Construction and Building Materials 24 (2010) 16161620

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Construction and Building Materials

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/conbuildmat

Mechanical and elastic behaviour of concretes made of recycled-concrete

coarse aggregates
Valeria Corinaldesi *
Department of Materials and Environment Engineering and Physics, Universit Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 8 January 2010
Received in revised form 9 February 2010
Accepted 11 February 2010
Available online 16 March 2010
Keywords:
Coarse recycled aggregate
Drying shrinkage
Elastic modulus
Recycled-concrete aggregate

a b s t r a c t
In this paper an investigation of mechanical behaviour and elastic properties of recycled-aggregate concretes is presented. These concretes were prepared by alternatively using two different (coarse and ner
coarse) recycled-aggregate fractions both made of recycled concrete coming from a recycling plant in
which rubble from demolition is collected and suitably treated. Several concrete mixtures were prepared
by using only virgin aggregates (as reference), 30% ner coarse recycled aggregate replacing ne gravel
and 30% coarse recycled aggregate replacing gravel. Five different water to cement ratios were adopted
as: 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60. Concrete workability was in the slump range of 190200 mm. Compression tests were carried out after 28 days of wet curing. In addition, concrete elastic modulus and drying shrinkage were evaluated. Results obtained showed that structural concrete up to C32/40 strength
class can be manufactured by replacing 30% virgin aggregate with recycled-concrete aggregate. Moreover, a correlation between elastic modulus and compressive strength of recycled-aggregate concrete
was found and compared to those reported in the literature. Finally, on the basis of drying shrinkage
results, particularly if ner coarse recycled-concrete aggregate is added to the mixture, lower strains
could be detected especially for earlier curing time.
2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Crushing concrete to produce coarse aggregate for the production
of new concrete is one common means for achieving a more environmentally-friendly concrete. This reduces the consumption of natural
resources as well as the disposal of waste concrete in landlls.
In fact, the use of recycled-aggregate concrete (RAC) is acquiring
particular interest in civil construction as regards to sustainable
development. Many studies demonstrate the feasibility of the use
of crushed concrete as coarse aggregates [18], its use being already accounted for in the regulations of many countries. In Italy,
the use of 30% recycled concrete instead of virgin aggregate is
denitively allowed for producing concretes (C30/37 strength
class) since July 2009 [9]. Nevertheless, in the Italian regulations
no indication about predictions of RAC elastic modulus and drying
shrinkage is reported. The study of the elastic behaviour of concretes made of 30% recycled-concrete aggregates, here discussed,
just has the aim to provide useful information.

Quartz sand (05 mm), ne gravel (612 mm) and gravel (1122 mm) were
used, suitably combined, for preparing the reference mixtures. Then two recycled-aggregate fractions were alternatively used, a ner coarse recycled fraction
(612 mm) and a coarse recycled fraction (1122 mm), both coming from a recycling plant in which rubble from concrete structure demolition are selected after
a proper quality check in order to avoid hazardous materials such as asbestos or
chalk, then ground, cleaned and sieved. Their composition is 100% recycled concrete; the original concrete strength class was unknown and likely different for
waste concrete coming from different sources. The main physical properties of
the aggregate fractions evaluated according to EN 1097-6 [11] are reported in Table 1 and their gradations evaluated according to EN 933-1 [12] are shown in
Fig. 1. In addition, in Table 1 are reported data concerning the pore structure of
the aggregate fractions and ner coarse the mean value of their total open porosity.
These results were obtained by means of mercury intrusion technique as the mean
value calculated on ve samples for each aggregate fraction. The content in recycled
concrete fractions of chlorides, sulphates, organic materials were evaluated according to the methods recommended by UNI EN 1744-1 (parts 7, 11, 12, 14 and 15)
[13] and the presence of alkalisilica reactive materials according to the method
recommended by UNI EN 8520-22 [14]. No organic or alkalisilica reactive materials were detected; concerning the amount of chlorides and sulphates they were below 0.04% (by weight) and 0.15% (by weight) respectively.
As water reducing admixture, a 30% aqueous solution of carboxylic acrylic ester
polymer was added to the mixtures.

