Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Recycled Water
in
Ready Mixed
Concrete Operations By Colin Lobo
and Gary M. Mullings
Introduction
Process and storm water manage- ronmental regulations. NRMCA mem- producer, relative to use of recycled
ment at ready mixed concrete opera- bers collected data of water from typical water, should try to remain within
tions is a growing issue for the industry. sedimentation pits and the effects on these limits for any structural concrete
As regulations and enforcement govern- concrete when this water was used as or slab application. The requirements
ing discharge from plant sites evolve, mixing water. Based on these evalua- apply to the total mixing water in con-
the option of reusing these sources of tions, criteria were developed and in crete and are essentially limits on the
water will become a necessity, thus 1978, ASTM C 94, Specification for water chemistry for alkalis, sulfates and
moving the industry toward zero-dis- Ready Mixed Concrete was revised to chlorides for reasons related to concrete
charge facilities. It is important that permit the use of wash water as mixing durability. The other limiting criterion
positive terminology is used in describ- water in concrete. State highway agen- is the amount of total solids, which is
ing the source of water and that the cies for the most part still do not allow limited to 50,000 parts per million
customer is informed of its use in a its use or if they do, their requirements (ppm) or 5 percent by mass of the total
positive manner. In this article, the are more conservative than C 94. The mixing water. This amounts to about
term recycled water will be used for criteria or requirements for wash water 15 pounds of solids in 1 cubic yard of a
mixer wash water, storm water or gray in C 94 have not changed since they typical concrete mixture. Does it matter
water. Concrete producers face the were originally incorporated in the if the solids added to the mix from
dichotomy whereby their customers are standard. In the 70s, producers in Cal- recycled water exceed this limit? It
generally resistant to allowing the use of ifornia were looking for some relief to depends on the concrete ingredients,
recycled water in their concrete while use some of their recycled water and characteristics of the recycled water,
producers are forced to move in that reduce the quality of effluent from their time of year and everything else that
direction because its the environmen- production facilities and were not really one could think of. The important
tally responsible thing to do and there striving for zero-discharge facilities. issue is that the concrete meets the
is a cost, sometimes unquantified, asso- They retained the problem of cleaning requirements of the job specification
ciated with its disposal. Its true that out debris from sedimentation pits, and the purchaser does not observe, or
when moving toward zero discharge the handling it and disposing it in landfills. perceive, any diminished quality or
producer has to make an investment in The industrys needs have changed and batch-to-batch variation. It takes just
equipment, people and training, but in so should the standard to allow an one bad story to generate a negative
the relatively short term this investment increased use of wash water while pro- perception and essentially kill any ini-
will be recovered in a successful applica- tecting the consumer. Current technol- tiative to move forward on this impor-
tion. Producers who are leaders in envi- ogy better facilitates the collection of tant issue. ASTM committees have
ronmental management initiatives have process and storm water with the asso- been deliberating for the last several
demonstrated this fact, without includ- ciated solids, water treatment and auto- years on revising the provisions for mix-
ing cost of compliance and enforce- mated measurement and batching. ing water, and while the consensus
ment penalties. ASTM C 94 has criteria for wash process can be frustrating, it hopefully
The initial need for using recycled water that can be invoked at the option achieves a better standard that satisfies
water in concrete came from California of the purchaser. While these are the producers and their customer.
