Influence of Incorporating Recycled Sand and Fines from Demolition Concrete Waste on the Physical Properties of Sand Concrete in Arid Zones

Year 2026, Volume: 13 Issue: 1, 32 - 42, 31.01.2026

Samir Kennouche , Allaoua Belferrag

https://doi.org/10.31202/ecjse.1759693

Abstract

Abstract Recycled aggregates contain a high percentage of fines with diameters < 63 μm due to the crushing and grinding of the source concrete. These fines contain a proportion of non-hydrated cement that can interact and act in concrete in the presence of water. To this end, a substitution of Portland cement by recycled fines (RF) with the following percentages 5%, 10% and 15% was carried out, thus studying their effect on concrete based on alluvial sand (AS) and recycled sand (RS), with two proportions namely: 85% AS + 15% RS and 75% AS + 25% RS, to assess the impact of using recycled aggregates (recycled sand (RS) and recycled fines (RF)) from demolition waste on the properties of recycled sand-based sand concrete and alluvial sand on physical properties, including workability, weight loss, bulk density and porosity of alluvial sand concrete. This study is part of sustainable environmental protection. The results obtained show noticeable improvements of the properties studied, sand concrete based on 85% AS + 15% RS with 10% RF gives the best results

Keywords

: recycled sand , valorization , recycled aggregates , recycled fine , sand concrete

Influence of Incorporating Recycled Sand and Fines from Demolition Concrete Waste on the Physical Properties of Sand Concrete in Arid Zones

Abstract

Recycled aggregates contain a high percentage of fines with diameters < 63 μm due to the crushing and grinding of the source concrete. These fines contain a proportion of non-hydrated cement that can interact and act in concrete in the presence of water. To this end, a substitution of Portland cement by recycled fines (RF) with the following percentages 5%, 10% and 15% was carried out, thus studying their effect on concrete based on alluvial sand (AS) and recycled sand (RS), with two proportions namely: 85% AS + 15% RS and 75% AS + 25% RS, to assess the impact of using recycled aggregates (recycled sand (RS) and recycled fines (RF)) from demolition waste on the properties of recycled sand-based sand concrete and alluvial sand on physical properties, including workability, weight loss, bulk density and porosity of alluvial sand concrete. This study is part of sustainable environmental protection. The results obtained show noticeable improvements of the properties studied, sand concrete based on 85% AS + 15% RS with 10% RF gives the best results

Keywords

recycled sand , valorization , recycled aggregates , recycled fine , sand concrete

