Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T21:19:52.671Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Microstructural Features of Recycled Aggregate Concrete: From Non-Structural to High-Performance Concrete

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2019

Diogo Pedro ,
Mafalda Guedes ,
Jorge de Brito  and
Luís Evangelista Open the ORCID record for Luís Evangelista [Opens in a new window]
Diogo Pedro
Affiliation:
CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Mafalda Guedes*
Affiliation:
CDP2T and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Escola Superior de Tecnologia de Setúbal, Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, 2910-761 Setúbal, Portugal CeFEMA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Jorge de Brito
Affiliation:
CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Luís Evangelista
Affiliation:
CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal Department of Civil Engineering, ISEL-IPL, Rua Conselheiro Emídio Navarro, 1, 1959-007 Lisbon, Portugal
*
*Author for correspondence: Mafalda Guedes, E-mail: mafalda.guedes@estsetubal.ips.pt
Get access

Abstract

The use of concrete-recycled aggregates to produce high-performance concrete is limited by insufficient correlation between resulting microstructure and its influence on mechanical performance reproducibility. This work addresses this issue in a sequential approach: concrete microstructure was systematically analyzed and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and results were correlated with concrete compressive strength and water absorption ability. The influence of replacing natural aggregates (NA) with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA), with different source concrete strength levels, of silica fume (SF) addition and of mixing procedure was tested. The results show that the developed microstructure depends on the concrete composition and is conditioned by the distinct nature of NA, recycled aggregates from high-strength source concrete, and recycled aggregates from low-strength source concrete. SF was only effective at concrete densification when a two-stage mixing approach was used. The highest achieved strength in concrete with 100% incorporation of RCA was 97.3 MPa, comparable to that of conventional high-strength concrete with NA. This shows that incorporation of significant amounts of RCA replacing NA in concrete is not only a realistic approach to current environmental goals, but also a viable route for the production of high-performance concrete.