in the early 1970s due to evolving envi- optional requirements, the uninitiated This is a brief report of portions of
CONCRETE in focus 1
feature continued
the research conducted at the NRMCA hardened concrete properties. A typical cubic foot mixer, tempered with water
Alfred H. Smith Research Laboratory to air-entrained portland cement concrete to a very high slump and water slurry
answer some questions on reusing recy- mix design without any admixtures was was decanted over a 150 m (No. 100
cled water in concrete. The study was selected using stock materials from the sieve). The water slurry passing the
intended to simulate a practical situation research laboratory. The design mixture sieve was captured in a five-gallon
where a producer has an environmental characteristics and proportions are pro- bucket and represented the wash water
management system that includes a vided in Table 1. The experimental from the mixer. This wash water was
returned concrete reclaimer that gener- variables used in Phase I of the study kept agitated using a motorized paddle
ates recycled water slurry. The slurry is are listed in Table 2. Note that the to keep the solids in suspension for the
kept agitated in tanks and is used in a solids contents of the recycled water, at duration of the testing. The water slur-
3
controlled manner as a portion or all of 30 and 60 lb/yd , are at levels that are ry solids content varied from about 40
the batch water in concrete mixtures. An double and four times the current limit percent solids by mass to about 25 per-
important point to note is that the char- for solids in ASTM C 94. This series cent toward the end of the series at nine
acteristics of the slurry in this tank will was replicated three times for a total of days as it was periodically diluted to
be quite variable as water is removed and 48 concrete batches. maintain a sufficient volume for the
added to it from truck wash out during tests. A portion of the recycled water
any production day. Figure 1 illustrates Table 1 Design Proportions and was allowed to stand for about two
the variation of solids content with time Characteristics of Concrete hours and clear water was siphoned off
from an actual recycled water holding Portland Cement 600 lb/cu.yd the top to represent clarified recycled
tank. Adding this variable product with- Mixing Water 300 lb/cu.yd. water.
out control is sure to cause batch-to- Natural Sand 1,100 lb/cu.yd.
batch variations of concrete properties. It Limestone coarse
is imperative that the producer has a sys- aggregate, max. size 1 inch 1,800 lb/cu.yd.
tem in place that recognizes this variabil- Air content 4 to 6%
ity and adjusts for it so that the Slump 3 to 5 inches
customer does not see differences in
concrete performance properties in sub- Table 2 Experimental variables in
sequent loads of concrete. Phase I of the Study
The first phase of the study also Water Tap water (Control)
includes a situation where a producer Clarified recycled water
might use relatively clear water from a Recycled water at 30 lb Figure 2 Laboratory Set-up to Maintain Agitated
sedimentation pit after the solids have solids per cubic yard Recycled Water Slurry
settled out. The reader is advised that Recycled water at 60 lb
the data and trends are very specific to solids per cubic yard When concrete mixtures were made,
the materials and conditions used in Age of slurry 4 1 hour samples of the recycled water slurry
this study. 1 day were obtained and the density was mea-
3 days sured by determining the mass of water
Procedures 9 days in a container of known volume. The
The first phase of the NRMCA water slurry sample was then dried to
study was to quantify the basic effects Recycled water constant mass in a microwave oven to
of using recycled water on fresh and A concrete mixture was mixed in a 1 determine the percentage of solids by
mass. At least two samples of recycled
water were tested in this manner on
each day and the average was used to
establish the water slurry density and
solids content. Solids were filtered out
from the water slurry to measure the
loss on ignition and specific gravity.
This information is useful to quantify
the progressing degree of hydration of
cement in these solids. Loss on ignition
is the loss in mass when an oven-dried
sample is heated to 750C. A portion
of the solids was dissolved in acid to
determine the insoluble residue. Since
cementitious materials dissolve in acid,
Figure 1 Variation in Solids Content in Recycled Water. Courtesy: M.D.A. Thomas, U of New Brunswick
the insoluble residue represents the fine
2 SPRING 2003
sand fraction, which was about 10 per- measured to estimate the initial setting the range of 70 to 75F and air con-
cent of the mass of the dry solids. time. A 4 x 8-inch cast cylinder was tents and slumps were at target levels
placed in an insulated 5-gallon contain- within the acceptable tolerances.
Concrete batches er. A thermocouple embedded in the
On each day, four concrete batches center of the cylinder was connected to Water Demand
with the four types of mixing water list- a data logger to obtain the rate of heat Figure 3 illustrates the calculated
ed in the first row of Table 2 were evolution of the concrete. A correlation mixing water content for all the batches
mixed. The concrete batches were nom- was established between initial set from at 30 minutes to achieve and maintain
inally 0.75 cubic foot size batches in a 1 the C 403 method and a point on the the target five-inch slump. The chart
cubic foot revolving drum laboratory heat signature curve. After some confi- indicates that the mixing water content
mixer. Standard ASTM procedures dence was achieved with this correla- for the nine control batches was quite
3
were used to mix the concrete batches tion, set time was measured using the similar and averaged about 308 lb/yd .