2. Materials
A commercial portland-limestone blended cement type CEM II/A-L 42.5 R
according to EN-197/1 [10] was used. The Blaine neness of cement is 0.42 m2/g
and its relative specic gravity is 3.05.

* Tel.: +39 071 2204428; fax: +39 071 2204719.

E-mail address: v.corinaldesi@univpm.it.
0950-0618/$ - see front matter 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2010.02.031

3. Concrete mixture proportions

The concrete mixture proportions of the reference mixtures
(REF) made of 100% virgin aggregates, of the mixtures made of
30% ner coarse recycled aggregate replacing ne gravel (FR) and
of the mixtures made of 30% coarse recycled aggregate replacing

1617

V. Corinaldesi / Construction and Building Materials 24 (2010) 16161620

(50 2%), in the meantime drying shrinkage was measured at different curing times.
Finally, three cylindrical specimens, 250 mm high with a diameter of 100 mm, for each concrete mixture were manufactured for
evaluating static modulus of elasticity in compression according to
UNI 6556 [19].
5. Results and discussion
5.1. Compression tests

Fig. 1. Grain size distribution curves of the aggregate fractions.

gravel (CR) are reported in Tables 24 respectively. The recycledaggregate fractions were added to the mixture after water-soaking,
in a condition very close to that dened as saturated surface-dried.
Five different water to cement ratios were adopted as: 0.40,
0.45, 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60 for 15 different concrete mixtures in all.
All the concrete mixtures showed the same uidity level (S5,
slump in the range 190200 mm), evaluated according to EN
12350-2 [15].
In order to optimize the grain size distribution of the solid particles in the concrete, the aggregate fractions were suitably combined according to the Bolomey particle size distribution curve
[16].
A water reducing admixture was always added to the mixtures
but at different dosages, ranging from 1.2% to 0.4% by weight of cement in order to adjust cement dosage (always kept under 350 kg/m3
and gradually decreased for increasing water to cement ratios).
4. Preparation and curing of specimens
Fifteen cubic specimens, 100 mm in size, were cast in steel
forms for each concrete mixture for compression tests, according
to UNI EN 12390-1 [17] and wet cured at 20 C.
In addition, three prismatic specimens (100 by 100 by 500 mm)
were prepared for each concrete mixture according to UNI 6555
[18]. After one day of wet curing, the specimens were stored at
constant temperature (20 2 C) and constant relative humidity

Compressive strength was evaluated after 28 days of wet curing

according to UNI EN 12390-3 [20] on cubic specimens. The mean
values obtained from fteen specimens as well as the standard
deviation values are reported in Table 5.
On the basis of the data reported in Table 5, the compressive
strengths after 28 days of wet curing resulted 8% lower when ner
coarse instead of coarse recycled fraction was used. The reason lies
in the different physical properties of these two fractions (see Table 1), despite the fact that they were simultaneously produced
from the same plant. One possible explanation is a different distribution of those particles coming from higher concrete strength
classes, which are less friable and, consequently, coarser at the
end of the crushing process, so that they are present in higher percentages in the coarse instead of ner coarse recycled-aggregate
fraction.
Concerning the standard deviation values, they were practically
independent on the type of aggregate used, showing that the same
degree of homogeneity of the concrete mixtures could be achieved
by using recycled aggregates instead of ordinary aggregates.
Despite the penalization on the compressive strength values
with respect to the reference mixtures for equal water to cement
ratios (see Fig. 2), whichever the size of the recycled aggregate
fraction, RAC strength classes C30/37 and C32/40 can be condently achieved by keeping the water/cement under 0.50 and
0.40 respectively.
5.2. Static elastic modulus evaluation
Static modulus of elasticity was determined in compression on
cylindrical specimens (250 mm high with a diameter of 100 mm)
according to Italian Standards UNI 6556 [19]. The mean values obtained after 28 days are reported in Table 5 and plotted in Fig. 3 as
a function of the concrete compressive strength after 28 days.