Keywords

compressive strengthconcrete microstructuredensified silica fumenatural aggregatesrecycled concrete aggregateswater absorption
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , June 2019 , pp. 601 - 616
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2019 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ajdukiewicz, A & Kliszczewicz, A (2002). Influence of recycled aggregates on mechanical properties of HS/HPC. Cem Concr Compos 24, 269–279.Google Scholar
Alves, AV, Vieira, TF, de Brito, J & Correia, JR (2014). Mechanical properties of structural concrete with fine recycled ceramic aggregates. Constr Build Mater 64, 103–113.Google Scholar
Andreu, G & Miren, E (2014). Experimental analysis of properties of high performance recycled aggregate concrete. Constr Build Mater 52, 227–235.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2013.11.054Google Scholar
Barra, M & Vázquez, E (1998). Properties of concretes with recycled aggregates: Influence of properties of the aggregates and their interpretation. In Sustainable Construction: Use of Recycled Concrete Aggregate. London, UK: Thomas Telford, pp. 18–30.Google Scholar
Bentz, DP, Stutzman, PE & Garboczi, EJ (1992). Experimental and simulation studies of the interfacial zone in concrete. Cem Concr Res 22, 891–902.10.1016/0008-8846(92)90113-AGoogle Scholar
Boddy, AM, Hooton, RD & Thomas, MD (2000). The effect of product form of silica fume on its ability to control alkali–silica reaction. Cem Concr Res 30, 1139–1150.10.1016/S0008-8846(00)00297-0Google Scholar
Bogas, JA, Nogueira, R & Almeida, NG (2014). Influence of mineral additions and different compositional parameters on the shrinkage of structural expanded clay lightweight concrete. Materials & Design (1980–2015) 56, 1039–1048.10.1016/j.matdes.2013.12.013Google Scholar
Bonen, D & Diamond, S (1992). Occurrence of large silica fume-derived particles in hydrated cement paste. Cem Concr Res 22, 1059–1066.Google Scholar
Bravo, M, Santos Silva, A, de Brito, J & Evangelista, L (2016). Microstructure of concrete with aggregates from construction and demolition waste recycling plants. Microsc Microanal 22, 149–167.Google Scholar
BSI (1981). BS 6089:1981. Assessment of in-situ compressive strength in structures and precast concrete components: complementary guidance to that given in BS EN 13791. London.Google Scholar
BSI (1983). BS 1881-120:1983. Testing concrete. Method for determination of the compressive strength of concrete cores. London.Google Scholar
BSI (2009). BS EN 12390-3:2009. Testing hardened concrete. Part 3, Compressive strength of test specimens. London.Google Scholar
Cachim, PB (2009). Mechanical properties of brick aggregate concrete. Constr Build Mater 23, 1292–1297.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2008.07.023Google Scholar
Campbell, DH (1999). Microscopical Examination and Interpretation of Portland Cement and Clinker, 2nd ed. Portland: Cement Association.Google Scholar
Castro-Gomes, J (1997). Mathematical models for assessing cement hydration and microstructure of cement pastes. PhD thesis. University of Leeds.Google Scholar
CEN (2002). EN 12620:2002. Aggregates for Concrete.Google Scholar
CEN (2009). EN 12504-1: 2009. Testing Concrete in Structures. Part 1: Cored Specimens. Taking, Examining and Testing in Compression.Google Scholar
CEN (2012). EN 12390-1:2012, Testing Hardened Concrete. Part 1: Shape, Dimensions and Other Requirements for Specimens and Moulds.Google Scholar
de Castro, S & de Brito, J (2013). Evaluation of the durability of concrete made with crushed glass aggregates. J Cleaner Prod 41, 7–14.10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.09.021Google Scholar
Damtoft, JS, Lukasik, J, Herfort, D, Sorrentino, D & Gartner, EM (2008). Sustainable development and climate change initiatives. Cem Concr Res 38, 115–127.Google Scholar
Diamond, S (2001). Considerations in image analysis as applied to investigations of the ITZ in concrete. Cem Concr Compos 23, 171–178.10.1016/S0958-9465(00)00085-8Google Scholar
Diamond, S (2004). The microstructure of cement paste and concrete-a visual primer. Cem Concr Compos 26, 919–933.10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2004.02.028Google Scholar
Diamond, S & Sahu, S (2006). Densified silica fume: Particle sizes and dispersion in concrete. Mater Struct 39, 849–859.Google Scholar
Domone, JL (1998). Concrete. In Construction Materials: Their Nature and Behaviour, Illston, JM (Ed.), pp. 89–195. London: E & FN Spon.Google Scholar
Etxeberria, M, Vázquez, E & Marí, A (2006). Microstructure analysis of hardened recycled aggregate concrete. Mag Concr Res 58, 683–690.Google Scholar
Eurostat (2018). Waste statistics in Europe. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/, 2017 (accessed 14 August 2017). http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/.Google Scholar
Evangelista, L & de Brito, J (2007). Mechanical behaviour of concrete made with fine recycled concrete aggregates. Cem Concr Compos 29, 397–401.Google Scholar
