An experimental and numerical analysis study of roller-compacted concrete based on recycled asphalt pavement

Abstract

The contribution of this study is to examine the potential of using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as a replacement for natural aggregates (NA) in the production of roller-compacted concrete (RCC). In several countries, recycling old asphalt pavements has gained interest due to its economic and environmental advantages. However, in Algeria, large quantities of RAP are generated annually, yet they are rarely quantified or reused. This research investigates the use of RAP as coarse aggregates, testing five different replacement levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). The properties of fresh concrete, such as density, were measured, along with the impact of curing temperatures (20°C, 40°C, and 60°C) on the hardened properties, including compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. The results reveal that it is possible to produce RCC with up to 50% RAP, providing significant environmental benefits by reducing waste and preserving natural resources. These studies confirm that using up to 50% RAP in RCC is both feasible and environmentally beneficial, while maintaining good concrete performance. As part of the study, an accurate numerical model simulating the mechanical behavior of RCC, including time-dependent deformations and the non-linear stress-strain relationship, was created using finite element analysis in ANSYS-FEM. The purpose of this model is to highlight how RCC with RAP can be used in pavement applications.