and to conduct the fresh and hardened heat signature for the batches in the The chart also indicates the effects of
concrete tests. To achieve the target third round of replication. using clarified recycled water and recy-
solids contents in the mixing water, Specimens for hardened concrete cled water slurry to incorporate 30 and
3
recycled water slurry with known solids tests from each batch included four 4 x 60 lb/ solids per yd . The recycled water
content was diluted with a calculated 8-inch cylindrical specimens for com- slurry was used at ages of four hours,
quantity of tap water used. Clarified pressive strength determination at seven one day, three days and nine days as
recycled water was used at 100 percent and 28 days; one 4 x 14-inch cylinder indicated in Table 2.
of the added water in those respective with embedded gage studs for drying When clarified water was used, the
batches. shrinkage measurement; one 4 x 14- mixing water content was essentially
inch cylinder for freeze-thaw testing; similar to the control batches.
Testing and one 4 x 8-inch cylinder for rapid When recycled water slurries were
Concrete mixtures were mixed to a chloride permeability testing. incorporated to achieve the target solids
target slump of 5 inches. After the ini- content of 30 and 60 pounds, the mix-
tial mixing for eight minutes, slump Results and Discussion ing water demand to achieve and main-
and density were measured. Air content The results of three replicate batches tain the target slump increased. The
(gravimetric) was calculated from the for the same experimental condition increase is proportional to the amount
measured density. Concrete from these were very reproducible and within typi- of solids and the age of the recycled
tests was returned to the mixer. The cal batch-to-batch variation quantified water slurry. With four-hour old slur-
mixer was covered to prevent evapora- for procedures used at the research lab- ries, the increase in mixing water was
tion and the concrete was periodically oratory. The average value of three minimal, but as the slurry is aged past
agitated and retempered with water as replicates of each condition is reported one day, a higher water demand is
necessary to retain the target five-inch in many cases in the subsequent discus- noticeable.
slump until approximately 30 minutes sion. Detailed data on calculated con- By monitoring the loss on ignition
after the ingredients were batched in crete mixture proportions, slump, and specific gravity of the slurr y
the mixer. This was done to simulate a temperature, air content and hardened solids, it was observed that the contin-
30-minute delivery time of ready mixed concrete test results are available and ued cement hydration with time caus-
concrete and what might typically are not reported here for the sake of es the solids to get finer and of a lower
occur in practice. It is important to brevity. Concrete temperatures were in specific gravity. These finer or fluffier
note that the batches were adjusted to
achieve a similar target slump and not
to a constant water-cement ratio.
After the 30-minute period, the
concrete was discharged into a sample
container and the mass of discharged
concrete was determined so that precise
mixture proportions could be calculat-
ed.
Fresh concrete tests included slump,
temperature and density. Initial setting
time was measured by two methods.
The first method was in accordance
with ASTM C 403 by the penetration
resistance on a wet-sieved mortar. On
several batches, the heat evolution (or
heat signature) of the concrete was Figure 3 Mixing Water Content for Individual Concrete Batches
CONCRETE in focus 3
Recycled Water
at the University of Toronto
n 1996, ready mixed concrete produc- water cement ratio. Results from this The study included an evaluation
Figure 1.1: Slump of air entrained and non-air entrained concretes Figure 1.3: 28-day compressive strength of air entrained and non-air entrained
concretes
Figure 1.2: Setting time of air entrained and non-air entrained concretes Figure 1.4: ASTM C 1202 results for air entrained and non-air entrained
concretes
4 SPRING 2003
feature continued from page 3
Study
is the effect on set-
ting time. Hydrated
cement and calcium
hydroxide (hydrated
lime) are known to
accelerate setting
characteristics.
