Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Use in New Concrete Construction

Project ID: 1787
Principal Investigator: Catherine Lucero
Research Topic: Repair and Maintenance
Funded Fiscal Years: 2017
Keywords: None

Research Question

Considering recent advances in pre-treatment and characterization, can concrete made with recycled concrete aggregate be used in structural as well as low-strength concrete applications?

Need and Benefit

Reclamation does not currently have any guidance on the use of recycled aggregate in new concrete. RCA can be used in a wide range of construction from low-strength fill to normal-strength applications.
There is cost-saving potential when using recycled materials. Reclamation frequently uses a percentage of recycled cementitious materials (such as fly ash or slag) which is less costly than cement, but the cost savings could be furthered by using recycled concrete aggregate. Additional benefits include a reduction of waste in landfills and reducing the environmental impact of the virgin aggregate extraction process.

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Bureau of Reclamation Review

The following documents were reviewed by experts in fields relating to this project's study and findings. The results were determined to be achieved using valid means.

Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Use in New Concrete Construction (final, PDF, 910KB)
By Catherine Lucero
Research Product completed on September 30, 2017

This research product summarizes the research results and potential application to Reclamation's mission.

Recycled Concrete as Aggregate for Use in New Concrete Construction (final, PDF, 910KB)
By Catherine Lucero
Research Product completed on September 30, 2017

This research product summarizes the research results and potential application to Reclamation's mission.

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Last Updated: 6/22/20