Effect of enhancement treatments applied to recycled concrete aggregates on concrete durability: A review

Recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) have been demonstrated as an alternative source to exhaustible natural aggregates. In this paper, we focus on the enhancement treatments for coarse and fine RCAs and the effect of these treatments on the durability of recycled concrete (RC) made from treated RCAs by the weakening and strengthening of the cement paste adhered to their surface. We conducted comparative analyses on the improvement of durability and mechanical properties. The results showed that the reduction of water absorption in RCAs increases the compressive strength of RC and that there is a strong linear trend of improvement in the carbonation depth, chloride ion penetration, and compressive strength of RC. For fine and coarse RCAs, the treatment mechanism and particle size are determinants in efficiently improving RC durability.