Designing Concrete Mixtures with RCA


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CAIT project no.: CAIT-UTC-REG27

Fiscal Year: 2018/2019

Status: Final

Principal investigator(s): Matthew P. Adams, Ph.D. (PI), NJIT; Matthew J. Bandelt, Ph.D. (Co-PI), NJIT

Performing organization(s): New Jersey Institute of Technology

Managing organization: Rutgers CAIT

In cooperation with: New York City Department of Transportation, Division of Sidewalk and Inspection Management
Partner project manager: Leon Heyward, Deputy Commissioner

In cooperation with: New York City Department of Transportation
Partner project manager: Kate Mikuliak, Program Manager for Strategic Policy

Supported by: USDOT-OST-R

UTC, grant, or agreement no.: 69A3551847102

Summary:

The use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) in new concrete can help to reduce landfilling, improve economics of concrete, and supplement dwindling aggregate supplies in urban areas. The NYCDOT has calculated that they spend $1.45 million/year to dispose of demolished concrete, and has invested in crushing units to produce RCA but have not yet developed a design process for using the material as a replacement aggregate. The primary goal of this proposal is to validate and improve a novel RAC design methodology through both experimental and computational methods.

The intended outcome of the project is to provide guidance to NYCDOT on using their home developed RCA in concrete cast as a part of the sidewalk replacement work. Given adequate performance and cost effectiveness, the knowledge and design tools developed for the sidewalk program could then be deployed to more advanced infrastructure including pavements and bridges.