Construction and Building Materials 30 (2012) 500504

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Construction and Building Materials

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/conbuildmat

Utilization of waste concrete powder as a substitution material for cement

Yong Jic Kim a,, Yun Wang Choi b
a
b

Civil Engineering Research Team, Daewoo Institute of Construction Technology, 60 Songjuk-Dong, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do 440-800, South Korea
Department of Civil Engineering, Semyung University, San 21-1 Shinweol-Dong, Jecheon, Chungbuk 390-711, South Korea

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 28 July 2010
Received in revised form 25 October 2011
Accepted 26 November 2011
Available online 2 January 2012
Keywords:
Waste concrete power (WCP)
Recycled aggregate
Particle size
Viscosity
Sorptivity coefcients

a b s t r a c t
This study is conducted to utilize waste concrete powder (WCP) made as a by-product manufacturing
high quality recycled aggregate. The Blaine neness of the WCP used was 928 and 1360 cm2/g. As the
main characteristic of WCP, it is particle were angular similar to cement, and hydrated products were
attached on the surface of particles. In addition, the particle size of WCP was larger than Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and in terms of chemical components it had higher SiO2 content. The viscosity of
pastes that contained WCP decreased by up to 62% compared to paste that only used OPC, and the nal
set time was delayed about 2 h. As substitution rates of WCP increased, the ow value decreased by 30%
at the most according to the comparison with mortar that only used OPC. The compressive strength of
mortar decreased by up to 73% as level of WCP increased and sorptivity coefcients increased by 70%.
According to the test results, it is desirable to keep WCP replacement OPC to below 15%.
2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Concrete structures constructed during rapid economic development in the world are continuously deteriorating and there is
an increasing demand for improvement of the surrounding environment and an overall improvement in standards of living. Consequently, the number of urban development and rebuilding works
of deteriorated structures is rapidly increasing. These demolition
works of deteriorated concrete structures cause noise, vibration
and dust thus aggravating pollution in urban areas. Also, it generates great a amount of construction wastes, and the disposal of
wastes is raising another problem. To deal with this problem, there
are a number of studies on recycling of concrete wastes currently
going on [13]. However, most of the former studies focus on the
possibility of recycling the concrete waste as aggregate [46].
Recycled aggregate produced from concrete wastes, different
from natural aggregate, has mortar attached on the surface.
Therefore, the quality of recycled aggregate largely depends
on the amount of mortar on its surface. In other words, the
recycled aggregate can be categorized into natural aggregate, natural
aggregate with mortar attached on the surface, and pure mortar
aggregate. Recycled aggregate has difculties in maintaining its
quality as concrete aggregate since it has large range of densities
and absorption rates. Therefore, concrete using recycled aggregate
can have problems with low compressive strength and durability
for freezing and thawing compared to concrete made with natural
aggregate. Because of these problems, more than 90% of recycled
Corresponding author. Tel.: +82 31 250 1169; fax: +82 31 250 1148.
E-mail address: yong1yong2@hotmail.com (Y.J. Kim).
0950-0618/$ - see front matter 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.11.042

aggregates are just used as embankment and reclamation materials in many countries.
To produce high quality recycled aggregate, accurate manufacturing technologies are required to run repetitive crushing process.
These manufacturing technologies maximize the removal of mortar
on surface so that high quality recycled aggregate can be produced.
Although these technologies can improve the quality of recycled
aggregate, it increases manufacturing costs and produces large
amounts of waste concrete powder (WCP). Currently, waste concrete powder produced is just buried with clay. However, it has become hard to procure sites for reclamation and also problems relate
to soil and water pollution are being criticized. To settle these problems, some researchers are working on using the waste concrete
powder as a concrete mixture material. In addition, I have conducted research on the use of recycled aggregate generated from
waste concrete along with mineral admixtures. It is said that this
research is very benecial in terms of the recycle of resources [7].
Therefore, this study examined the quality of WCP as a substitute for cement by producing paste and mortars with the WCP.
2. Experimental program
2.1. Materials
The cement used was an Ordinary portland cement (OPC), typically produced in
Korea, with a density of 3.15 g/cm3 and blaine neness of 3539 cm2/g. This study
used two types of WCP with different density and blaine neness, one with a density of 2.48 g/cm3 and blaine neness of 928 cm2/g (WCP1) and the other of 2.48 g/
cm3 and 1360 cm2/g (WCP2). The two different types of WCP had the same chemical structure and had relatively higher levels of SiO2 content compare to OPC. The
chemical composition and physical properties of these two types of WCP are shown
in Table 1. Also, sand with a density of 2.60 g/cm3 was used as ne aggregate in producing mortars.

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Y.J. Kim, Y.W. Choi / Construction and Building Materials 30 (2012) 500504
Table 1
Chemical composition and physical properties of cementitious materials.

a
b

Table 2
Mixture proportions of mortar.

