Study on water vapor evaporation, shrinkage and water absorption of high volume fly ash self-compacting concrete using recycled coarse aggregates

Abstract

During construction activities, a significant amount of non-degradable solid waste is generated, which can have a detrimental impact on the environment. This waste can be repurposed as recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) for use in the concrete industry. This approach reduces energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and conserves natural resources. This article presents the experimental research results regarding the influence of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) on several properties, including water vapor evaporation, plastic shrinkage, drying shrinkage, and water absorption, of high volume fly ash self-compacting concrete. The study used varying proportions of recycled coarse aggregates to replace natural coarse aggregates, ranging from 0% to 100%, with the fly ash content accounting for 50% of the powder volume. The research findings indicate that up to 100% RCA can be utilized, combined with a 50% volume proportion of fly ash, to manufacture self-compacting concrete (SCC). This results in a 17.76% reduction in water vapor evaporation, a 42% increase in plastic shrinkage, a 31.43% increase in drying shrinkage, a very minor increase in water absorption, only around 2.63% compared to the control sample (using natural aggregates).