Obtenção de concreto leve utilizando agregados reciclados

Lightweight concrete can be obtained by replacing conventional aggregates by a lower density aggregate, such as expanded clay, which also present high porosity and high water absorption. These properties resemble those of recycled aggregates from construction waste, contributing to the achievement of a lightweight concrete. However, recycled aggregates have characteristics that make them very different: variable composition, low resistance to abrasion, more irregular shapes. This article analyses some properties of recycled coarse aggregates and their influence on the behaviour of lightweight concrete in fresh and hardened state. The study used two types of recycled coarse aggregates, one originating from concrete blocks with EPS (ARBCE) and another one from ceramic blocks (ARBC), with the purpose of understanding the variability of the materials characterising the composition of these aggregates in order to verify the feasibility of application of these aggregates in lightweight concrete. The aggregates were crushed by two different equipments (mortar mixer mill and hammer mill). The recycled aggregates obtained through these different crushing processes presented different size distribution and shapes. In spite of that, it was possible to produce the two recycled lightweight concretes using both aggregate types. The compressive strength at 28 days was between 9.0 and 13.0 MPa, pointing to their use in elements without any structural function, but applicable in building components of moderate strength (e.g. panels and blocks).