Effect of Moisture Content on Particle Breakage of Recycled Concrete Aggregates During Compaction

Abstract

Construction and rehabilitation of roads demand a large volume of crushed rock which is used in granular layers of the road pavement. If recycled concrete aggregates which are extracted from construction and demolition waste satisfy all the engineering aspects of the material, then their use not only reduces the depletion of natural resources but also effectively helps to utilize the waste. However, the use of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as a granular material highly depends upon its performance under field loading conditions. The particle breakage is one of the important factors that affects the performance of recycled concrete aggregate, especially in long-term pavement performance. However, prior to long-term performance evaluation of RCA, the particle breakage during compaction process shall be estimated. In this regard, the present study focuses on the particle breakage of recycled concrete aggregate during compaction. Energy equivalent to modified proctor is used to investigate the particle breakage of recycled concrete aggregates. Moreover, influence of moisture content on the particle breakage during compaction is also studied. Results indicated that particle breakage is affected by variation in moisture content. With increase in moisture content, the particle breakage decreases.