Assessment of the Long-Term Durability of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

This study tests the long-term durability that can be developed in concrete batches made with recycled aggregate concrete. Durability is a broad term used to define the resistance of a material to weathering effects, but in this scenario, durability will be defined as a drop in the compressive strength of the concrete. To test this, thermal sensing was used to determine the maturity of the concrete, or in other words how far along the curing process the concrete is. This was then plotted against the corresponding concrete compressive strength to create a relationship that can be exploited to project the later age strength of the concrete. This data is paramount in determining the viability of recycled concrete aggregate because it is a sustainable alternative to other coarse aggregate material, an essential part to making concrete, but its’ properties are largely unknown since they can be highly variable.