References

• [1] T. Wilmot. and G. Vorobieff., Is Road Recycling, A Good Community Policy, 2004.
• [2] Freedonia. World construction aggregates. Industry Study No. 2838: The Freedonia Group; 334 p 2012.
• [3] EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012.
• [4] Eurostat. Waste statistics in Europe. Available in: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/, last accessed, 2013.
• [5] EU. DIRECTIVE 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 19 November 2008, “Waste and repealing certain Directives,” European Union. 28 p. mortars. Construction and Building Materials, 83, 194-206, 2008.
• [6] P.K. Mehta, and P.J.M. Monteiro, “Concrete: Microstructure, Properties, and Materials,” McGraw-Hill Education, 2014.
• [7] T.A. Boden, and R.J. Andres,” Global CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel burning”, Cement Manuf. Gas Flaring, V2017, 1751-2014, 2017.
• [8] NOAA, “Trends in atmospheric carbon dioxide “, Earth system research laboratory. Global monitoring division, [WWW document] Earth Syst. Res. Lab, 2020.
• [9] K. L Scrivener, SPECIAL ISSUE-Future Cements Options for the future of cement. Indian Concr. J, 2014.
• [10] K. L Scrivener, V.M. John, and E.M. Gartner, “Eco-efficient cements: potential economically viable solutions for a low- CO2 cement-based materials industry,” Cement Concr. Res 114,2e26, 2018.
• [11] S. Kennouche, A. Belferrag, D. Boutoutaou, S. Bouzouaid, and H. Chaib, “The effect of using recycled materials (sand and fine powder) from demolished concrete waste in alluvial sand mortar,” Res. Eng. Struct. Mater.; 9(4): 1309-1324, 2023.
• [12] G. Puerta-Falla, A. Kumar, L Gomez-Zamorano, M. Bauchy, N. Neithalath, and G. Sant, “The influence of filler type and surface area on the hydration rates of calcium aluminate cement,” Construct. Build. Mater. 96, 657 e 665, 2015.
• [13] D. Gastaldi., F. Canonico, L. Capelli, L Buzzi., E. Boccaleri, and S. Irico, “An investigation on the recycling of hydrated cement from concrete demolition waste”, Cement. Concr. Compos, 2015.
• [14] J. Wang, M. Mu, and Y. Liu, “Recycled cement,” Construct. Build. Mater. 190,1124e1132, 2018.
• [15] V. Abreu, L. Evangelista, and J.de Brito, “The effect of multi-recycling on the mechanical performance of coarse recycled aggregates concrete,” Constr. Build. Mater. 188 (2018) 480-489, 2018.
• [16] R.L. Ferreira. S. da, M.A.S. Anjos. E.F. Ledesma, J.E.S. Pereira, and A.K.C. Nóbrega, “Evaluation of the physical-mechanical properties of cementlime based masonry mortars”, Construction and building materials, 2018.
• [17] V. Corinaldesi, M. Giuggiolini, and G. Moriconi, “Use of rubble from building demolition in mortars,” Waste Manag. 22, 893e899, 2002.
• [18] L. Evangelista, M. Guedes, J. Brito, A.C. Ferro, and M.F. Pereira, “Physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of fine recycled aggregates made from concrete waste,” Construct. Build. Mater. 86, 178 e 188, 2015.
• [19] P. Favaretto, G. Hidalgo, C. Sampaio, R. Silva, and R.L Ermen, “Characterization and use of construction and demolition waste from south of Brazil in the production of foamed concrete blocks,” Appl. Sci. 7, 1090, 2017.
• [20] Z. Prosek, J. Trejbal, V, Ne zerka V. Golias M. Faltus, and P. Tesarek, “Recovery of residual anhydrous clinker in finely ground recycled concrete,” Resour. Conserv. Recycl. 155, 104640, 2020.
• [21] A. Bordy, A. Younsi, S. Aggoun, and B. Fiorio, “Cement substitution by a recycled cement pastes fine: role of the residual anhydrous clinker,” Construct. Build. Mater. 132, 1e8, 2017.
• [22] N. Almeida, “Reuse of slurry from dimension stone industry in concrete production (in Portuguese),” Masters in Construction Dissertation, Instituto Superior Te´cnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, p. 216, 2004.
• [23] S-C. Pan, C-C. Tseng, and C. Lee, “Influence of the fineness of sewage sludge ash on the mortar properties,” Cement Concrete Res; 33(11):1749–54, 2003.
• [24] RR Angelim, SCM Angelim, and H. Carasek, “Influence of the addition of limestone, siliceous and clayish fines in the properties of mortars and renderings (in Portuguese),” Brazilian Symposium of Mortars Technology (SBTA), 2003.
• [25] F Ozalp, HD. Yılmaz, M. Kara, O. Kaya, and A. Sahin, “Effects of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition wastes on mechanical and permeability properties of paving stone, kerb and concrete pipes,” Construct. Build. Mater. 110, 17e23, 2016.
• [26] L Basheer, P. A. M. Basheer, and A. E. Long, “Influence of coarse aggregate on the permeation, durability and the microstructure characteristics of ordinary Portland,” 2005.
• [27] H. Guo., C. Shi., X. Guan, J. Zhu, Y. Ding, T.-C. Ling, and Y. Wang, “Durability of recycled aggregate concrete,” Cement & concrete composites, 89, 251-259, 2018.
• [28] J. Silva, J. de Brito, and R. Veiga, “Incorporation of fine ceramics in mortars,” Constr. Build. Mater. 23 (1) 556–564, 2009.
• [29] R. Oliveira, J. De Brito, and R. Veiga, “Incorporation of fine glass aggregates in renderings,” Constr. Build. Mater. 44. 329–341, 2013.
• [30] C. Farinha, J. De Brito, and R. Veiga, “Incorporation of fine sanitary ware aggregates in coating mortars,” Construction and Building Materials, 83, 194-206, 2015.
• [31] S. Jesus, C. Maia, C.B. Farinha, J. de Brito, and R. Veiga, “Rendering mortars with incorporation of very fine aggregates from construction and demolition waste,” Constr. Build. Mater. 229 116844, 2019.
• [32] P. Ishikawa, “Properties of bedding mortars produced with artificial sand for structural masonry,” Masters’ dissertation in civil engineering. Brazil: State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo; [in Portuguese], 2003.