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MITOS Y REALIDADES

The Production and Use of

Recycled Concrete in the USA
Thomas Van Dam, Ph.D., P.E., FACI
Principal Engineer
CTL Group
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MITOS Y REALIDADES
Introduction
• In the United States, concrete is the most
commonly used recycled material
– 140 million tons annually
• Multiple Uses
– Erosion protection (rip-rap), fill, and
embankment
– Unbound aggregate layers
– Aggregate in new asphalt and concrete

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Why Use Recycled MITOS Y REALIDADES

Concrete?
• It makes economic sense
– Recycled aggregates are cheaper than natural
aggregates
• In urban areas natural aggregates are becoming scarce
• It makes environmental sense
– Minimizes the mining of new material and the
disposal of waste
– Reduces carbon footprint
• It makes societal sense
– Less societal impact, better for communities

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What is Recycled MITOS Y REALIDADES

Concrete?
• Reclaimed construction debris that can be used
as rubble or aggregate in new construction
– Demolished structures or pavements
– Returned concrete
• Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is typically
classified by size
– Fine RCA or coarse RCA
– Will focus on coarse RCA

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Production of RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES

• Step 1: Separation of contaminants

– Mainly a concern if RCA to be used in new
concrete
– Contaminants include asphalt, sealants, bricks,
building waste
• Step 2: Concrete breaking and removal
– Broken into manageable sizes
– Loaded onto trucks and transported
– Note that it may be recycled in-situ
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Potential MITOS Y REALIDADES

Contaminants
Effect on PCC
Contaminant How Removed Mixtures with RCA
Reinforcing steel On grade No effect (steel effectively
and dowel bars Electromagnet during removed)
crushing operations
Oil Not removed Small quantity believed to have
no effect
Joint sealant Removed prior to Small quantity believed to have
demolition by some; not no effect
removed by others
Soil/base course Careful loading operator May introduce clay balls in mix,
materials Scalping screen ahead of reducing PCC strength
primary crusher
Building Rubble Limited by Specification Small quantity believed to have
no effect
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HMA Removal: MITOS Y REALIDADES

Cold-Milling

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Concrete Breaking MITOS Y REALIDADES

Photos ACPA EB043P

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Concrete Removal MITOS Y REALIDADES

Photos ACPA EB043P

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Removal of MITOS Y REALIDADES

Embedded Steel

Photo ACPA EB043P

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Transporting to MITOS Y REALIDADES

Crusher

Photo ACPA EB043P

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Alternative: In- MITOS Y REALIDADES

Place Recycling

Photo by Steve Gillen, Illinois Tollway Authority

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Alternative: In- MITOS Y REALIDADES

Place Recycling

Photo by Steve Gillen, Illinois Tollway Authority

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Production of RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES

(Continued)
• Step 3: Crushing and Sizing
– Various crushers can be used
– Same basic equipment as used to process natural
aggregate
• Modifications can be made to increase efficiency
– Most RCA crushing plants use a primary and
secondary crusher
• Primary reduces particles to 8-10 cm
• Secondary crusher creates desired maximum size

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Crusher Types MITOS Y REALIDADES

• Jaw crushers use large steel plate to compress

concrete against stationary plate
– Often used as primary crusher
• Cone crushers uses eccentric rotating cones to
trap and crush concrete against housing wall
– Most often used as secondary crusher
• Impact crushers use rotating heavy steel bars
to impact concrete and hurl it against break
plates
– Removes most mortar but produces most fines

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Material Prior to MITOS Y REALIDADES

Crushing
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Illustration of MITOS Y REALIDADES

Crushing and Sizing Pavement

Operation rubble Hopper

feeder

Primary (jaw)
crusher Sizing screen

Magnet for
rebar salvage
Spring supported conveyer

Secondary
crusher Sizing
screens
stacker

stacker
38 mm
max
stacker
Typical sizes 19 mm
max

10 mm
max

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Stockpile MITOS Y REALIDADES

Management
• Run-off can be highly alkaline (pH from 9 to
10)
– Will dissipate within weeks
– Run-off not considered hazardous
• Secondary cementing will occur in stockpile
– Fine RCA stockpiles may bind together
• Coarse RCA must be washed and kept moist
– Plant must be set up with sprinklers if used in
concrete
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Stockpiled Coarse MITOS Y REALIDADES

RCA
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Coarse RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES
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Properties of RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES

