Mechanical Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Sustainable development is gaining recognition around the globe these days. Governments are under pressure, on many fronts, to drive in sustainable development in policies, practice, and operations to secure the planet’s future. Adding to this, increased populations, and the need for more infrastructures, have unfortunately led to the unacceptable depletion of raw materials, increasing amounts of construction waste and increased deterioration of the natural environment in many places worldwide. Demolition of existing concrete structures produces a massive quantity of Recycled Aggregate (RA). RA mainly composed of two materials of different nature: natural aggregate and bonded mortar. Presently, due to lack of confidence on the quality and properties of RA, it is being used in low-quality concrete, sub-grade applications and as filling material. Literature shows that Bonded Mortar Content (BMC) is responsible for higher water absorption and porosity of RA. Consequently, it is necessary to determine the BMC for reuse in making Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC). The objective of this book is to determine the BMC accurately and to relate to the RAC properties.