Intrinsic Strength Behavior of RAC Subjected Elevated Temperature

Abstract

Environmental deterioration as a result of development has wreaked havoc on the environment and jeopardizes its sustainability. Every year, millions of tonnes of construction and demolition waste (CDW) are generated as a result of the exploitation of natural resources, particularly non-renewable resources, for building purposes. In this study, an effort is made to consider CDW as a partial replacement of coarse aggregates to obtain recycled aggregate concrete and emphasize its strength properties, thereby reducing the burden on the requirement of natural resources. While RCA is being used as structural concrete, concrete is possibility exposed to elevated temperatures, which can disintegrate the concrete. Hence strength behaviour of RAC and its strength properties at elevated temperatures are emphasized. Considering the RCA replacement ratios of 0%, 50%, and 100% and water to binder ratio of 0.27 and 0.36 for compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength, the behaviour of RAC is investigated for elevated temperature; TGA analysis and FTIR are conducted on the RAC that is arrived at by conducting optimization and beneficiated RAC is proposed as a structural concrete at elevated temperature.