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2nd International Conference on Measurement Instrumentation and Electronics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1234567890
870 (2017) 012018 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/870/1/012018

Experimental research on durability of recycled aggregate

concrete under freeze- thaw cycles

Yanqiu Cheng1, a *, Xiaoyu Shang2,b , and Youjia Zhang2,c

1
Engineering Section, Northeast Dianli University, Jilin, China,132012
2
School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Northeast Dianli University, Jilin,
132012
a
chengyanqiu_nedu@sina.com, bshangxujin2@163.com, czhangyoujia@nedu.edu.cn

Abstract. The freeze-thaw durability of recycled aggregate concrete has significance for the
concrete buildings in the cold region. In this paper, the rapid freezing and thawing cycles
experience on recycle aggregate concrete was conducted to study on the effects of recycle
aggregate amount, water-binder ratio and fly ash on freeze-thaw durability of recycle aggregate
concrete. The results indicates that recycle aggregate amount makes the significant influence on
the freeze-thaw durability. With the increase of recycled aggregates amount, the freeze-thaw
resistance for recycled aggregate concrete decreases. Recycled aggregate concrete with lower
water cement ratio demonstrates better performance of freeze-thaw durability. It is advised that
the amount of fly ash is less than 30% for admixture of recycled aggregates in the cold region.

1. Introduction
Recycled aggregate concrete, as a kind of green sustainable building materials, can effectively alleviate
the plight that a mass of construction waste is difficult to handle in cities. According to statistics, 3.5
billion tons of construction waste outputs every year in China, but the comprehensive utilization rate is
less than 5%. About anti-freeze performance of the recycled concrete has been carried on by many
scholars[1-6], but their research results presents inconsistent, and even opposite conclusions. Based on
the fast freeze-thaw test, this paper will investigate the influence of admixture amount of recycled
aggregates, water-binder ratio and fly ash content on the durability performance of recycled concrete,
which can provide basis data and reference for the popularization and application of recycled concrete in
cold areas.

2. Experimental program

2.1. Materials
P.O. 42.5 ordinary Portland cement was used. fly ash is chose by Ⅱ grade fly ash. fine aggregate is the
river sand, natural coarse aggregate is calcareous rock, efficient AE water reducer is used as the additive.
Recycled coarse aggregate was prepared by waste concrete (original strength grade C30) that was
crushed by the crusher shattered, then handled by 5 mm diameter of sieve screening process, meanwhile
ensuring the aggregate controlled in 5-30 mm of diameter. The recycled coarse aggregate after screening
was conducted by some program such as washing and drying to make it have excellent properties. Table
1 is the mix proportion of different categories of recycled aggregate concrete. to ensure the quality of
recycled aggregate concrete specimens, the production program was conducted according to the Chinese
rule DB11/T 803-2011. To ensure the quality of recycled concrete block, forced small mixer was used to

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2nd International Conference on Measurement Instrumentation and Electronics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1234567890
870 (2017) 012018 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/870/1/012018

mix recycled aggregate concrete and recycled aggregate will be in the water-saturated state after
prewetting processing. AE efficient water reducing agent, cement, aggregate, water and natural
regeneration aggregate is successively put into the mixer. Mixed Materials are placed into the standard
moulds after the testing recycled aggregate concrete workability.
Table 1. Mix proportion of specimens
Number water-binder ratio recycled aggregates amount parameters of fly ash
A1 0.45 0 30%
A2 0.45 50% 30%
A3 0.45 100% 30%
B1 0.35 50% 30%
B2（A2） 0.45 50% 30%
B3 0.55 50% 30%
C1 0.45 50% 0
C2 0.45 50% 10%
C3（A2） 0.45 50% 30%
C4 0.45 50% 50%

2.2. Test measurement

In the light of designed mix proportion, the specimens (100mm×100mm×100mm and
100mm×100mm×400mm) will be conducted by mass measurement and dynamic elasticity modulus
measurement respectively. Before freezing-thawing cycled experiment, the specimens need to be placed
into the water(15℃~20℃) to reach the water-saturated state. Then, the fast freezing-thaw cycled
experiment is conducted by the Chinese rule GBJ82-85. The duration of each freeze-thaw cycles is 4
hours. The specific procedure is shown inTable 2. Mass and dynamic elastic modulus is measured after
every completed 25 times freeze-thaw cycle. It is a total of 300 freeze-thaw cycling test. The test will be
stopped when the specimen with a 5% drop on mass or dynamic elastic modulus decreased to less than
60%.
Table 2. Procedure for freeze-thaw cycles
Type Initial time Final time Temperature (℃)
Stage 1 0:00 0:10 15
Stage 2 0:10 0:40 15~-20
Stage 3 0:40 2:10 -20
Stage 4 2:10 2:30 20
Stage 5 2:30 4:00 20

3. Results and analysis

The different performance degradation rule of recycled aggregates concrete specimens after 300 times
fast freeze-thaw test is shown. And the relative results with the consideration of recycled aggregates,
water-binder ratio, fly ash admixture are presented in the following parts.
Different recycled aggregate parameter changes impact on the quality of concrete specimens after
freezing and thawing cycle. It can be seen from the Fig 1, Fig.2 and Fig.3 that concrete mass loss after
freeze-thaw cycle increases with the amount of recycled aggregates parameter rising. There are no more
than 5% mass loss in A2 group after 300 times of freeze-thaw cycle. It is indicated that the recycled
aggregate concrete in the terms of mass loss can be accepted. When amount of recycled aggregate
reaches to 100%, the mass loss is so severe for A3 after 300 times freeze-thaw cycles. mass loss is not
more than 3% for different water-binder ratio of recycled concrete specimens after 300 times fast
freeze-thaw cycle which presents well freeze-thaw performance. . But it can be seen that water-binder

