Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

Recycling building and demolition debris has become crucial as the construction industry strives to be sustainable. These green methods have been strengthened by the introduction of new building materials made from recycled construction and demolition debris. Since recycled aggregate offers an alternative to conventional natural concrete, its potential to contribute to a sustainable future has been examined through experimental activity. This research study investigates the effect of using recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) as a substitute of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) on the mechanical properties of concrete. The mechanical properties comprised of compressive and tensile strength tests were measured using old, demolished concrete as RCA. The coarse aggregate replacement was carried out in four different percentages with 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% in concrete where the specimens were cured for the period of 7 and 28 days. Other laboratory tests which include abrasion resistance, water absorption, specific gravity and workability were also conducted. According to the obtained result, it was found that the increase in the percentage of recycle coarse aggregate the workability, compressive strength and tensile strength results decreased. Higher percentage replacement resulted in higher reduction of strength; however, it could be ideal to use 50% coarse aggregate for various structural engineering applications where load carrying capacity is not of prime importance. This would not only be beneficial for construction work; however, it will reduce the demand of new construction material eventually reducing the impact on the environment and prove to be a sustainable option in saving earth resources.

Keywords: sustainable Concrete, recycle aggregate, Replacement, Compressive strength, Tensile strength