• Crushing operation produces both fine and

coarse particles
• The properties of the RCA is controlled by the
reclaimed mortar (hydrated cement paste,
unhydrated cement, and sand) which is
inherently porous
– The finer the RCA, the higher the reclaimed mortar
• The more reclaimed mortar that is present, the
larger the impact on RCA properties
– Absorption and specific gravity significantly affected
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Properties of RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES

Property Natural Aggregate RCA

Well rounded, smooth
Angular with
Particle Shape and Texture (gravels) to angular and
rough surface
rough (crushed stone)
Absorption Capacity 0.8 – 3.7 percent 3.7 – 8.7 percent
Specific Gravity 2.4 – 2.9 2.1 – 2.4
L.A. Abrasion Test Mass Loss 15 – 30 percent 20 – 45 percent
Sodium Sulfate Soundness
7 – 21 percent 18 – 59 percent
Mass Loss
Magnesium Sulfate Soundness
4 – 7 percent 1 – 9 percent
Mass Loss
Chloride Content 0 – 1.2 kg/m3 0.6 – 7.1 kg/m3
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RCA Applications: MITOS Y REALIDADES

Base or Subbase
• Use same specifications as for natural aggregate
• Can have high fine content…will actually self-
cement
• If fine RCA is used, will not drained and can clog
up drainage systems
• If used for drainage layer, only use coarse RCA
– Might consider stabilizing with cement or asphalt
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Cement-Treated RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES

Drainage Layer
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RCA Applications: MITOS Y REALIDADES

Asphalt Mixtures
• The angularity provides good mixture stability
• The rough surface texture results in good skid
resistance
• Coarse RCA is more commonly used than fine
RCA
• High absorption requires additional asphalt
binder and stockpiles must remain dry
• Must meet same quality requirements as
natural aggregate
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RCA Applications: MITOS Y REALIDADES

New Concrete
• Can be effectively used as aggregate in new
concrete
– Most often, coarse aggregate RCA only (retained on
the No. 4 sieve (4.76 mm)
– When fine RCA used, blended with natural fine
aggregate
• Must be aware of and compensate for changes in
properties
– Strength, thermal expansion, shrinkage
• MUST keep coarse RCA stockpiles moist during
batching
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Expected Changes MITOS Y REALIDADES

in Fresh Concrete
Properties
Range of Expected Changes Compared to Concrete Made
with Natural Aggregate
Property
Coarse RCA Only Coarse and Fine RCA

Workability Similar to slightly lower Slightly to significantly lower

Finishability Similar to more difficult More difficult
Bleeding Slightly less Less
Water Demand Greater Much greater
Air Content Slightly higher Slightly higher
From ACPA EB043P)
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Expected Change in MITOS Y REALIDADES

Hardened Properties
Range of Expected Changes Compared to Concrete Made
with Natural Aggregate
Property
Coarse RCA Only Coarse and Fine RCA
Compressive Strength 0 to 24 percent less 15 to 40 percent less
Tensile Strength 0 to 10 percent less 10 to 20 percent less
Strength Variation Slightly greater Slightly greater
Modulus of Elasticity 10 to 33 percent less 25 to 40 percent less
Thermal Expansion 0 to 30 percent greater 0 to 30 percent greater
Drying Shrinkage 20 to 50 percent greater 70 to 100 percent greater
Creep 30 to 60 percent greater 30 to 60 percent greater
Permeability 0 to 500 percent greater 0 to 500 percent greater
Specific Gravity 0 to 10 percent less 5 to 15 percent less
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Paving with RCA MITOS Y REALIDADES

Concrete
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Concluding MITOS Y REALIDADES

Remarks
• Recycling concrete make economic,
environmental, and social sense
– A sustainable practice
• Processes exist to effectively break, crush, and
size RCA for various purposes
• Properties of RCA are controlled largely by the
amount of reclaimed mortar
• For new asphalt and concrete mixtures, it is
most common to use coarse RCA
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Concluding MITOS Y REALIDADES

Remarks
• Success requires paying attention to differences
between RCA and natural aggregates
– Fine RCA stockpiles must remain dry
– Coarse RCA stockpiles for new concrete must be
maintained in a moist condition
– Impact on mixture properties must be accomodated
• With care, the use of recycled concrete is a
viable alternative to natural materials
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Resources MITOS Y REALIDADES

• American Concrete Pavement Association

(ACPA). 2009. Recycling Concrete Pavements.
Engineering Bulletin 043P. American Concrete
Paving Association, Skokie, IL.
• Thomas Van Dam, Ph.D., P.E., Principal
Engineer, CTL Group
– tvandam@ctlgroup.com