Structural cementitious composites produced with fine recycled aggregate from concrete/ceramics wastes

ESTADO DEL ARTE E INVESTIGACIÓN EXPERIMENTAL

Abstract

This paper aims to evaluate selected properties of structural cementitious composites with fine recycled aggregate as a replacement of natural sand. Mortars were produced with mixed recycled aggregate (sourced from concrete/ceramics wastes) in contents up to 40%, without pre-wetting or additional water. Experimental investigation results were contrasted with updated literature in terms of consistency in fresh state, mechanical strength, porosity, water absorption, and shrinkage. The results showed that despite of 20% reduction in workability, compressive strength is not affected by incorporation of fine recycled aggregate, reaching values above 50 MPa at 28 days. The optimal content around 40% of fine recycled aggregate can keep porosity, water absorption and flexural strength at the same level of the reference sample. Drying and autogenous shrinkages are reduced up to 15% by the presence of fine recycled aggregate, which acts as internal curing agent for mortars with CP V-ARI and same water/cement ratio. Thus, new possibilities for pre-cast concrete and cementitious artefacts industries are indicated.