Utilization of Construction and Demolition Waste in Concrete as Cement and Aggregate Substitute: A Comprehensive Study on Microstructure, Performance, and Sustainability

Ning Mao, Junfeng Zheng, Jun Jiang (), Fengyuan Yang, Xiaoming Ying, Peng Ge, Li Zheng and Zhongyuan Lu
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Ning Mao: Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Cement-Based Green Building Materials, State Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Energy Materials, School of Materials and Chemistry, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
Junfeng Zheng: Sichuan Shudao Construction Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 641402, China
Jun Jiang: Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Cement-Based Green Building Materials, State Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Energy Materials, School of Materials and Chemistry, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
Fengyuan Yang: Sichuan Shudao Construction Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 641402, China
Xiaoming Ying: Sichuan Shudao Construction Science and Technology Co., Ltd., Chengdu 641402, China
Peng Ge: Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Cement-Based Green Building Materials, State Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Energy Materials, School of Materials and Chemistry, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
Li Zheng: Concrete Technology Unit, School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Scotland DD1 4HN, UK
Zhongyuan Lu: Sichuan Provincial Engineering Research Center of Cement-Based Green Building Materials, State Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Energy Materials, School of Materials and Chemistry, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: Construction and demolition waste (CDW) was successfully utilized as an aggregate with 100% replacement of natural aggregates and mineral admixtures, with up to 60% replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in the production of recycled concrete. The effects of ratios of concrete-based CDW (concrete-CDW)/brick-based CDW (brick-CDW) in both aggregates and CDW mineral admixture contents in the binder on recycled concrete were investigated in terms of their workability and compressive strength, microstructure, and sustainability. The results showed that with an increase in the ratios of brick-CDW/concrete-CDW aggregates, the concrete workability continuously deteriorated, while the compressive strength firstly increased and then decreased. Compared to the 100% dosage of concrete-CDW aggregates, the 28-day compressive strength of the recycled concrete was 37.4 MPa; the optimized relative proportions of brick-CDW and concrete-CDW aggregates were 20% and 80%, respectively; and the 28-day compressive strength was the highest, reaching to 46.7 MPa, and increasing by 24.9%. In a binder study, the microstructure of the paste was found to be improved, with the dosage of brick-CDW and concrete-CDW admixtures at up to 20%. In this range, the workability changed slightly when the relative proportion of brick-CDW admixture increased, the 28-day compressive strength of the recycled concrete increased, and the pore structure was refined. Furthermore, the utilization of a large amount of CDW as a mineral admixture and aggregate in concrete significantly reduced costs and CO 2 emissions in different regions.

Keywords: construction and demolition waste; recycled concrete; microstructure; sustainability; hardened performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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