GUIDANCE DOCUMENT FOR RECLAIMED PORTLAND CEMENT CONCRETE

Reclaimed portland cement concrete (RPCC) is often referred to as recycled concrete or crushed concrete. It consists of aggregates covered with a hardened cementitious paste. RPCC is generated through the demolition of PCC. Traditionally, unused/demolished concrete or RPCC has been managed mainly in land fillings and used as a quality aggregate. The depletion of supply of quality natural aggregates together with environmental and economic considerations have encouraged the use of the recycled and demolished concrete in new concrete pavement construction as aggregate. Currently, the major uses of RPCC materials are embankments or general fill, aggregate base and subbase, controlled low strength materials, and gabion basket fill materials. This work was focused on the use of RPCC in pavement construction and its material characteristics. From a pavement engineering perspective, RPCC materials should be used in such a manner that the expected performance of the pavement will not be compromised. Since the RPCC materials are treated as non-conventional materials, the possible use of RPCC in cement concrete pavement construction was studied in terms of environmental, engineering and economic issues. From the engineering standpoint, recycled aggregate has similar properties as when compared to natural aggregate. Test results show that the compressive strength of concrete made with coarse recycled aggregate and natural sand is comparable to that of a similar concrete made with all natural aggregate. Since national specifications for the use of RPCC do not exist, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's publication 408 was reviewed and new specifications for the use of RPCC material in pavement construction were prepared.

• Corporate Authors:

  Pennsylvania State University, University Park

  Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, Transportation Research Building
  University Park, PA  United States  16802

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  Bureau of Planning and Research, Forum Place, 555 Walnut Street
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17101-1900

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Sabnis, G
  • Moo-Young, H
  • Sharma, B
• Publication Date: 2001-8-13

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 114 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compressive strength; Economics; Engineering; Environmental impacts; Portland cement concrete; Recycled materials; Road construction; Specifications
• Subject Areas: Economics; Environment; Highways; Materials; I32: Concrete;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00816534
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: PA-2001-019-96-30-(5),, PTI 2002-06,, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: 359630 (WO 5)
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 27 2001 12:00AM