Effect of the Composition of Mixed Recycled Aggregates on Physical–Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Recycled aggregates (RA) from construction and demolition waste are an alternative to natural aggregates in the construction sector. They are usually classified according to their composition. The main constituent materials are separated into the following categories: unbound natural aggregates, ceramic particles, cementitious particles, bituminous materials, and other materials considered impurities, such as glass, plastic, wood, or gypsum. In this research, a large number of samples of RA were collected from three different recycling plants and their properties were studied. After that, 35 samples were selected randomly, and their RA constituents were separated under laboratory conditions. Cementitious particles were differentiated into two subcategories: masonry mortar and concrete particles. Subsequently, their physical–mechanical properties were measured. The statistical analysis carried out exhibited that the constituents had a statistically significant influence on the physical–mechanical properties studied. Specifically, masonry mortar particles had higher water absorption and worse mechanical properties than concrete and ceramic particles. Secondly, multiple regression models were performed to predict the physical–mechanical properties of RA from their composition since mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) ranged between 0.9% and 8.6%. The differentiation in the subcategories of concrete and masonry mortar particles in compositional testing is useful for predicting the physical–mechanical properties of RA.