Reuse of Returned Plastic Concrete and Crushed Concrete As Aggregate
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Preliminary Investigation Caltrans Division of Research and Innovation Produced by CTC & Associates LLC Concrete Recycling: Reuse of Returned Plastic Concrete and Crushed Concrete as Aggregate Requested by Rock Products Committee: Materials and QA Sub Task Group of the Concrete Products Task Group September 7, 2012 (revised) The Caltrans Division of Research and Innovation (DRI) receives and evaluates numerous research problem statements for funding every year. DRI conducts Preliminary Investigations on these problem statements to better scope and prioritize the proposed research in light of existing credible work on the topics nationally and internationally. Online and print sources for Preliminary Investigations include the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) and other Transportation Research Board (TRB) programs, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the research and practices of other transportation agencies, and related academic and industry research. The views and conclusions in cited works, while generally peer reviewed or published by authoritative sources, may not be accepted without qualification by all experts in the field. Table of Contents Executive Summary......................................................................................................................................2 Background ...............................................................................................................................................2 Summary of Findings: Part 1. Returned Plastic Concrete.........................................................................2 Survey....................................................................................................................................................3 Interviews and Issues.............................................................................................................................3 Resources...............................................................................................................................................3 Summary of Findings: Part 2. Crushed Concrete as Aggregate................................................................3 Survey....................................................................................................................................................3 Interviews ..............................................................................................................................................4 Resources...............................................................................................................................................4 Gaps in Findings........................................................................................................................................4 Next Steps .................................................................................................................................................5 Contacts ........................................................................................................................................................6 California...................................................................................................................................................6 State DOTs ................................................................................................................................................6 National Organizations and Research Institutions ....................................................................................6 Part 1. Returned Plastic Concrete – Survey ..................................................................................................8 Audience....................................................................................................................................................8 Survey Text and Questions........................................................................................................................8 Survey Responses....................................................................................................................................10 Follow-up Industry Survey......................................................................................................................11 Part 1. Returned Plastic Concrete – Interviews and Issues .........................................................................12 California Stakeholders ...........................................................................................................................12 National Experts......................................................................................................................................15 Part 1. Returned Plastic Concrete – Resources ...........................................................................................18 Related Specifications and Standards......................................................................................................18 Research ..................................................................................................................................................19 Part 2. Crushed Concrete – Survey .............................................................................................................21 Overview of Findings..............................................................................................................................21 Survey Text, Questions and Detailed Responses ....................................................................................21 Part 2. Crushed Concrete – Interviews........................................................................................................32 Part 2. Crushed Concrete – Resources........................................................................................................35 Specifications and National Guidance ....................................................................................................35 Research and Case Studies......................................................................................................................36 International Guidance and Research......................................................................................................37 Web Sites.................................................................................................................................................37 Appendices..................................................................................................................................................40 Executive Summary Background Caltrans is interested in concrete recycling both for environmental and technical reasons. Underutilization of concrete and its components contribute to filling of landfills, increased water usage, depletion of natural resources, increased material transport, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Appendix A is a Caltrans presentation that provides an overview of this topic, and two areas described in that overview are the topics of interest for this Preliminary Investigation: Returned plastic concrete (RPC)—excess portland cement concrete that has not yet hardened. Crushed concrete—hardened concrete crushed to be reused as aggregate. From an environmental perspective, about two to eight percent of concrete produced in California is returned, as identified by the California Environmental Protection Agency Climate Action Team (CAT) in 2007 during initial implementation of Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The CAT team estimated that this correlates to 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide excess per year. Reuse of fresh returned plastic concrete in particular offers the opportunity to directly reuse the component water, cement, and aggregate and reduce energy use. Importantly, reuse of RPC also means preserving the embodied energy from the manufacture of the original concrete. Caltrans is interested in learning more about practices, policy and research related to concrete recycling. This Preliminary Investigation is presented in two sections to address the two distinct practices for recycling concrete: Part 1. Returned plastic concrete—This investigation addresses how RPC is reused in its entirety; it does not address the practice of washing fresh mix to recover aggregate (recognizing that the reuse of concrete aggregates helps conserve natural resources and has wider applications). Part 2. Crushed concrete—The scope of this investigation includes crushed concrete sourced from demolished pavements and structures as well as crushed new concrete (excess fresh mix allowed to harden and then crushed). Summary of Findings: Part 1. Returned Plastic Concrete We could not find evidence of transportation agencies, in the United States or elsewhere, reusing RPC. Although RPC is permitted by public works agencies in California that follow the Greenbook: Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction—typically those in Southern California—our conversations with stakeholders suggest that it is not being used in this capacity. The concrete industry has performed much of the recent work to promote reuse of RPC. 2 Survey A survey of state DOTs revealed that among 32 respondents, none allowed the reuse of RPC. Complete survey questions begin on page 8 of this Preliminary Investigation. A follow-up survey of ready-mixed concrete producers conducted by California Construction and