
shrinkage is reported. The study of the elastic behaviour of concretes made of 30% recycled-concrete aggregates, here discussed,
just has the aim to provide useful information.
Quartz sand (05 mm), ne gravel (612 mm) and gravel (1122 mm) were
used, suitably combined, for preparing the reference mixtures. Then two recycled-aggregate fractions were alternatively used, a ner coarse recycled fraction
(612 mm) and a coarse recycled fraction (1122 mm), both coming from a recycling plant in which rubble from concrete structure demolition are selected after
a proper quality check in order to avoid hazardous materials such as asbestos or
chalk, then ground, cleaned and sieved. Their composition is 100% recycled concrete; the original concrete strength class was unknown and likely different for
waste concrete coming from different sources. The main physical properties of
the aggregate fractions evaluated according to EN 1097-6 [11] are reported in Table 1 and their gradations evaluated according to EN 933-1 [12] are shown in
Fig. 1. In addition, in Table 1 are reported data concerning the pore structure of
the aggregate fractions and ner coarse the mean value of their total open porosity.
These results were obtained by means of mercury intrusion technique as the mean
value calculated on ve samples for each aggregate fraction. The content in recycled
concrete fractions of chlorides, sulphates, organic materials were evaluated according to the methods recommended by UNI EN 1744-1 (parts 7, 11, 12, 14 and 15)
[13] and the presence of alkalisilica reactive materials according to the method
recommended by UNI EN 8520-22 [14]. No organic or alkalisilica reactive materials were detected; concerning the amount of chlorides and sulphates they were below 0.04% (by weight) and 0.15% (by weight) respectively.
As water reducing admixture, a 30% aqueous solution of carboxylic acrylic ester
polymer was added to the mixtures.
2. Materials
A commercial portland-limestone blended cement type CEM II/A-L 42.5 R
according to EN-197/1 [10] was used. The Blaine neness of cement is 0.42 m2/g
and its relative specic gravity is 3.05.
1617
(50 2%), in the meantime drying shrinkage was measured at different curing times.
Finally, three cylindrical specimens, 250 mm high with a diameter of 100 mm, for each concrete mixture were manufactured for
evaluating static modulus of elasticity in compression according to
UNI 6556 [19].
5. Results and discussion
5.1. Compression tests
gravel (CR) are reported in Tables 24 respectively. The recycledaggregate fractions were added to the mixture after water-soaking,
in a condition very close to that dened as saturated surface-dried.
Five different water to cement ratios were adopted as: 0.40,
0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60 for 15 different concrete mixtures in all.
All the concrete mixtures showed the same uidity level (S5,
slump in the range 190200 mm), evaluated according to EN
12350-2 [15].
In order to optimize the grain size distribution of the solid particles in the concrete, the aggregate fractions were suitably combined according to the Bolomey particle size distribution curve
[16].
A water reducing admixture was always added to the mixtures
but at different dosages, ranging from 1.2% to 0.4% by weight of cement in order to adjust cement dosage (always kept under 350 kg/m3
and gradually decreased for increasing water to cement ratios).
4. Preparation and curing of specimens
Fifteen cubic specimens, 100 mm in size, were cast in steel
forms for each concrete mixture for compression tests, according
to UNI EN 12390-1 [17] and wet cured at 20 C.
In addition, three prismatic specimens (100 by 100 by 500 mm)
were prepared for each concrete mixture according to UNI 6555
[18]. After one day of wet curing, the specimens were stored at
constant temperature (20 2 C) and constant relative humidity
Table 1
Main physical properties, total open porosity and average pore dimension of the aggregate fractions.
Aggregate fractions
Quartz sand
Fine gravel
Gravel
2.54
3.5
11.5
112
2.56
3.0
11.9
124
2.57
3.0
9.7
120
2.40
8.8
17.8
146
2.42
6.8
16.3
138
Table 2
Mixture proportions of concretes made of 100% virgin aggregates.
Mixture
REF-0.40
REF-0.45
REF-0.50
REF-0.55
REF-0.60
Water/cement
Water, kg
Cement, kg
Sand, kg (% in volume)
Fine gravel, kg (% in volume)
Gravel, kg (% in volume)
Superplasticizer, % by weight of cement
0.40
140
350
732 (40)
553 (30)
556 (30)
1.2
0.45
153
340
723 (40)
547 (30)
549 (30)
1.0
0.50
165
330
715 (40)
541 (30)
543 (30)
0.8
0.55
176
320
708 (40)
535 (30)
537 (30)
0.6
0.60
186
310
702 (40)
531 (30)
533 (30)
0.4
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Table 3
Mixture proportions of concretes made of 30% ner coarse recycled aggregates.