Faury, J (1958). Le Béton. Paris: Dunod (in French).Google Scholar
Guedes, M, Evangelista, L, de Brito, J & Ferro, AC (2013). Microstructural characterization of concrete prepared with recycled aggregates. Microsc Microanal 19, 1222–1230.10.1017/S1431927613001463Google Scholar
Kenai, S, Debieb, F & Azzouz, L (2002). Mechanical properties and durability of concrete made with coarse and fine recycled concrete aggregates. In Challenges of Concrete Construction: Vol. 5, Sustainable Concrete Construction. London, UK: Thomas Telford, pp. 383–392.10.1680/scc.31777.0039Google Scholar
Kjellsen, KO, Detwiler, RJ & Gjørv, OE (1991). Backscattered electron image analysis of cement paste specimens: Specimen preparation and analytical methods. Cem Concr Res 21, 388–390.10.1016/0008-8846(91)90020-IGoogle Scholar
Kumar, R & Bhattacharjee, B (2003). Porosity, pore size distribution and in situ strength of concrete. Cem Concr Res 33, 155–164.10.1016/S0008-8846(02)00942-0Google Scholar
Lei, D-Y, Guo, L-P, Sun, W, Liu, J, Shu, X & Guo, X-L (2016). A new dispersing method on silica fume and its influence on the performance of cement-based materials. Constr Build Mater 115, 716–726.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.04.023Google Scholar
Leite, MB (2001). Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Concrete Produced with Recycled Aggregates from Construction and Demolition Waste. PhD Thesis. University of Rio Grande do Sul (in Portuguese).Google Scholar
Li, W, Xiao, J, Sun, Z, Kawashima, S & Shah, SP (2012). Interfacial transition zones in recycled aggregate concrete with different mixing approaches. Constr Build Mater 35, 1045–1055.Google Scholar
LNEC (1993). LNEC E 394. Concrete. Determination of water absorption by immersion (in Portuguese). Lisbon.Google Scholar
Mazloom, M, Ramezanianpour, AA & Brooks, JJ (2004). Effect of silica fume on mechanical properties of high-strength concrete. Cem Concr Compos 26, 347–357.10.1016/S0958-9465(03)00017-9Google Scholar
Mehta, PK & Monteiro, PJM (2006). Concrete: Microstructure, Properties, and Materials. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Pacheco-Torgal, F & Labrincha, JA (2013). The future of construction materials research and the seventh UN millennium development goal: A few insights. Constr Build Mater 40, 729–737.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.11.007Google Scholar
Pann, KS, Yen, T, Tang, C-W & Lin, TD (2003). New strength model based on water-cement ratio and capillary porosity. Mater J 100, 311–318.Google Scholar
Park, SB, Lee, BC & Kim, JH (2004). Studies on mechanical properties of concrete containing waste glass aggregate. Cem Concr Res 34, 2181–2189.Google Scholar
Pedro, D, de Brito, J & Evangelista, L (2014). Influence of the use of recycled concrete aggregates from different sources on structural concrete. Constr Build Mater 71, 141–151.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.08.030Google Scholar
Poon, C, Shui, Z & Lam, L (2004). Effect of microstructure of ITZ on compressive strength of concrete prepared with recycled aggregates. Constr Build Mater 18, 461–468.Google Scholar
Salem, RM & Burdette, EG (1998). Role of chemical and mineral admixtures on the physical properties and frost-resistance of recycled aggregate concrete. Mater J 95, 558–563.Google Scholar
Scrivener, KL, Crumbie, AK & Laugesen, P (2004). The Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) between cement paste and aggregate in concrete. Interface Sci 12, 411–421.Google Scholar
Scrivener, KL & Kirkpatrick, RJ (2008). Innovation in use and research on cementitious material. Cem Concr Res 38, 128–136.Google Scholar
Silva, RV, de Brito, J & Dhir, RK (2014). Properties and composition of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste suitable for concrete production. Constr Build Mater 65, 201–217.Google Scholar
Silva, RV, de Brito, J & Saikia, N (2013). Influence of curing conditions on the durability-related performance of concrete made with selected plastic waste aggregates. Cem Concr Compos 35, 23–31.Google Scholar
Tabsh, SW & Abdelfatah, AS (2009). Influence of recycled concrete aggregates on strength properties of concrete. Constr Build Mater 23, 1163–1167.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2008.06.007Google Scholar
Tam, VWY, Gao, XF & Tam, CM (2005). Microstructural analysis of recycled aggregate concrete produced from two-stage mixing approach. Cem Concr Res 35, 1195–1203.Google Scholar
Tam, VWY & Tam, CM (2008). Diversifying two-stage mixing approach (TSMA) for recycled aggregate concrete: TSMAs and TSMAsc. Constr Build Mater 22, 2068–2077.Google Scholar
United Nations (2018). World Urbanization Prospects 2018. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division Data, New York.Google Scholar
Zhang, Z, Zhang, B & Yan, P (2016). Comparative study of effect of raw and densified silica fume in the paste, mortar and concrete. Constr Build Mater 105, 82–93.10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.12.045Google Scholar