Design of reinforced recycled aggregate concrete elements in conformity with Eurocode 2

• Published in: Construction & building materials 2016-02, Vol.105, p.144-156
• Main Authors: Silva, R.V., de Brito, J., Evangelista, L., Dhir, R.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aggregates (Building materials); Analysis; Beam; Concrete; Deflection limit; Design; Mechanical properties; Recycled aggregate concrete; Recycled aggregates; Serviceability limit state
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.12.080

•Step-by-step design of a recycled aggregate concrete beam according to EC2.•Several possible scenarios on the use of RA in structural concrete were studied.•The use of RA had very little effect on the required area of steel reinforcement.•RAC requires a slight cover increase to exhibit the same service life as that of a NAC.•Cross-section’s height was increased in some cases to control mid-span deflection. This paper presents a step-by-step design of a structural concrete element containing recycled aggregates in accordance with Eurocode 2 (EC2). The design of a reinforced concrete beam was made as one would normally do for conventional concrete, by using practical performance-based rules based on a wide literature review to predict the mechanical and durability-related performance of recycled aggregate concrete. This design is based on adjusting the cross-section’s geometry of the reinforced recycled aggregate concrete beam in a way that it is capable of withstanding the same durability-related service life, similar load bearing capacity and within the same limits for deflection according to the serviceability limit state as per EC2. In most of the scenarios considered in this study, the results showed that a slight increase to the nominal cover of reinforced recycled aggregate concrete was required to exhibit the same service-life as that of a conventional concrete beam subjected to the same environment. Furthermore, although no fundamental alterations were required to the amount of reinforcement, the cross-section’s height was increased to maintain the maximum deflection within the limitations imposed by EC2.