Application of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) has increased recently as a sustainable alternative in concrete construction. Although application of RCA has substantially grown over the past decades, issues related to its structural performance and long-term behaviour still prevent its widespread application, especially in structural purposes. In this study, a new mixture proportioning method called the “Equivalent Volume (EV)” method is proposed for RCA concrete, which is developed on the assumption that the RCA mix is based on a companion conventional concrete mix having the same volume of “cement paste and aggregates” as the companion mixture. RCA mixes containing different aggregate types and mechanical properties were designed using the EV method. Chemical, mechanical and non-destructive tests were performed and their performance was investigated. Finally, a quality control protocol for evaluating the suitability of RCA sources for structural applications is proposed. Results show that the EV method seems a promising approach to mix-proportion eco-friendly recycled concrete mixes. Moreover, the RCA type and properties seem to influence in the behaviour of RCA concrete and thus should be accounted in the mix- design.

The use of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) has gained increased attention in the past few decades as an alternative to decrease the carbon footprint of concrete construction. Yet, most of the research performed so far demonstrates that RCA concrete displays inferior performance in the fresh and hardened states when compared to conventional concrete (CC). The latter is believed due to the fact that very often the different microstructure of RCA is not accounted for while the mix-proportioning of RCA concrete. Recently, a number of mix-design procedures accounting for RCA microstructure have been proposed. Amongst them, the Equivalent Volume (EV) method seems to be quite promising. The EV method may proportion RCA concrete made of coarse (CRCA) or fine (FRCA) RCA and is based on a companion CC. Previous research has demonstrated that the fresh and hardened properties of EV mix-designed CRCA are suitable for structural applications. Yet, very few research, analysis and quantification have been conducted on the fresh behaviour of EV mix- proportioned FRCA concrete. This work presents a comprehensive study on the rheological behaviour of EV mix-designed CRCA and FRCA concrete presenting distinct features (i.e. inner qualities, mineralogy, fabrication process, etc.) through the use of a planetary rheometer (IBB). Results show that the EV is capable of proportioning low embodied energy CRCA and FRCA concrete with shear thinning profiles. The latter suggests that these mixtures are suitable for applications under high torque regimes such as vibrated or pumped concrete.