Table 1
Main physical properties, total open porosity and average pore dimension of the aggregate fractions.
Aggregate fractions

Quartz sand

Fine gravel

Gravel

Finer coarse recycled fraction

Coarse recycled fraction

Relative specic gravity (SSD)

Water absorption, %
Total open porosity, %
Average pore dimension, nm

2.54
3.5
11.5
112

2.56
3.0
11.9
124

2.57
3.0
9.7
120

2.40
8.8
17.8
146

2.42
6.8
16.3
138

Table 2
Mixture proportions of concretes made of 100% virgin aggregates.
Mixture

REF-0.40

REF-0.45

REF-0.50

REF-0.55

REF-0.60

Water/cement
Water, kg
Cement, kg
Sand, kg (% in volume)
Fine gravel, kg (% in volume)
Gravel, kg (% in volume)
Superplasticizer, % by weight of cement

0.40
140
350
732 (40)
553 (30)
556 (30)
1.2

0.45
153
340
723 (40)
547 (30)
549 (30)
1.0

0.50
165
330
715 (40)
541 (30)
543 (30)
0.8

0.55
176
320
708 (40)
535 (30)
537 (30)
0.6

0.60
186
310
702 (40)
531 (30)
533 (30)
0.4

1618

V. Corinaldesi / Construction and Building Materials 24 (2010) 16161620

Table 3
Mixture proportions of concretes made of 30% ner coarse recycled aggregates.
Mixture

FR-0.40

FR-0.45

FR-0.50

FR-0.55

FR-0.60

Water/cement
Water, kg
Cement, kg
Sand, kg (% in volume)
Finer coarse recycled aggregate, kg (% in volume)
Gravel, kg (% in volume)
Superplasticizer, % by weight of cement

0.40
140
350
732 (40)
519 (30)
556 (30)
1.2

0.45
153
340
723 (40)
512 (30)
549 (30)
1.0

0.50
165
330
715 (40)
507 (30)
543 (30)
0.8

0.55
176
320
708 (40)
502 (30)
537 (30)
0.6

0.60
186
310
702 (40)
497 (30)
533 (30)
0.4

Table 4
Mixture proportions of concretes made of 30% coarse recycled aggregates.
Mixture

CR-0.40

CR-0.45

CR-0.50

CR-0.55

CR-0.60

Water/cement
Water, kg
Cement, kg
Sand, kg (% in volume)
Fine gravel, kg (% in volume)
Coarse recycled aggregate, kg (% in volume)
Superplasticizer, % by weight of cement

0.40
140
350
732 (40)
553 (30)
523 (30)
1.2

0.45
153
340
723 (40)
547 (30)
517 (30)
1.0

0.50
165
330
715 (40)
541 (30)
511 (30)
0.8

0.55
176
320
708 (40)
535 (30)
506 (30)
0.6

0.60
186
310
702 (40)
531 (30)
501 (30)
0.4

Table 5
Compressive strengths and elastic modulus after 28 days.
Mixture

REF-0.40
REF-0.45
REF-0.50
REF-0.55
REF-0.60
FR-0.40
FR-0.45
FR-0.50
FR-0.55
FR-0.60
CR-0.40
CR-0.45
CR-0.50
CR-0.55
CR-0.60

Compressive strength (MPa)

Static elastic modulus (GPa)

Mean values

Standard deviations

Mean value

58.6
56.1
51.2
47.1
43.9
43.3
39.6
38.1
34.5
31.6
46.1
45.8
39.9
36.3
34.7

3.4
2.5
3.1
2.6
1.3
1.7
2.8
1.9
3.9
1.8
3.2
2.9
3.7
2.7
1.6

37.3
36.9
35.6

33.9
28.6
28.6
27.2
26.7
26.4
32.7
33.3
27.7
24.0
22.9

Ravindrarajah and Tam [21]:

0:33
Ec 7770  fcu

Kakizaki et al. [22]:

Ec 1:9  105 

 q 1:5

2300

r
fcu
2000

Dillmann [23]:

Ec 634:43  fcu 3057:6

Dhir et al. [24]:

Ec 370  fcu 13 100

Mellmann [25]:

Ec 378  fcu 8242

Zilch and Roos [26]:

Ec 9100  fcu 81=3 

 q 2
2400

Eqs. (1)(6) are graphed in Fig. 3. It can be seen that there exists
a great degree of diversity in the results. The reason for the

Fig. 2. 28-Day compressive strengths vs. water to cement ratios.

