Properties of green self-compacting concrete designed by particle packing density method

Abstract

Since depletion of natural resources and the amount of construction and demolition waste have overcome the socially and environmentally acceptable level, the construction industry must address this issue and reduce its impact on the environment. A step towards sustainability in the construction industry is the application of recycled aggregates and supplementary cementitious materials as integral components of concretes, which provides conserving natural aggregates and waste reduction. This study adopts a holistic approach to producing green self-compacting concrete with the highest portion of recycled aggregate as a replacement for natural aggregate and fly ash as filler. Based on the particle packing density method, four series of self-compacting concrete were prepared: the first series was made with natural fine and coarse aggregate, the second series was made with fine natural aggregate and recycled coarse aggregate, the third with 50 % (by mass) of fine natural aggregate replaced by recycled fine aggregate and recycled coarse aggregate, and the fourth series completely with recycled fine and coarse aggregate. The content of fly ash remained constant. Regardless of the expected decrease of workability in a fresh state with the increase of the recycled aggregate content, all series exceeded the requirements set for the hardened structural concrete.

Keywords

• self-compacting concrete
• sustainability
• recycled aggregate
• fly ash
• physical and mechanical properties