Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete
Reusing construction and demolition waste (CDW) as recycled aggregate reduces environmental impact and enhances resource efficiency. While previous research has mainly focused on the use of recycled aggregates (RAs) in concrete, this study evaluates the use of CDW-derived sand in mortars, paving blo...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Ángel M. Pitarch Ana Piquer Lucía Reig Marta Roig-Flores Vicente Albero David Hernández-Figueirido Antonio Melchor-Eixea |
| author_facet | Ángel M. Pitarch Ana Piquer Lucía Reig Marta Roig-Flores Vicente Albero David Hernández-Figueirido Antonio Melchor-Eixea |
| author_sort | Ángel M. Pitarch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reusing construction and demolition waste (CDW) as recycled aggregate reduces environmental impact and enhances resource efficiency. While previous research has mainly focused on the use of recycled aggregates (RAs) in concrete, this study evaluates the use of CDW-derived sand in mortars, paving blocks, and structural concrete. Natural and CDW aggregates were characterized, and samples were prepared with two types of Portland cement, replacing up to 100% of the natural limestone sand. Tests were conducted to assess workability, density, strength, and durability. CDW aggregates, primarily composed of limestone and ceramics, reduced sample density as their content increased. Workability improved in the mortars and concrete with higher CDW contents, peaking at 20% CDW in paving blocks. Although the permeability of concrete increased with CDW content, the developed recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) met structural code requirements for all the exposure classes. Despite the decline in strength with higher CDW content, the paving blocks maintained a relative tensile splitting strength above 80%, and the relative compressive strength of the mortars cured for 28 days exceeded 70%. The RAC compressive strength remained within the required range for reinforced concrete (>25–30 MPa). These results validate the feasibility of using CDW-derived sand in various sustainable construction applications with minimal strength loss. Furthermore, they contribute to the development of standardized guidelines for RAs in non-structural applications, fostering broader industry adoption and environmental benefits. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9db7407e36cc4d599061bfa430a236a3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-9db7407e36cc4d599061bfa430a236a32025-08-20T02:15:55ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-03-01157365210.3390/app15073652Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural ConcreteÁngel M. Pitarch0Ana Piquer1Lucía Reig2Marta Roig-Flores3Vicente Albero4David Hernández-Figueirido5Antonio Melchor-Eixea6Department of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castellón de la Plana, SpainReusing construction and demolition waste (CDW) as recycled aggregate reduces environmental impact and enhances resource efficiency. While previous research has mainly focused on the use of recycled aggregates (RAs) in concrete, this study evaluates the use of CDW-derived sand in mortars, paving blocks, and structural concrete. Natural and CDW aggregates were characterized, and samples were prepared with two types of Portland cement, replacing up to 100% of the natural limestone sand. Tests were conducted to assess workability, density, strength, and durability. CDW aggregates, primarily composed of limestone and ceramics, reduced sample density as their content increased. Workability improved in the mortars and concrete with higher CDW contents, peaking at 20% CDW in paving blocks. Although the permeability of concrete increased with CDW content, the developed recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) met structural code requirements for all the exposure classes. Despite the decline in strength with higher CDW content, the paving blocks maintained a relative tensile splitting strength above 80%, and the relative compressive strength of the mortars cured for 28 days exceeded 70%. The RAC compressive strength remained within the required range for reinforced concrete (>25–30 MPa). These results validate the feasibility of using CDW-derived sand in various sustainable construction applications with minimal strength loss. Furthermore, they contribute to the development of standardized guidelines for RAs in non-structural applications, fostering broader industry adoption and environmental benefits.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3652construction and demolition wasterecycled aggregatespaving blocksrecycled aggregate mortarsrecycled aggregate concretephysico-mechanical properties |
| spellingShingle | Ángel M. Pitarch Ana Piquer Lucía Reig Marta Roig-Flores Vicente Albero David Hernández-Figueirido Antonio Melchor-Eixea Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete Applied Sciences construction and demolition waste recycled aggregates paving blocks recycled aggregate mortars recycled aggregate concrete physico-mechanical properties |
| title | Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete |
| title_full | Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete |
| title_fullStr | Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete |
| title_short | Reutilization of Recycled CDW Sand in Mortars, Paving Blocks, and Structural Concrete |
| title_sort | reutilization of recycled cdw sand in mortars paving blocks and structural concrete |
| topic | construction and demolition waste recycled aggregates paving blocks recycled aggregate mortars recycled aggregate concrete physico-mechanical properties |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3652 |
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