Performance Evaluation of Recycled Coarse Aggregate Based Laterized Concretes

In response to the pressing need to accommodate the rapidly growing global population, there has been a significant depletion of natural aggregates worldwide in recent years. The unregulated extraction of river sand from river belts has caused irreversible harm to ecosystems, including the potential elimination of local species. To ensure sustainable concrete construction, it is imperative to explore feasible alternatives to traditional building materials. By addressing the dual objectives of protecting the environment, which include the preservation of natural resources and the proper disposal of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste, the essential objective is to increase the viability and inevitableness of recycling. It leads to energy saving in optimizing the shipment of natural aggregate to user sites and also economic factors constitute yet another incentive for recycling concrete waste. In the present study, the potential use of recycled coarse aggregates as a substitute to conventional granite coarse aggregates along with lateritic FA as fine aggregates in producing concretes is investigated. Examined is the apparent effect of RCA on the functionality of laterized concretes. The mechanical characteristics of concretes with various ratios of RCA and lateritic FA combinations are thoroughly investigated. An appropriate methodology is used to lessen the strength loss caused by the addition of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) to concrete. The mechanical characteristics of concrete mixtures containing RCA and laterite have been shown to be comparable to those of conventional concrete. Durability property was assessed through RCPT test and RCA based laterized concretes showed promising results. Microstructure studies using a Scanning Electron Microscope validate the enrichment of compactness in the laterite-modified recycled aggregate concrete.