Cementitious Composites Using Recycled Waste

Abstract

European Union faces challenge in the waste management practices. Despite the economic downturn and the decrease in consumption at European Union level the waste generation stays stable, and the recycling disposal stagnates. Since the level of the recycling and recovery is set at 70% for the year 2020 for the construction and demolition waste for achieving the proposed level practical possibilities for recycling of large quantities are necessary. The paper presents cementitious composites using recycled waste which might represent practical solution for increasing the rate of recycling of construction and demolition waste and of textile industry waste. Mechanical characteristics of two different composites using recycled wastes are presented. The first cementitious composition incorporates recycled aggregates substituting new, non-renewable natural aggregates, while the second composition – beside the recycled aggregates – contains also textile industrial waste. The mechanical characteristics of the obtained compositions are comparable with the ones of the road concrete, in the same time fulfilling also the norm requirements for composites used for road concrete. The proposed cementitious composites represent significant potential for recycling, and as consequence, potential for achieving the targeted rate of the recycling.