Mixture
FR-0.40
FR-0.45
FR-0.50
FR-0.55
FR-0.60
Water/cement
Water, kg
Cement, kg
Sand, kg (% in volume)
Finer coarse recycled aggregate, kg (% in volume)
Gravel, kg (% in volume)
Superplasticizer, % by weight of cement
0.40
140
350
732 (40)
519 (30)
556 (30)
1.2
0.45
153
340
723 (40)
512 (30)
549 (30)
1.0
0.50
165
330
715 (40)
507 (30)
543 (30)
0.8
0.55
176
320
708 (40)
502 (30)
537 (30)
0.6
0.60
186
310
702 (40)
497 (30)
533 (30)
0.4
Table 4
Mixture proportions of concretes made of 30% coarse recycled aggregates.
Mixture
CR-0.40
CR-0.45
CR-0.50
CR-0.55
CR-0.60
Water/cement
Water, kg
Cement, kg
Sand, kg (% in volume)
Fine gravel, kg (% in volume)
Coarse recycled aggregate, kg (% in volume)
Superplasticizer, % by weight of cement
0.40
140
350
732 (40)
553 (30)
523 (30)
1.2
0.45
153
340
723 (40)
547 (30)
517 (30)
1.0
0.50
165
330
715 (40)
541 (30)
511 (30)
0.8
0.55
176
320
708 (40)
535 (30)
506 (30)
0.6
0.60
186
310
702 (40)
531 (30)
501 (30)
0.4
Table 5
Compressive strengths and elastic modulus after 28 days.
Mixture
REF-0.40
REF-0.45
REF-0.50
REF-0.55
REF-0.60
FR-0.40
FR-0.45
FR-0.50
FR-0.55
FR-0.60
CR-0.40
CR-0.45
CR-0.50
CR-0.55
CR-0.60
Mean values
Standard deviations
Mean value
58.6
56.1
51.2
47.1
43.9
43.3
39.6
38.1
34.5
31.6
46.1
45.8
39.9
36.3
34.7
3.4
2.5
3.1
2.6
1.3
1.7
2.8
1.9
3.9
1.8
3.2
2.9
3.7
2.7
1.6
37.3
36.9
35.6
33.9
28.6
28.6
27.2
26.7
26.4
32.7
33.3
27.7
24.0
22.9
Ec 1:9 105
q 1:5
2300
r
fcu
2000
Dillmann [23]:
Mellmann [25]:
q 2
2400
Eqs. (1)(6) are graphed in Fig. 3. It can be seen that there exists
a great degree of diversity in the results. The reason for the
Different equations have been suggested by various investigators for describing the relationship between the elastic modulus
(MPa) and the cube specimen compressive strength (fcu, MPa) of
recycled-aggregate concrete, and some of them are given in Eqs.
(1)(6).
By comparing the drying shrinkage strains after 180 days for equal
strength class concretes (C32/40), see Fig. 4, it can be noticed that,
by using 30% recycled instead of virgin aggregate, strains are reduced of 23% and 14% by using the ner coarse and the coarse recycled fractions respectively.
In addition, when the ner coarse recycled fraction is used, particularly low values of shrinkage are detected for early age (7 days),
showing a curing effect due to the use of such pre-saturated porous aggregate particles [27].
Table 6
Drying shrinkage measurements (mm/m).
Mixture
REF-0.40
REF-0.45
REF-0.50
REF-0.55
REF-0.60
FR-0.40
FR-0.45
FR-0.50
FR-0.55
FR-0.60
CR-0.40
CR-0.45
CR-0.50
CR-0.55
CR-0.60
30
60
90
180
0.09
0.11
0.19
0.18
0.24
0.05
0.06
0.05
0.10
0.19
0.11
0.12
0.14
0.17
0.18
0.26
0.30
0.27
0.33
0.34
0.26
0.28
0.27
0.24
0.44
0.31
0.32
0.38
0.26
0.40
0.34
0.37
0.43
0.47
0.48
0.40
0.42
0.41
0.45
0.63
0.50
0.43
0.54
0.38
0.62
0.40
0.40
0.45
0.49
0.58
0.50
0.47
0.50
0.51
0.68
0.50
0.47
0.54
0.43
0.66
0.44
0.48
0.50
0.64
0.70
0.54
0.54
0.52
0.58
0.73
0.58
0.60
0.58
0.63
0.68
6. Conclusions
discrepancies is that the referenced author/authors has/have proposed his/their equation, just to best t his/their own experimental
results.
In Fig. 3 one further equation is graphed (proposed):
Ec 18 800
r
3 0:83 fcu
10
1619
Fig. 4. Drying shrinkage vs. time of exposure for equal strength (C30/40) concretes.
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