Impact of Recycled Concrete and Brick Aggregates on the Flexural and Bond Performance of Reinforced Concrete

The construction industry strongly relies on concrete and clay bricks for various applications. The escalating demand for these materials, driven by rapid population growth, has led to resource depletion and increased construction and demolition waste (CDW). Recycling CDW into construction materials, particularly in the form of recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) and recycled brick aggregates (RBAs), has emerged as a promising solution. This study deals with the structural performance of concrete incorporating RCAs and RBAs. The experimental program encompasses material characterization, concrete mix design, and several tests to assess density, compressive strength, bond behavior, and flexural properties. The results indicate that the replacement of fine natural aggregate (NA) with fine RCAs or RBAs has a negligible impact on density, while the partial replacement of coarse NAs with RAs yields modest reductions in compressive strength. Notably, the bond strength between steel rebar and concrete is influenced by the type and content of RA, with specimens containing RCAs exhibiting a higher bond strength than those with RBAs. Empirical models used to predict bond strength generally align with experimental results, with conservative predictions by some models, such as ACI 318, and overestimation by others, such as models proposed by AS-3600 and CEB-FIB. The flexural tests of beams highlight the variation in stiffness and load-bearing capacity with the proportion of NAs replaced by RAs. While beams with 50% NA replacement demonstrate comparable performance to control beams, those with 100% RA replacement exhibit lower cracking and yielding stiffness. Cracking patterns in beams with RAs differ from control beams, with RA-containing beams showing more cracks and an altered crack distribution. The findings underscore the feasibility of using recycled aggregates in construction, with partial NA replacement offering a balance between sustainable material usage and desired structural properties.