Enhancing durability and strength of concrete through an innovative abrasion and cement slurry treatment of recycled concrete aggregates

The increasing demand for sustainable construction materials has driven significant interest in utilizing recycled concrete aggregates (RCA). However, the mechanical performance and durability of RCA are often compromised due to the presence of residual mortar. This study explores an innovative surface treatment approach combining abrasion and cement slurry coating to improve the properties of RCA and enhance the performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). Recycled concrete aggregates were subjected to mechanical abrasion, followed by a cement slurry coating, resulting in the production of Surface-Treated Recycled Concrete Aggregates (STRCA). The study evaluates the impact of STRCA on the compressive strength, drying shrinkage, electrical resistivity, and chloride ion penetration resistance of concrete mixes with varying replacement ratios (25 %, 50 %, 75 %, and 100 %). Results revealed that the water absorption of RCA was significantly reduced from 5.35 % to 2.61 % following the treatment. STRCA 25 and STRCA 50 mixtures exhibited compressive strength increases of 30.16 % and 18.99 % at 7 days, and 29.37 % and 17.13 % at 28 days, respectively. Higher replacement levels (STRCA 75 and STRCA 100) resulted in strength reductions, with 3.91 % and 16.64 % decreases at 7 days. Drying shrinkage increased progressively with higher RCA content, showing 1.72 %, 10.91 %, 25.86 %, and 38.79 % increases at 28 days for STRCA 25, STRCA 50, STRCA 75, and STRCA 100, respectively. Electrical resistivity improved for lower replacement levels, with STRCA 25 showing a 3.41 % increase at 28 days, while STRCA 100 exhibited a 26.25 % reduction. The rapid chloride penetration test results showed that STRCA 100 had the highest resistance to chloride ion penetration, with a 22.72 % and 28.69 % increase in passed charge at 28 and 56 days, respectively, compared to the reference concrete. The findings indicate that surface-treated RCA can enhance the mechanical and durability properties of concrete, especially at lower replacement levels, making it a viable option for sustainable construction.