Different equations have been suggested by various investigators for describing the relationship between the elastic modulus
(MPa) and the cube specimen compressive strength (fcu, MPa) of
recycled-aggregate concrete, and some of them are given in Eqs.
(1)(6).

Fig. 3. RAC static elastic modulus vs. compressive strength.

V. Corinaldesi / Construction and Building Materials 24 (2010) 16161620

By comparing the drying shrinkage strains after 180 days for equal
strength class concretes (C32/40), see Fig. 4, it can be noticed that,
by using 30% recycled instead of virgin aggregate, strains are reduced of 23% and 14% by using the ner coarse and the coarse recycled fractions respectively.
In addition, when the ner coarse recycled fraction is used, particularly low values of shrinkage are detected for early age (7 days),
showing a curing effect due to the use of such pre-saturated porous aggregate particles [27].

Table 6
Drying shrinkage measurements (mm/m).
Mixture

REF-0.40
REF-0.45
REF-0.50
REF-0.55
REF-0.60
FR-0.40
FR-0.45
FR-0.50
FR-0.55
FR-0.60
CR-0.40
CR-0.45
CR-0.50
CR-0.55
CR-0.60

Days of exposure to 50% R.H., 20 C temperature

7

30

60

90

180

0.09
0.11
0.19
0.18
0.24
0.05
0.06
0.05
0.10
0.19
0.11
0.12
0.14
0.17
0.18

0.26
0.30
0.27
0.33
0.34
0.26
0.28
0.27
0.24
0.44
0.31
0.32
0.38
0.26
0.40

0.34
0.37
0.43
0.47
0.48
0.40
0.42
0.41
0.45
0.63
0.50
0.43
0.54
0.38
0.62

0.40
0.40
0.45
0.49
0.58
0.50
0.47
0.50
0.51
0.68
0.50
0.47
0.54
0.43
0.66

0.44
0.48
0.50
0.64
0.70
0.54
0.54
0.52
0.58
0.73
0.58
0.60
0.58
0.63
0.68

6. Conclusions

discrepancies is that the referenced author/authors has/have proposed his/their equation, just to best t his/their own experimental
results.
In Fig. 3 one further equation is graphed (proposed):

Ec 18 800 

r
3 0:83  fcu
10

It was obtained by suitably modifying the formula reported in

the Italian regulations [9] for calculating the static elastic modulus
of ordinary concrete, where the coefcient was changed from
22,000 to 18,800 in order to t the results obtained when the ner
coarse recycled-aggregate fraction was used. In practice, it means
that, for equal compressive strength, 15% lower elastic modulus
is achieved by using 30% ner coarse recycled aggregates.
On the other hand, when the coarse recycled aggregate fraction
was used, the elastic modulus value appears to be more dependent
on the compressive strength variation and the following equation
can be proposed by suitably adapting the Dillmann formula Eq. (3):

Ec 909  fcu 8738

1619

5.3. Drying shrinkage test

Drying shrinkage was evaluated according to UNI 6555 [18]. Results obtained up to 180 days of exposure are reported in Table 6.

Fig. 4. Drying shrinkage vs. time of exposure for equal strength (C30/40) concretes.

Results obtained show that structural concrete up to C32/40

strength class can be manufactured by replacing 30% virgin aggregate with recycled-concrete aggregate.
Moreover, a correlation between elastic modulus and compressive strength of recycled-aggregate concrete was found showing
that 15% lower elastic modulus is achieved by using 30% recycled
aggregates.
Finally, on the basis of the results obtained it seems that, particularly if ner coarse recycled-concrete aggregate is used, lower
shrinkage strains are detected especially for earlier curing times.
This last aspect, when considered together with a lower elastic
modulus, predicts a lower tendency to crack in the recycled-aggregate concrete.

