The Possible Use of Crushed Interlocking Lightweight Concrete Blocks as The Aggregate in Production of New Lightweight Concrete Blocks: A Way Towards Circular Economy

Abstract

The aggregate are the natural materials most used in construction. The demand for use increases with the urbanization causing environmental sustainability problems. There is also a waste management problem that all countries are facing. To mitigate these two problems, the circular economy was introduced, which focuses on the efficient use of natural resources with minimal impact on the environment. One possible way to do this is to recycle used products as raw materials for production. Therefore, this research was to study the potential of cellular lightweight concrete blocks (CLC) type C10 damaged from the manufacturing process. They were crushed and used as recycled aggregate, replacing sand, in the production of new CLC with different mix formulas. It was found that the crushed blocks had a specific gravity similar to that of normal river sand but had a higher water absorption rate than that of river sand. The new CLC (Type C12) were found that the compressive strength of all mix formulas, at the curing age of 28 days, ranging from 27-39 ksc, which were higher than the standard, TIS.2601-2556. The percent water absorption of most mix formulas, except only one, passed the criteria. But the density values of almost all formulas were in the range of 1,166-1,423 kg/m3, which were higher than the C12-type CLC density.