Structural Performance of Reinforced RCA Concrete Beams Made by a Modified EMV Method

Abstract

This study aims to show the effect of a modified equivalent mortar volume (EMV) method on the flexural performance of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). To verify this, an experimental study was carried out firstly by testing fresh and hardened material properties of RCA concrete specimens made by two different mixture design methods, i.e., the modified EMV method and the conventional American Concrete Institute (ACI) method. The flexural performance of five reinforced recycled concrete (RRC) beams mixed with different mixture designs was then investigated. Test results confirmed that the elastic moduli of the RCA concrete specimens made using the modified EMV method are greater than those of the conventional ACI mixture, while the drying shrinkage tended to decrease. The ultimate strengths of RRC beams mixed with the modified EMV method are as much as five percent greater than that achieved with the conventional ACI mixture.