References
[1] RILEM Recommendation. 121-DRG guidance for demolition and reuse of
concrete and masonry. Specications for concrete with recycled aggregates.
Mater Struct 1994;27:55759.
[2] ACI Committee 555. Removal and reuse of hardened concrete. ACI Mater J.
2002;99(3):30025.
[3] Rahal K. Mechanical properties of concrete with recycled coarse aggregate.
Build Environ 2007;42:40715.
[4] Limbachiya MC, Marrocchino E, Koulouris A. Chemicalmineralogical
characterisation of coarse recycled concrete aggregate. Waste Manage
2007;27:2018.
[5] Tam VWY, Wang K, Tam CM. Assessing relationships among properties of
demolished concrete, recycled aggregate and recycled aggregate concrete
using regression analysis. J Hazard Mater 2008;152:70314.
[6] Padmini AK, Ramamurthy K, Mathews MS. Inuence of parent concrete on the
properties of recycled aggregate concrete. Constr Build Mater 2009;23:82936.
[7] Tabsh SW, Abdelfatah AS. Inuence of recycled concrete aggregates on
strength properties of concrete. Constr Build Mater 2009;23:11637.
[8] Berndt ML. Properties of sustainable concrete containing y ash, slag and
recycled concrete aggregate. Constr Build Mater 2009;23:260613.
[9] NTC 2008, Norme Tecniche per le costruzioni, D.M. 14/01/2008.
[10] EN 197-1. Cement Part 1: Composition, specications and conformity criteria
for common cements; 2000.
[11] EN 1097-6. Tests for mechanical and physical properties of aggregates
Determination of particle density and water absorption; 2000.
[12] EN 933-1. Tests for geometrical properties of aggregates determination of
particle size distribution Sieving method; 1997.
[13] UNI EN 1744-1. Tests for chemical properties of aggregates chemical
analysis; 1999.
[14] UNI 8520-22. Aggregati per confezione di calcestruzzi Determinazione della
potenziale reattivit degli aggregati in presenza di alcali (Aggregates for
concretes determination of potential alkali reactivity); 2002.
[15] EN 12350-2. Testing fresh concrete slump test; 1999.
[16] Bolomey J. Revue Matr Constr Trav Publ, Edition C; 1947.
[17] EN 12390-1. Testing hardened concrete. Shape, dimensions and other
requirements for specimens and moulds; 2000.
[18] UNI 6555. Concrete made with aggregate maximum size 30 mm. Hydraulic
shrinkage determination; 1973.
[19] UNI 6556. Tests of concretes determination of static modulus of elasticity in
compression; 1976.
[20] EN 12390-3. Testing hardened concrete. Part 3: Compressive strength of test
specimens; 2003.
[21] Ravindrarajah RS, Tam CT. Properties of concrete made with crushed concrete
as coarse aggregate. Mag Concr Res 1985;37(130):2938.
[22] Kakizaki M, Harada M, Soshiroda T, Kubota S, Ikeda T, Kasai Y. Strength and
elastic modulus of recycled aggregate concrete. In: Proceedings of the 2nd
international RILEM symposium on demolition and reuse of concrete and
masonry, Tokyo, Japan; 1988. p. 56574.

1620

V. Corinaldesi / Construction and Building Materials 24 (2010) 16161620

[23] Dillmann R. Concrete with recycled concrete aggregate. In: Proceedings of

international symposium on sustainable construction: use of recycled
concrete aggregate, Dundee, Scotland; 1998. p. 23953.
[24] Dhir RK, Limbachiya MC, Leelawat T. Suitability of recycled aggregate for use in
BS 5328 designated mixes. Proc Inst Civil Eng 1999;134:25774.
[25] Mellmann G. Processed concrete rubble for the reuse as aggregate. In:
Proceedings of the international seminar on exploiting waste in concrete,
Dundee, Scotland; 1999. p. 1718.

[26] Zilch K, Roos F. An equation to estimate the modulus of elasticity of concrete

with recycled aggregates. Civil Eng 2001;76(4):18791 (only available in
German).
[27] Corinaldesi V, Moriconi G. Recycling of wastes from building demolition in
low-shrinkage concretes. Waste Manage 2010;30(4):6559.