Experimental and Estimated Evaluation of Drying Shrinkage of Concrete Made with Fine Recycled Aggregates

Using fine recycled concrete aggregates (FRCA) in concrete manufacturing points towards achieving sustainability in recycled aggregate valorisation. The higher absorption and amount of hardened cement paste of FRCA may impair concrete performance. One of the most influenced properties is drying shrinkage; this is because of the extra cement paste content and higher porosity and deformability of FRCA when compared to natural sand. Thus, the influence of FRCA on shrinkage appears to depend on the quality of FRCA and how its absorption is considered during mix design. In this study, the influence of FRCA mineralogy and quality on drying shrinkage is evaluated, also considering the compensation of FRCA absorption rates. In addition, the feasibility of different models to predict the ultimate shrinkage is also analysed. The quality of FRCA and the compensation of water absorption cause different effects on concrete according to the property evaluated. The storage of water inside the FRCA particles causes no influence (or even a beneficial influence) on the shrinkage of concretes. Models used to estimate the drying shrinkage show they are still reliable with the use of FRCA.