Avaliação da influência do método de mistura nas propriedades de concretos produzidos com agregado graúdo reciclado de concreto

Abstract

The recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) have been widely studied and the results have been showed that its employ in partial replacement can be feasible. This recycled aggregate is more viable to use in concrete than those recycled from mixed construction and demolition waste. However, the RCA has a higher porosity than natural aggregate and sometimes their mechanical resistance is less than the new concrete resistance. The higher porosity leads the RCA to absorb the mixing water of new concrete and to reduce the concrete slump. To avoid these problems the consequences are an increase on the water demand and on the cement consumption, in order to maintain the water/binder ratio. There are some ways to mitigate these problems like as to add water to the mixture, use the RCA pre saturated, cover the RCA surface with resins, use carbonated RCA. Some researchers proposed different concrete mix methods to produce concrete with RCA with some good results. The aim of this research is to evaluate two methods of mixing concrete with recycled concrete aggregate and their influence in fresh and hardened concrete properties. Usually the RCA is added to the mixture in the same time as the natural aggregate. This practice put the RCA in contact with the fresh mixing for a large period time and lead to absorb a higher amount of water. In consequence, there is a great loss in concrete slump, but this can bring an increment in the concrete resistance. In alternative, this work proposed the adding of RCA in the end of the mixture, evaluating the influence of the two methods the properties of fresh concrete and hardened concrete. The loss in concrete slump is lower when the RCA is introduced at the end of the mixture. However there is no significant difference in the electrical resistivity of fresh concrete. For hardened concrete, the best results were from concretes where the RCA was added at the end of the mixture.