Performance of pervious concrete influenced by typical properties of recycled concrete aggregate and suggestions for practical use

Abstract

This work investigated the effects of the crushing index and water absorption of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) on performance of recycled aggregate pervious concrete (RAPC). It was found that the large RCA water absorption can reduce the cohesiveness between aggregates thereby leading to poor castability of fresh RAPC mixture. This would further lower the micro-mechanical properties of new cement paste and weaken the RCA/paste bonding thereby causing poorer compressive/flexural strength of RAPC. However, the poor cohesiveness at larger RCA water absorptions could create more connected pores for superior permeability. The high crushing index of RCA was disadvantageous to RAPC’s compressive strength but its influence on flexural strength or permeability was insignificant. This work suggests that the RCA crushing index/water absorption should be adjusted according to specific technical requirements on strength/permeability by different layers of permeable pavements and RCA with very high water absorption or crushing index should not be utilised.

KEYWORDS:

• Recycled aggregate pervious concrete (RAPC)
• crushing index
• water absorption
• castability
• mechanical performance
• permeability

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 52178121]; Science and Technology Project of China Overseas Holdings Limited [grant number COHL-2022-Z-1-02].