Self-compacting concrete manufactured with recycled concrete aggregate: An overview

Abstract

The use of different types of waste in the manufacture of concrete is increasingly common, due to unabating concerns over climate change and sustainability in the construction sector. It is now widely accepted that the optimal behavior of vibrated concrete produced with the addition of certain wastes can rival the behavior of conventional products. The manufacture of special concretes, such as selfcompacting concrete, is also currently under investigation, although the state of knowledge in this field is not so well developed. In this review paper, current and past research articles on the design of self-compacting concrete with recycled concrete aggregate, both by itself and in combination with other wastes, are summarized and assessed. Research is presented into recycled concrete aggregate properties and the mix-design of the self-compacting concretes that contain them, as well as relevant results on the fresh state (workability, rheology), the hardened state (compressive strength, splitting tensile and flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and porosity), durability (resistance to aggressive agents), long-term properties of concrete (shrinkage, creep), and structural elements manufactured with selfcompacting concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate. The results under review reaffirm that the incorporation of recycled concrete aggregate can produce a suitable self-compacting recycled concrete, on the basis of careful designs that are essential for successful performance.