Problems with set-
ting with the use of
This study also indicates that the recycled water slurry
primary issue with the use of recy- will be exacerbated
cled water at higher solids content is in summer but can
the acceleration of the setting time. possibly be used to
At the same w/cm ratio strength, advantage in cooler
permeability, shrinkage and other temperatures. These
characteristics were similar to the Figure 4: Initial Setting Time of Concrete
set time data illus-
control batches. trate that the four-
Figure 1.1 illustrates the slump of particles cause the increased water hour old slurry had lesser effect on
the concrete mixtures. Since the demand. Specific gravity of dried slurry setting time than slurry that was aged
w/cm ratio was constant, using an solids varied from around 3.10 at four for one day or longer. Setting times of
increasing solid content from recy- hours to 2.50 and lower at ages one day concrete with slurries aged for one day
cled water slurries resulted in lower and later. or longer were essentially similar, possi-
slump. bly because most of the cement solids
Figure 1.2 illustrates the setting Initial Setting Time had hydrated at one day.
characteristics of the concrete mix- Figure 4 illustrates the effects of
tures. Similar to the NRMCA study, using recycled water on initial setting Compressive Strength
increasing solids content resulted in time. Values reported are the average of Figure 5 illustrates the 28-day com-
faster set times in both types of con- three replicate batches for each condi- pressive strength of concrete batches rep-
crete tion. The setting time of the control is resenting each experimental condition.
Figure 1.3 illustrates the com- the average of nine concrete batches. The data represents the average of three
pressive strength of these mixtures. The initial setting time of the con- replicate batches for each condition.
As concrete was mixed to a constant trol batch was around 4.9 hours. The The compressive strength data
water-cementitious materials ratio, setting time of the batches with clari- reflects the well-known fact that
similar strengths were obtained fied recycled water was similar to that increased water content in the concrete
regardless of the amount of solids of the control batches. When recycled will cause a reduction in strength. The
from recycled water in the mixtures. water slurry was used, the setting time reduction in strength correlates well
Figure 1.4 illustrates the results was accelerated and the faster setting to the additional water used in the
of ASTM C 1202, Test Method for time was proportional to the amount of respective batches. The lower compres-
Electrical Indication of Concretes solids and the age of the water slurry. sive strength of batches containing
Ability to Resist Chloride Ion Penetra- The primary problem with reusing recycled water with higher solids con-
tion, also known as the rapid chlo- recycled water with solids in concrete tent could be adjusted for by reducing
ride permeability test. For similar the water content of
materials, a higher value of the these batches using
charge passed will result in concrete appropriate mixture
with a higher permeability. It can be adjustments. (See
concluded from Figure 1.4 that the Figure 5)
permeability was not affected when The data also
recycled water slurry was used in show that the batch-
these mixtures of the same w/cm es with the four-
ratio. hour-old slurry did
have a compressive
strength similar to
the control batches,
which is related to
the lower mixing
Figure 5: Compressive Strength at 28 days water demand and
CONCRETE in focus 5
feature continued
designed to evaluate In this phase of the study, the recy-
whether the treat- cled water slurry was obtained in the
ment of wash water same manner and placed in three sepa-
with a hydration rate containers. Two of these containers
stabilizing admix- were dosed with the hydration stabiliz-
ture (HSA) could ing admixture at two hours after the
offset some of the initial contact of water with the
negative effects cement. The two hours was chosen to
with high solids simulate when a mixer truck might
recycled slurries return to the plant and wash out with
observed in Phase I water that contained HSA.
Figure 6 The progression of hydration of the cement (effectiveness of the of the study. Phase The Low dosage was established
admixture dosage) was quantified from the loss on ignition on the dry solids from II also included a from other tests to maintain the cement
the slurries.
condition where solids from hydrating about 1.5 day
possibly some cementing value from the mixing water using recycled water and the High dosage was established to
unhydrated cement solids. slurry was at the ASTM limit for solids keep the cement solids from hydrating
content of 15 pounds per cubic yard. for eight days. The progression of
Durability Properties The same concrete mix design and hydration of the cement (effectiveness
Data on drying shrinkage, freeze- procedures were used for Phase II of the of the admixture dosage) was quantified
thaw resistance and rapid chloride per- study. The details of the experimental from the loss on ignition on the dry
meability were collected and are not conditions are listed in Table 3. The solids from the slurries. These results
included or illustrated in this report. data was generated from two replica- are illustrated in Figure 6. A low loss on
Mixtures that had a higher mixing tions of the experimental series. ignition value corresponds to a low
water content had a concomitant degree of hydration of cement. Data in
increase in results for drying shrinkage Table 3 Experimental variables in Figure 6 are from the actual slurries
and rapid chloride permeability. These Phase II of the Study used in the concrete batches.
