Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Containing Fine Recycled Concrete Aggregates

The manufacturing process of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) leads to a considerable amount of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming. Using recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) to replace natural sand helps to reduce natural resources and energy consumption. In this study, the feasibility of manufacturing UHPC with fine RCA was investigated for the sustainable development of construction materials industry. We aimed to study the rheological properties, autogenous shrinkage, mechanical properties, and pore structure of UHPC with different amounts of RCA. The natural aggregate content was replaced with fine RCA at rates of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 wt.%, and the packing density of the mixed fine aggregates in this study was estimated using a linear packing model. It was found that (1) the workability, mechanical properties, and deformation behaviour of UHPC with fine RCA were comparable to or even higher than those of UHPC made of high-quality aggregates; (2) the optimal replacement rate of fine RCA was in the range of 40-60 wt.%, considering the mechanical properties and deformation behaviour of UHPC; (3) the tensile strength, flexural strength, and Young's modulus of UHPC increased by 6.18%, 12.82%, and 3.40%, respectively, when the replacement rate of fine RCA was 60 wt.%; (4) the maximum packing density of mixed fine aggregates presented a monotonic decreasing trend as the replacement percentage of fine RCA increased. These findings help to encourage and further promote the utilisation of RCA to produce UHPC.