Types

OPCa

WCP1b

WCP2b

Chemical analysis
SiO2
Al2O3
Fe2O3
CaO
MgO
SO3

21.60
6.00
3.10
61.41
3.40
2.50

58.55
10.35
4.64
11.82
1.52
0.44

58.55
10.35
4.64
11.82
1.52
0.44

Physical properties
Density (g/cm3)
Blaine neness (cm2/g)

3.15
3539

2.48
928

2.49
1360

a
b

Replacement of WCP (%)

W/Ba (%)

OPC:WCP:Sb

0
15
30
45

55
55
55
55

1.00:0.00:2.45
0.85:0.15:2.45
0.70:0.30:2.45
0.55:0.45:2.45

B (Binder): OPC + WCP.

S: Sand.

where i is the cumulative volume absorbed/unit area of inow surface; S is the sorptivity of material, t is the elapsed time. Table 2 shows the mixture proportions of
mortars.

OPC: Ordinary Portland Cement.

WCP: waste concrete powder.

3. Results and discussion

2.2. Experimental investigations
2.2.1. Quality of WCP
The size distribution of WCP was analyzed going a particle size analyzer
produced by M company, and the grain shape was analyzed using SEM [8].
2.2.2. Paste tests
The study veried the properties of the paste to verify the possibility of using
the WCP as an alternative for cement. The amount of WCP to be used was mixed
with OPC at different levels of 0, 15, 30 and 45% in proportion to the amount of
OPC, the experimental process used a xed W/B (Water/Binder) of 0.55. To check
the owability of the pastes, a rheology test was carried out. As shown in Fig. 1,
using a Brookeld viscometer with a cylinder spindle, the change of shear stress
in accordance with the change of shear rate (s1) was measured. The shear rate
in here was measured with a changing spindle speed in a stepwise a process to
avoid errors from the hysteresis loop area. At the same time, a linear regression
analysis was carried out to check the relationship between shear stress and shear
rate measured using the coefcients for the contact surface of sample and spindle
and the size of container. Then, assuming that the paste is Bingham plastic, its viscosity and yield stress were measured. Also, the initial and the nal setting time of
the pastes made with waste concrete powder were examined.

3.1. Characteristics of WCP

Fig. 2 describes the particle size distribution curves of OPC and
WCP. In Fig. 2, the diameters of particles when the accumulated
amount of particles is 50% is 14 lm for OPC, 176 lm for WCP1
and 90 lm for WCP2. Therefore, WCP1 and WCP2 have larger particle distribution than OPCs. To make the particle size of those
WCPs as small as OPCs, an additional crushing process using a ball
mill was necessary.
Figs. 3 and 4 describe the measurement using SEM to look into
the particle images of OPC and WCP. As shown in Fig. 3, an OPC
particle has an angular shape. In Fig. 4, WCP also has an angular
shape, however, it was hydrates such as Ca(OH)2 on its surface.
These hydrates contain ne capillary pores. Therefore, compared
with OPC, WCP is a more porous material.
3.2. Properties of paste with WCP

2.2.3. Mortar tests

The ow values of mortars were measured while changing the replacement level of WCP to the volume of OPC (0, 15, 30 and 45%). The ow value of fresh mortars
were tested in accordance with ASTM C 1437. Also, the compressive strength of
50 mm mortar cube at 3, 7 and 28 days were tested as per the ASTM C 109. At
28 days mortar cubes for sorptivity test were dried by heating at 105 5 C for
24 hours. Following this procedure, the sorptivity of sample was tested for sorptivity. The sorptivity test specimens were exposed on one face water by placing the
sample on a sponge submersed in water [9,10].
The sorptivity test was performed in order to examine the water capillary sorption of mortar in which WCP was used. Eq. (1) was used to determine the sorptivity
as follows:

i S  t 0:5

Figs. 5 and 6 show the linear regression analysis on the relationship between the shear rate (s1) of the paste with WCP1 and
WCP2 and its shear stress. In these gures, the slope shows its viscosity while the value at y-intercept is the yield stress.
Table 3 describes the viscosity and yield stress of the pastes
with WCP1 and WCP2. In Table 3, as the proportion of WCP1 in
the mixture increases up to 15, 30 and 45%, its viscosity decreased
by 32%, 47% and 62% compared to the paste with only OPC. Also, as
the proportion of WCP2 increases up to 15, 30 and 45%, its viscosity

Fig. 1. Hysteresis loop area.

Fig. 2. Grain size distribution of OPC and WCPs.

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Y.J. Kim, Y.W. Choi / Construction and Building Materials 30 (2012) 500504

Fig. 3. Particle morphology of OPC obtained by SEM.

Fig. 6. Relationship between shear rate and shear stress of paste using WCP2.

