Journal Published Online: 20 March 2013
Volume 2, Issue 1

Applicability of the Accelerated Mortar Bar Test for Alkali-Silica Reactivity of Recycled Concrete Aggregates

CODEN: ACEMF9

Abstract

Using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as a replacement for natural aggregate in new concrete is a promising way to increase the overall sustainability of new concrete. This has been hindered, however, by a general perception that RCA is a sub-standard material because of the lack of technical guidance, specifically related to long-term durability, on incorporating RCA into new concrete. The goal of this research was to determine whether current testing methods (namely, ASTM C1260) for assessing natural aggregate susceptibility to alkali-silica reactivity could be used to assess the potential reactivity of concrete incorporating RCA. Seven different RCA sources were investigated. It was determined that ASTM C1260 was effective in detecting reactivity, but expansion varied based on RCA processing. Depending on the aggregate type and the extent of processing, up to a 100 % increase in expansion was observed. Replicate testing was performed at four university laboratories to evaluate the repeatability and consistency of results. The authors recommend modifications to the mixing and aggregate preparation procedures when testing the reactivity of RCA using ASTM C1260.

Author Information

Adams, Matthew
School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR, US
Jones, Angela
College of Engineering and Applied Science, Dept. of Civil & Architectural Engineering, Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, US
Beauchemin, Sean
Dept. of Geology and Engineering Geology, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, CA
Johnson, Robert
Dept. of Civil Engineering, Ryerson Univ., Ryerson Univ., Toronto, Ontario, CA
Fournier, Benoit
Dept. of Geology and Engineering Geology, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, CA
Shehata, Medhat
Dept. of Civil Engineering, Ryerson Univ., Ryerson Univ., Toronto, Ontario, CA
Tanner, Jennifer
College of Engineering and Applied Science, Dept. of Civil & Architectural Engineering, Univ. of Wyoming, WY, Laramie, WY, US
Ideker, Jason
School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Oregon State Univ., OR, Corvallis, OR, US
Pages: 19
Price: $25.00
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Stock #: ACEM20120030
ISSN: 2165-3984
DOI: 10.1520/ACEM20120030