Thermo-mechanical Treatment for Enhancing the Properties of Recycled Concrete Aggregate

Abstract

This study aims to contribute to the growing area of research on enhancing the quality of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). Specifically, the combined effect of washing and thermo-mechanical treatment (W-TMT) methods was investigated. The efficiency of the treatment method was evaluated through the removal of adhered mortar (AM), physio-mechanical properties of treated RCA and their microstructure observed by X-ray µCT scan. The results show a significant improvement in the quality of treated RCA with the complementary effect of W-TMT. The highest AM removal and aggregate quality were achieved by the combined W-TMT at a heating temperature of 600°C with significant improvement in water abso..