Utilization of Recycled Concrete Materials in Concrete Production: Methodology, Characterization, and Performance Evaluation

International Journal of Civil Engineering

© 2025 by SSRG - IJCE Journal

Volume 12 Issue 5

Year of Publication : 2025

Authors : Mihir B. Baldania, Ankur C. Bhogayata, Pratik B. Somaiya

10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V12I5P112

How to Cite?

Mihir B. Baldania, Ankur C. Bhogayata, Pratik B. Somaiya, "Utilization of Recycled Concrete Materials in Concrete Production: Methodology, Characterization, and Performance Evaluation," SSRG International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 12,  no. 5, pp. 142-155, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V12I5P112

Abstract:

The industry produces great volumes of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) that pose various environmental issues, such as resource depletion and accumulation of waste. This research focuses on the appropriateness of recycling Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) in the form of reuse of Recycled Concrete Aggregates (RCA), Recycled Concrete Sand (RCS), and Recycled Concrete Powder (RCP) as green substitutes in concrete production The work provides a full process cycle of recycling CDW wastes ranging from material collection, processing and performance assessment in concrete mixtures. 12 concrete mixtures were prepared with varying percentages of the recycled materials and were evaluated for their workability and compressive and tensile strength. Results show that up to 50% of the replacement of conventional materials with recycled CDW does not significantly affect the strength of concrete and has environmental benefits. The study finds that Mixes containing RCP and RCS at this level have acceptable mechanical properties and enhance sustainability. However, full replacement with recycled materials resulted in lower strength, suggesting their potential for non-structural applications. This study emphasizes the need for improved recycling techniques and the opportunity to use recycled aggregates in concrete to support circular economy initiatives. The results provide a foundation for subsequent investigation on improving the utilization of CDW in construction and promoting sustainable construction.

Keywords:

Concrete demolition waste, Fresh properties, Recycling Concrete, Strength properties.

References:

