Determining properties of recycled aggregates of civil construction

Abstract

Civil construction uses up large quantities of natural resources and produces tons of construction and demolition waste (CDW). Because of its growth, these quantities have increased in the last few years and it has become necessary to create a sustainable method of development for the civil construction area. Even though reducing the quantity of CDW produced is possible, it's impossible to stop producing it. Therefore, recycling it became the most promising solution. In spite of the awareness of the importance of recycling CDW and many researches being developed, there is still need of a deeper study about the characteristics of the recycled aggregates. The diversity in the results of behavior and performance of recycled CDW used in concrete production indicates the variability in their composition. This research's goal is, through bibliographic analysis and hereupon tests in laboratory, all of them guided by weekly meetings, evaluate the composition and variability of class A recycled aggregates' characteristics. Using an experimental research method, the various dimensions of aggregates samples will be collected from four recycling units and their composition related to the presence of cement and ceramic materials, assessment of fines, maximum grain size, fineness module, capability of water absorption and specific, unitary and compacted mass, will be determined. The series of characterization tests will be done three times, using recycled CDW aggregates collected in three different dates. To conclude, it's intended, in twelve months, to create a data bases containing the characteristics of recycled aggregates produced in the nearest recycling units that can be used in future researches using CDW aggregates.