Combined effects of styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) latex and recycled aggregates on compressive strength of concrete

Recycled Aggregates (RA) produced from the construction and demolition (C&D) waste can be utilized along with Natural Aggregates (NA) to optimize the concrete’s compressive strength (CS). We evaluated the combined effects of Recycled Aggregates Concrete (RAC) and Styrene–Butadiene Rubber (SBR) Latex on the concrete’s workability and compressive strengths. 72 concrete specimens of 4 groups with respect to the aggregate replacement levels, i.e., 100% NA, 50% NA + 50% RA, 25% NA + 75% RA and 100% RA and 3 groups with respect to SBR Latex dosages i.e., 0%, 1% and 2% were tested. Standard procedure ASTM C-192 was adopted to prepare the concrete test specimens having cement, sand, and aggregates. Variations in compressive strength with varying percentages of RA and SBR Latex at 7, 14 and 28 days were evaluated. The percentages of RA for better strength were found with 50% NA + 50% RA with 2% addition of SBR. Maximum compressive strength was achieved for 50% replacement levels of RA with NA for all SBR Latex addition levels of 1% and 2%, but it was highest at 2% SBR dosage. The overall trend of the compressive strength variation was due to the increasing percentages of recycled aggregates and SBR Latex. 50% or lower replacement levels of RA along with 2% SBR addition is suggested. The SBR Latex induced positive effects on concrete’s compressive strength, as it increased the concrete strength with its increasing percentages. The role of SBR Latex is affirmed in compensating the reductions in CS, due to an increasing percentage of RAs.