Self-compacting concrete with recycled aggregate: A solution for sustainable development

One of the major challenges faced by civil engineering industry is to execute projects in harmony with the nature. This is achieved to some extent by judicious use of natural resources in construction practices. In the recent years the demand for construction materials has grown tremendously, so has the amount of construction and demolition waste, putting huge pressure on the environment. This has encouraged the use of recycled aggregate in concrete which not only allows for a more efficient life cycle of natural resources but also contributes to environmental protection leading to sustainable development. In this study coarse recycled aggregate (RCA) are used in the production of self compacting concrete (SCC) in varying percentage replacements of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) from 0% to 100% with increment of 20%. This investigation is an attempt to examine the influence of recycled aggregate on strength, permeability, resistance to acid attack, chloride penetration, and alkalinity of self compacting concrete. It is observed that recycled aggregate can be effectively used in the production of SCC without any significant reduction in strength and durability.