higher values can be offset if appropri- Water Tap water (Control)
ate steps are taken to reduce the mixing Recycled water at 15 Within ASTM C 94 Limits
water content of those mixtures. lb solids per cubic yard Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the setting
Freezing and thawing was conducted Recycled water at 45 lb time and 28-day compressive strength
in accordance with Procedure A of solids per cubic yard of concrete, respectively, of concrete
ASTM C 666, which is the most severe HSA Treatment No admixture batches with solids content at the
exposure of freezing in water and thaw- Low Dosage (1.5 50,000-ppm limit (or 15 lb/yd ) of
3
ing in water. The samples were exposed day protection) ASTM C 94. The slurry ages were four
to in excess of 600 freeze-thaw cycles. High Dosage (8 day hours, one day and seven days. Mixing
Typical evaluations are conducted for protection) water requirements were 0 (at four
300 cycles. All the samples had adequate Age of slurry 4 1 hour hours) to 15 lbs/yd3 higher than that of
air contents and the durability factor for 1 day the control batches for target slump.
all conditions exceeded 90 percent when 7 days The data indicate that setting time
the tests were terminated. Typical failure (expressed as percent of control) and
criteria for freeze-thaw evaluations are strength were similar to control, except
when the durability factor falls below 80 for modest setting time acceleration
percent in 300 cycles. The severe expo-
sure of Procedure A caused scaling of the
freeze-thaw specimens. Mass loss quanti-
fied to an average 2.5 percent of the
original mass of the specimen. There was
no distinct experimental condition that
showed a higher level of scaling.
Phase II
With the observation that recycled Figure 7
Setting time of
water slurries used at four hours did not concrete
cause significant detrimental effects on batches with
mixing water demand and setting time, recycled water
at the ASTM
the second phase of the study was C 94 solids
limit
6 SPRING 2003
Simple Procedures for
Quality Control
When Using Recycled Water
he primary criteria for question- time and this will serve as calibration
CONCRETE in focus 7
(50,000 2000)
tests on the recycled water slurry. Estab- of this recycled water slurry and tap RW = = 34%
lish a linear relationship (for simplicity) water (assume density of 1.00 and total (144,000 2000)
between the slurry density and the dissolved solids of 2000 ppm for sim-
solids content (see Figure 2.4). Based plicity), for a target solids content, the The same equation can be used if
on target density of the mixing water, following relationship can be used: the preference is to work with water
one can calculate the blending percent- RW x SRW + (1 RW) x STW = TS density, where the respective water den-
ages. Where: sity replaces the solids content.
RW = Recycled slurry water Blending recycled water slurry and
Example TW = Tap water = (1-RW) tap water is frequently done with in-
Figure 2.4 illustrates a sample rela- SRW = Solids content of recycled line water density gages and automated
tionship of recycled water density and adjustments. Ensure that the software is
slurry water
solids content in ppm. This relation-
STW = Solids content of tap water doing these calculations accurately and
ship holds only for this particular con-
TS = Target solids content (limit) calibrate these density gages using the
crete plant. A spreadsheet and graphing
in mixing water simple procedures described here. The
software (like MS Excel) can be used to
The percent recycled slurry water producer should check the density of
plot this relationship and obtain an
equation. can be calculated by rearranging the recycled water at a minimum frequency
In this example the relationship previous equation: of two per day. When mixing water is
between the solids content and the den- used at a higher solids content, there
(TS-STW) are other adjustments necessary to
sity is as follows: RW =
Solids content, ppm = 1356495 (SRW-STW) batch ingredients to compensate for the
(Density) 1348016 water and solids in the recycled water
If the density of the slurry on a par- If the target solids content is the slurry and to establish more accurate
ticular day is 1.10, using this equation, ASTM C 94 limit or 50,000 ppm, the mixture proportions and water-cement
the solids content is approximately percentage recycled water slurry to ratio. The producer should also docu-
144,000 ppm. blend with tap water in this example ment strength and setting time data to
To determine blending percentage will be: provide to the customer on request.
Figure 2.4 Correlation between density and solids content for recycled water slurry
8 SPRING 2003
feature continued from page 22
10 SPRING 2003