Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this research is to investigate the potential use of coarse recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) as a material in structural concrete. The lack of knowledge and specifications in South Africa are the main reasons for this research of RCA. By increasing the database of research of RCA in South Africa the possibility of specifications for this alternative building material can be initiated. The implications of such specifications would lead to RCA acceptance in concrete design and therefore reducing the amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste accumulating at landfill sites and decreasing the extraction of depleting natural aggregates. The objectives that are achieved through this research project are firstly, what is the percentage replacement of RCA to a concrete blend that will produce a material that achieves similar or better results than a concrete blend containing natural aggregates. Secondly, what aggregate properties and limits should be defined in the specification of RCA for it to be accepted as a material in concrete mixtures. The objectives were assessed through examining the geometrical, physical and chemical properties of the aggregate as a material and the fresh and hardened concrete properties of concrete which contains RCA as a constituent. RCA which was processed by a commercial recycling facility which produces concrete masonry units was collected at three different instances. This material was reprocessed in the laboratory to control the grading and amount of fine material not guaranteed by the recycling process. The RCA is then combined with natural aggregate (NA) at the replacement percentages: 0, 15, 30, 50 and 100% which is then used to examine the aggregate properties. It was determined that the physical properties of RCA were dependent on the geometrical properties, while taking into consideration that the geometrical properties are dependent on the source and method of recycling of the original C&D waste. The chemical properties were established as dependent on the physical properties of the RCA. The RCA is then mixed with NA at the same replacement percentages together with other concrete constituents to produce the concrete used to examine fresh and hardened concrete properties. The fresh concrete properties investigated were: slump, slump loss, air content and fresh compacted density. The hardened concrete properties studied were: compressive strength, tensile splitting strength, oxygen permeability, water sorptivity, chloride conductivity, modulus of elasticity, shrinkage and creep. The concrete properties were not significantly influenced by the inclusion of RCA. According to the aggregate and concrete properties examined in this investigation, the full replacement of NA in structural concrete is possible and will improve the sustainable development of the construction industry. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om ondersoek in te stel na die potensiele gebruik van growwe herwonne betonaggregaat (RCA) as ‘n materiaal in betonstruktuurontwerp. Die gebrek aan kennis en spesifikasies in Suid Afrika is die vernaamste rede vir hierdie navorsing van RCA. Deur die vermeerdering van die databasis van hierdie navorsing van RCA in Suid-Afrika kan die moontlikheid van spesifikasies vir hierdie alternatiewe boumateriaal geïnisieer word. Die implikasie van sodanige spesifikasies sou lei tot RCA aanvaarding in betonontwerp en dus die vermindering van die hoeveelhede konstruksie en sloping (C&D) van afvalversameling by stortterreine en om die ontginning van natuurlike aggregate te verminder. Die doelwitte wat deur hierdie navorsingsprojek bereik word is eerstens, wat is die vervangings persentasie van RCA in 'n betonmengsel wat produseer word wat dieselfde of beter resultate sal lewer as 'n betonmengsel wat uit natuurlike aggregate bestaan. Tweedens, watter aggregaat eienskappe en beperkings moet gedefinieer word in die spesifikasie van RCA sodat dit aanvaarbaar is as ‘n materiaal in betonstruktuur ontwerp. Die doelwitte word geassesseer deur die ondersoek van die geometriese, fisiese en chemiese eienskappe van die aggregaat as ‘n wesenlike materiaal en die vars en verharde betoneienskappe van RCA as ‘n bestanddeel in struktuurbetonontwerp. RCA monsters was geneem by ‘n kommersiele herwinningsfasiliteit wat RCA gebruik om betonsteen eenhede te vervaardig, is op drie verskillende tydperke ingesamel. Hierdie materiaal is herverwerk in die laboratorium om die gradering en die hoeveelheid van fyn materiaal wat nie deur die herwinningsproses beheer is nie. Die RCA was dan gekombineer met NA teen vervangingspersentasies van: 0, 15, 30, 50 en 100 % wat dan gebruik was om die eienskappe van die aggregaat te ondersoek. Daar is vasgestel dat die fisiese eienskappe van die RCA afhanklik van die geometriese eienskappe, met inagneming dat die geometriese eienskappe afhanklik is van die bron en metode van die herwinning van die oorspronklike C&D afval. Dit is gestig dat die chemise eienskappe is afhanklik van die fisiese eienskappe van die RCA. Die RCA is toe gemeng met NA teen dieselfde vervangingspersentasies saam met ander beton bestanddele om beton te produseer wat dan vergelyk kan word met vars en verharde beton eienskappe. Die volgende vars betoneienskappe is ondersoek: insinking, insinking verlies, luginhoud en vars gekompakteerde digtheid. Die volgende verharde betoneienskappe is bestudeer: druksterkte, trek die splintsing van krag, suurstofpermeabiliteit, water sorptiwiteit, chloride geleidingsvermoё, modulus van elastisiteit, krimp en kruip. Die beton eienskappe was nie beduidend beïnvloed deur die insluiting van RCA nie. Volgens die aggregate en beton eienskappe wat in hierdie navorsing ondersoek is, blyk dit dat die volle vervangingswaarde van NA in strukturele beton moontlik is en die volhoubare ontwikkeling van die konstruksiebedryf sal verbeter.