The term “recycled concrete aggregate” refers to the material made from crushed building and demolition waste, which predominantly consists of concrete and includes aggregates like sand, gravel, slag, and crushed stones. When the primary material is concrete, recycled aggregates are designated as recycled concrete aggregates (RCA).
Producers can build concrete aggregate to a precise size and quality by crushing and compressing existing waste concrete and blending it with aggregate. This makes it highly cost-effective to purchase. It also entails recycling waste items that would otherwise take up valuable landfill space.
If you’re unclear about recycled 6F2 concrete aggregate or want to learn more about how your company could use it in construction, you’ve come to the correct place.
What Is Concrete Aggregate That Has Been Recycled?
One might believe that producing recycled 6F2 aggregate would be difficult because it benefits builders, site managers, and the environment, but the concrete recycling process is relatively simple.
Harvesting: Concrete debris is first collected from demolished buildings, walkways, curbs, gutters, roads, interstates, highways, airport runways, foundations, and other structures. Following the removal of the rubble, the remainder of the operation is completed on-site, off-site, or at a concrete recycling facility.
Crushing: After the concrete has been harvested, it is crushed in one of several ways. Portable, mobile, fixed jaw crushers, impact crushers, and cone crushers are common crushing technologies. Initial crushing can be done using both jaw and impact crushers. A secondary crushing step is sometimes required to further size the rubble, commonly with a cone crusher.
Screening: Because concrete aggregate is frequently mixed with other elements such as clay, plastic, soil, asphalt pavement, metal, and wood chips, it must be separated from those components using scalping and deck screeners. Recycled concrete may go through numerous screening processes depending on the source of the concrete and how the end product will be utilised.
Cleaning: Cleaning is the final step in the concrete recycling process. Any leftover residue from removed materials must be cleaned away before concrete can be recycled into fresh concrete. Hand-picking, magnetic separation, or air or water separators are used.
Where Does Recycled Concrete Aggregate Come From?
Collecting demolished concrete from sites like highways, bridges, and demolished buildings is the initial stage in making recovered concrete aggregate. This concrete is subsequently refined, which involves inspecting it for additional items that could compromise the final product’s strength, such as wood or metal fragments.
The concrete is then crushed using impact force to break down large chunks and stones. Finally, crushed concrete is combined with an aggregate, such as sand, to get the desired consistency and density.
Benefits of Recycled Concrete Aggregate
Here are the benefits of using recycled concrete aggregate:
- It’s a less expensive option than quarried stone.
- It does not necessitate mining, preserving natural environments.
- It may provide tax breaks to businesses who invest in fuel-efficient technology.
- It’s a long-lasting material that’s especially good for wet or soft soils.
- It takes less energy in the manufacturing process than regular concrete.
- It’s more permeable (average water absorption rate of 7.5%) than normal concrete (average water absorption rate of 3.7%), which means it’s more resistant to seepage.
Drawbacks of Recycled Concrete Aggregate
As technology advances and manufacturers understand it better, the disadvantages of employing recycled concrete aggregate become less and less. There are things to keep in mind, though:
- An excessive amount of aggregate in concrete can substantially impact the material’s strength.
- The aggregate and concrete utilised must be refined, or major issues such as cracks and uneven surfaces may arise.
- To ensure quality, the material must be inspected.
Applications of Recycled Concrete Aggregate
Recycled concrete aggregate is one of the various recycled aggregates created. Each aggregate serves a distinct purpose, but the recycled concrete aggregate is the most typically utilised in compaction. It is ideal for the first construction layer since it can handle damp or soft ground.
Other recycled aggregates that can be manufactured include:
- Bedding made of pipes (commonly used for bedding and surrounding of pipes)
- Dust and cobwebs (commonly used to backfill trenches)
- Sand (commonly used for landscaping)
- The topsoil (used for a wide range of construction projects)
What Is the Purpose of Recycled Concrete?
Concrete aggregate is utilised in many residential and commercial construction projects, including any project requiring concrete, concrete asphalt, or aggregate. Recycled concrete can be used in a variety of industrial, commercial, and residential applications, including:
Roadways
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration uses recycled concrete to repair, reconstruct, and maintain the National Highway System, including over 160,000 miles of paved roads and 128,000 structures. These strategies can also improve local and small-scale highways, even in the U.K.
Landscaping
In residential and commercial landscaping projects, recycled concrete can be used to maintain walls, raised flower and garden beds, yard drainage systems, and attractive gravel.
Construction
For engineered structural fill and embankments and a sub-base material for foundations, parking lots, and roadways, use recycled aggregate or gravel formed from recycled concrete.
Recycled concrete has been used successfully in various industrial, warehouse, and office construction projects, including foundations and standing structures.
Community
Recycled concrete is frequently as durable and long-lasting as virgin concrete for public sidewalks, walkways, and asphalt play areas.
Environment
The environment should recycle concrete, and it can even be used in environmental rehabilitation projects.
For example, an artificial coral reef was erected off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida in 2013, utilising recycled concrete from a local airport and the services of a contracting firm. The airport and contracting business contributed concrete sections from old culvert pipes, footer portions, box junctions, and other odd bits.
These pieces were used to create an artificial coral reef placed in the water so that fish could easily use it as a predator deterrent and a habitat for a diverse array of marine life.
Conclusion
If you are a construction company wishing to use recycled aggregates in your next project, we can provide several different types of aggregate in both loose or bulk bags, which can be
collected from Sandbach depot or delivered from 1t to 18t loads. By hiring a company with a lot
of experience providing high-quality aggregates to fit customer demands, you can be sure that we have the right experience to assist you with your project, and have them accessible for pickup or delivery in the area.
Enviro Skip Hire provides 6F2 Aggregate, 20mm gravel, and other materials – aggregates can be purchased loose or in bulk sacks. They can be picked up or delivered in 1t to 18t loads from our Sandbach facility. Contact us to learn about our aggregates!