[1] Alan Verghese Ittyeipe, Anu V. Thomas, and K.P. Ramaswamy, “C&D Waste Management in India: A Case Study on the Estimation of Demolition Waste Generation Rate,” Materials Today: Proceedings, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[2] Herbert Sinduja Joseph et al., “A Comprehensive Review on Recycling of Construction Demolition Waste in Concrete,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 1-27, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[3] B.R. Viswalekshmi, and Deepthi Bendi, “A Comprehensive Model for Quantifying Construction Waste in High-Rise Buildings in India,” Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 111-125, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[4] Mayur Shirish Jain, “A Mini Review on Generation, Handling, and Initiatives to Tackle Construction and Demolition Waste in India,” Environmental Technology & Innovation, vol. 22, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[5] Hammadhu HaitherAli, and G. Anjali, “Sustainable Urban Development: Evaluating the Potential of Mineral-Based Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling in Emerging Economies,” Sustainable Futures, vol. 7, pp. 1-12, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[6] V.G. Ram, Kumar C. Kishore, and Satyanarayana N. Kalidindi, “Environmental Benefits of Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling: Evidence from an Indian Case Study Using Life Cycle Assessment,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 255, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[7] Arpan Ray, Radhikesh Prasad Nanda, and Pronab Roy, “Use of C&D Waste in Road Construction: A Critical Review,” IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering: International Conference on Futuristic and Sustainable Aspects in Engineering and Technology, Mathura, India, vol. 1116, no. 1, pp. 1-7, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[8] Peng Nie, Kalani C. Dahanayake, and Nipuni Sumanarathna, “Exploring UAE's Transition towards Circular Economy through Construction and Demolition Waste Management in the Pre-Construction Stage–A Case Study Approach,” Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 246-266, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[9] P. Abdu Salam, and Mini Remanan, “Evaluation of Concrete with CBD: A Comprehensive Review,” Materials Today: Proceedings, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[10] Mamata B Rajgor, and Pawar A. Anurag, “A Systematic Assessment of Factors Affecting on Generation of Construction and Demolition Waste by RII Method,” Computer Integrated Manufacturing Systems, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 142-162, 2023.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[11] Søren Munch Lindhard et al., “Waste Generation Predictions and On-Site Waste Management: A Danish Perspective,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 1-18, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[12] Timothy G. Townsend, and Malak Anshassi, Construction and Demolition Debris, Springer Cham, 1st ed., pp. 113-135, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[13] Rashidul Islam, “An Empirical Study of Construction and Demolition Waste Generation and Implication of Recycling,” Waste Management, vol. 95, pp. 10-21, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[14] Yurong Zhang et al., “A Review of Life Cycle Assessment of Recycled Aggregate Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 209, pp. 115-125, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[15] Francesco Colangelo et al., “Comparative LCA of Concrete with Recycled Aggregates: A Circular Economy Mindset in Europe,” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, vol. 25, pp. 1790-1804, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[16] Francesco Colangelo et al., “Comparative LCA of Concrete with Recycled Aggregates: A Circular Economy Mindset Europe,” The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, vol. 25, pp. 1790-1804, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[17] Huanyu Wu et al., “A Review of Performance Assessment Methods for Construction and Demolition Waste Management,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 150, pp. 1-15, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[18] José-Luis Gálvez-Martos et al., “Construction and Demolition Waste Best Management Practice in Europe,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 136, pp. 166-178, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[19] Fernando da Silva Souza et al., “Mapping and Recycling Proposal for the Construction and Demolition Waste Generated in the Brazilian Amazon,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 176, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[20] Jakob Lederer et al., “Potentials for a Circular Economy of Mineral Construction Materials and Demolition Waste in Urban Areas: A Case Study from Vienna,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 161, pp. 1-11, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[21] Amardeep Singh et al., “Use of Recycled Fine Aggregates and Recycled Powders in Sustainable Recycled Concrete,” Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 77, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[22] Joaquin Humberto Aquino Rocha, and Romildo Dias Toledo Filho, “The Utilization of Recycled Concrete Powder as Supplementary Cementitious Material in Cement-Based Materials: A Systematic Literature Review,” Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 76, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[23] Bassam A. Tayeh, Doha M. Al Saffar, and Rayed Alyousef, “The Utilization of Recycled Aggregate in High Performance Concrete: A Review,” Journal of Materials Research and Technology, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 8469-8481, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[24] S. Vaishnavi Devi et al., “Utilization of Recycled Aggregate of Construction and Demolition Waste as a Sustainable Material,” Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 45, no. 7, pp. 6649-6654, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[25] Mohammed Ibrahim et al., “An Overview of Factors Influencing the Properties of Concrete Incorporating Construction and Demolition Wastes,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 367, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[26] Shiv Sai Trivedi et al., “A Comprehensive Review towards Sustainable Approaches on the Processing and Treatment of Construction and Demolition Waste,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 393, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[27] Kai Ouyang et al., “Influence of Pre-Treatment Methods for Recycled Concrete Aggregate on the Performance of Recycled Concrete: A Review,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 188, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[28] Bo Wang et al., “A Comprehensive Review on Recycled Aggregate and Recycled Aggregate Concrete,” Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 171, pp. 1-29, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[29] Jiangang Wang et al., “Comparison of Recycled Aggregate Treatment Methods on the Performance for Recycled Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 234, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[30] F. Kazemian, H. Rooholamini, and A. Hassani, “Mechanical and Fracture Properties of Concrete Containing Treated and Untreated Recycled Concrete Aggregates,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 209, pp. 690-700, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[31] Ngoc Kien Bui, Tomoaki Satomi, and Hiroshi Takahashi, “Mechanical Properties of Concrete Containing 100% Treated Coarse Recycled Concrete Aggregate,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 163, pp. 496-507, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[32] Elhem Ghorbel, and George Wardeh, “Influence of Recycled Coarse Aggregates Incorporation on the Fracture Properties of Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 154, pp. 51-60, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[33] Wafaa Mohamed Shaban et al., “Properties of Recycled Concrete Aggregates Strengthened by Different Types of Pozzolan Slurry,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 216, pp. 632-647, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[34] Caijun Shi et al., “Performance Enhancement of Recycled Concrete Aggregate – A Review,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 112, no. 1, pp. 466-472, 2016.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[35] Dongxing Xuan, Baojian Zhan, and Chi Sun Poon, “Assessment of Mechanical Properties of Concrete Incorporating Carbonated Recycled Concrete Aggregates,” Cement and Concrete Composites, vol. 65, pp. 67-74, 2016.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]