2
2nd International Conference on Measurement Instrumentation and Electronics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1234567890
870 (2017) 012018 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/870/1/012018

ratio has a great influence on the quality loss. The smaller water-binder ratio of recycled aggregates
concrete is and the smaller mass loss is. For the specimens of C3 group (30% fly ash amount), the mass
loss is not more than 5%. When fly ash amount is 50% for C4 group, the mass loss is more than 5%. Thus,
it is obvious that the no more than of amount of fly-ash for recycled aggregate concrete is advisable.
A1 9.5 9.4
9.3
A2 9.4 9.3
9.2 A3 9.3 B1 9.2

weight（kg）
B2

weight（kg）
9.2
weight(kg)

9.1 9.1
B3
9.1 9.0
9.0 9.0 8.9 C1
8.9 C2
8.9 8.8
C3
8.8 8.7 C4
8.8 8.7 8.6
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
freeze and thaw cycles number freeze and thaw cycles number freeze and thaw cycles number

Fig.1Mass loss with diffrent Fig.2 Mass loss with diffrent Fig.3 Mass loss with diffrent
recyled aggragates water-blind ratio fly ash
The Fig.4 shows the effects of recycled aggregates, water-binder ratio and fly ash on dynamic
elasticity modulus. It can be observed that these factors has different extents influence. When the
amount of recycled aggregates is 50% for A2 group. The dynamic elasticity modulus still stays the level
of 0.9. It demonstrates that freeze-thaw resistance of recycled aggregates concrete seems i=similar with
ordinary concrete. With the increase of amount of recycled aggregates, the decline rate of dynamic
elasticity modulus of recycled aggregates concrete for in the later stage of freeze-thaw cycles( 200
times )is obviously faster when the amount of the recycled aggregates is 100% for A3 group, the relative
dynamic elasticity modulus is lower 0.9. it shows that the freeze-thaw performance is weaker than the
ordinary concrete. In order to obtain the well performance concrete, lower 50%the amount of recycled
aggregate is advisable.
As Fig.5 shown, the recycled concrete after freeze-thaw cycle 300 times relative dynamic elastic
modulus were above 0.9 as shown in Figure 5, antifreeze performance is still good. Water-binder ratio
on dynamic elastic modulus of smaller, but still show some regularity, dynamic elastic modulus
increases with the smaller of water/cement ratio. The relative dynamic elastic modulus of after 300 times
freeze and thaw cycles keep above 0.9 as shown in Figure 5, which shows the well freeze and thaw
performance for recycled aggregates concrete. the water-binder ratio has small effects on the dynamic
elastic modulus, but there is obvious rule that dynamic elastic modulus increase with the water-binder
ratio decrease.
In the Fig.6, when recycled concrete admixture amount of fly ash in more than 50% (C4) specimen,
the freeze-thaw cycle elastic modulus decreased after 300 times larger, and even destruction of specimen.
But other groups of specimens (C1, C2 and C3 and C4), the relative dynamic elastic modulus were
above 0.9, shows that still has better performance of antifreeze. Experimental data show that in the
process of 300 freeze-thaw cycles, not with fly ash of relative dynamic elastic modulus of recycled
concrete specimens of lower speed no faster, with 10% and 30% fly ash of the recycled concrete
specimens after freezing and thawing cycle 200 times, its relative dynamic elastic modulus decreased
obviously accelerated, and fly ash admixture amount for 50% of C4 group of specimens, the relative
dynamic elastic modulus after freezing and thawing circulation of 150, presents the obvious acceleration
tendency.

3
2nd International Conference on Measurement Instrumentation and Electronics IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1234567890
870 (2017) 012018 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/870/1/012018

dynamic modulus of elasticity （GPa）

dynamic module of elasticity（GPa）

dynamic module of elasticity（GPa）

42
42 44
40
42
38
40
36 40
C1
B1 34 38 A1
38 C2
B2 32 C3 A2
36 A3
B3 C4
30
36 34
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
freeze and thaw cycles number freeze and thaw cycles number freeze and thaw cycles number

Fig.4 DEM with differrent Fig.5 DEM with differrent Fig.6 dem with differrent fly
recyled aggragates water-blind ratio ash

4. Conclusion
The general rule of mass loss and dynamic elasticity modulus is obtained based on the 8 groups of
recycled aggregates concrete specimens under freeze-thaw cycles test. The amount of recycled
aggregates has an important role in the freeze-thaw performance of recycled aggregates concrete, which
makes the declining tendency decreases with the enhancement of recycled aggregates . The concreted
with 50% recycled aggregates shows the well performance in all the specimens. Water-binder ratio is
also an essential factor on the freeze-thaw performance of recycled aggregates concrete. The specimens
with lower water-blinder ratio presents the well freeze-thaw performance, whose mass loss increase and
dynamic elasticity modulus decrease with the amount of fly ash enhancing. it is advised that the amount
of fly ash is less than 30% for admixture of recycled aggregates in the cold region

References
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