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Improvement of recycled concrete aggregate using alkali-activated binder treatment

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A Correction to this article was published on 11 January 2022

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Abstract

This paper presents a study on improving recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) using alkali-activated binder treatment for producing Portland cement concrete (PCC). The recycled concrete aggregate was treated with cement paste (CP), alkali-activated high-calcium fly ash paste (AHF), and alkali-activated high-calcium fly ash paste incorporating dolomite powder (AHFD) and the corresponding workability and mechanical properties of the PCC mixed with the treated RCA were investigated. The natural concrete aggregate (NCA) was replaced with RCA at the levels of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% by weight. Experimental results showed that the RCA had higher water absorption and lower dry-rodded density than those of NCA. However, the water absorption of RCA can be improved by using various surface treatments. The microstructure improvement of PCC with treated RCA was confirmed by the results obtained from XRD, MIP, SEM/EDS, TGA/DTG analyses. The surface treatments of RCA using coating materials significantly improved the workability of concrete; whereas the strength improvements were not so evident. The treatments with CP and AHFD pastes gave reasonably high strength concrete, but that with AHF gave low strength due to shrinkage and cracking of coated paste. In general, the use of treated RCA to replace NCA is a suitable choice as an alternative material to replace the natural nonrenewable resource components as well as makes concrete more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation, NXPO, Contact No. B05F630106; and Unit of Excellence for Innovation in Infrastructures and Advanced Construction Management, University of Phayao, Grant no. FF64-UoE001. The authors also would like to acknowledge the support of the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Thailand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand

    Nattapong Damrongwiriyanupap

  2. Sustainable Construction Material Technology Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Nakhon Ratchasima, 30000, Thailand

    Akaraphol Wachum, Kamonphop Khansamrit, Satakhun Detphan & Tanakorn Phoo-ngernkham

  3. Program of Civil Technology, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Lampang Rajabhat University, Lampang, 52100, Thailand

    Sakonwan Hanjitsuwan

  4. Construction and Building Materials Research Center, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology-North Bangkok, Bangkok, 10800, Thailand

    Piti Sukontasukkul

  5. School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, Plymouth, L4 8AA, United Kingdom

    Long-yuan Li

  6. Sustainable Infrastructure Research and Development Center, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand

    Prinya Chindaprasirt

  7. Academy of Science, The Royal Society of Thailand, Dusit, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand

    Prinya Chindaprasirt

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  1. Nattapong Damrongwiriyanupap
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Correspondence to Tanakorn Phoo-ngernkham.

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Damrongwiriyanupap, N., Wachum, A., Khansamrit, K. et al. Improvement of recycled concrete aggregate using alkali-activated binder treatment. Mater Struct 55, 11 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-021-01836-1

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