Experimental and Analytical Performance of Recycled Aggregates Produced by Customized Chemical-Mechanical Treatment

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the experimental and analytical performance of untreated recycled aggregates (URA), chemically treated recycled aggregates (ARA), and customized chemical-mechanically processed recycled aggregates (AmRA). The compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, fracture energy, and modulus of elasticity of concrete consisting of AmRA (AmRC) are greater than those composed by URA (URC) by 33.88%, 5.87%, 55.07%, 28.84%, and 50.80%, and those of ARA (ARC) by 10.89%, 21.41%, 29.44%, 55.33%, and 34.48%, respectively. AmRC has abrasion resistance around 52.03% and 43.07% higher than URC and ARC. Chemical treatment reduces porosity and microcracks in mortar adhered to aggregate. As a result of the customized mechanical treatment, the surface characteristics are highly uniform and dense. The high-quality surface texture, reduced porosity, and microcracks in the mortar adhering to the AmRA significantly strengthen interfacial transitions zones. Thus, AmRC achieves physical, mechanical, and durability properties close to or superior to natural aggregate (NA) concrete (NAC). Moreover, there is a strong correlation between compressive strength and split tensile strength, flexural strength, fracture energy, and modulus of elasticity of AmRC with URC and ARC. The most interesting observation of the present research is the equivalency in sorptivity of AmRC and NAC. The present study uses the URA produced by crushing concrete cubes in the laboratory.