Table 3
Viscosity and yield stress of paste with WCP1 and WCP2.
Replacement of
WCP (%)

0
15
30
45

WCP1

WCP2

Viscosity
(Pa s)

Yield stress
(Pa)

Viscosity
(Pa s)

Yield stress
(Pa)

2.59
1.76
1.32
0.98

20.58
20.53
16.17
13.28

2.59
2.01
1.69
1.28

20.58
19.38
15.05
11.58

Fig. 4. Particle morphology of WCP obtained by SEM.

Fig. 7. Setting time of paste with WCP1 and WCP2.

Fig. 5. Relationship between shear rate and shear stress of paste using WCP1.

decreased by 23, 35 and 50%. Those differences are considered to

be from the fact that WCP2 has smaller particles than WCP1. Also,
for the case where the proportion of WCP1 and WCP2 is 15%, yield
stresses decreased by 0.2 and 5.8% compared to the paste of OPC.
However, as the proportion of WCP1 and WCP2 increases up to
30 and 45%, it decreased by approximately by 24 and 39%. Those
were because the Blaine neness of WCPs were smaller than of
OPC and that WCP has a larger particles thus the amount of water
not involved in chemical reactions increased.
Fig. 7 describes the setting times of paste for different WCP proportions. The initial setting time of pastes using WCP was about

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Y.J. Kim, Y.W. Choi / Construction and Building Materials 30 (2012) 500504

Fig. 8. Flow of mortar with WCP1 and WCP2.

Fig. 10. Water capillary sorption test of mortars with WCP2.

Table 4
Sorptivity coefcients of mortars.
Replacement of WCP
(%)

0
15
30
45

WCP1

WCP2

Sorptivity ((g/mm2)/
t0.5)  105

Sorptivity ((g/mm2)/
t0.5)  105

8.604
9.849
12.502
14.769

8.604
9.542
11.127
14.117

Fig. 9. Water capillary sorption test of mortars with WCP1.

same as the OPC paste, however, both of the pastes with WCP1 and
WCP2 delayed nal set longer than 2 hours. These delays, compared with the paste using OPC, were considered to be coming
from the decrease of C3A and C3S that accelerate hydration reaction
as the WCP proportion increases.
3.3. Properties of mortar with WCP
Fig. 8 shows the ow values of mortars with WCP1 and WCP2.
In Fig. 8, as the proportion of WCP increases, it shows decreasing
ow values when compared with the mortar using OPC only. With
15% of WCP1 and WCP2 proportions, it decreased by 16 and 14%
compared to the standard mortar, and it decreased by 30 and
28% when the proportion of WCP was 45%.
Figs. 9 and 10 show the relationship between the cumulative
absorption of mortar and the square root of the elapsed time.
Table 4 shows the sorptivity as a function of the mixing ratio of
WCP using the result of Figs. 9 and 10. The sorptivity is an indirect
parameter to examine the porosity of mortar [11].
In Figs. 9 and 10, as the proportion of WCP1 and WCP2 increases, the sorptivity coefcients show increase compared to the

Fig. 11. Compressive strength of mortars with WCP1.

OPC mortar. For the case of OPC mortar, its sorptivity coefcient
was measured to be 8.60((g/mm2)/t0.5)  105, and as the proportion of WCP1 increased up to 15, 30 and 45%, its sorptivity coefcients increased up to 9.85, 12.50 and 14.77((g/mm2)/t0.5)  105
respectively. Similarly, as the proportion of WCP2 increased up
to 15, 30 and 45%, the sorptivity coefcients showed an increasing
tendency up to 9.54, 11.13 and 14.12((g/mm2)/t0.5)  105. These
results are coming from the special features of WCP. That is,
WCP contains hydrates, and these hydrates give WCP the characteristics of a porous material. Consequently, additional capillary

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Y.J. Kim, Y.W. Choi / Construction and Building Materials 30 (2012) 500504

Fig. 12. Compressive strength of mortars with WCP2.

pores exist inside the mortar with WCP so that the sorptivity coefcients increase proportionately with an increase of WCP
proportion.
Figs. 11 and 12 describe the compressive strength of the mortars with WCP1 and WCP2 at different ages. In Figs. 11 and 12,
as the WCP proportion increases up to 15, 30 and 45%, the compressive strength decreased at all ages. At 28 days, compressive
strengths decreased by 28 and 25% respectively compared to the
standard mortar when the proportion of WCP1 and WCP2 were
15%. Also, when the proportion of WCP1 and WCP2 were 45%, its
compressive strength decreased by 73 and 64% respectively. This
implies that WCP consists mainly of nonreactive powders.
4. Conclusions
The following conclusions were drawn from the study:
1. The waste concrete powder used had high contents of SiO2
compared to OPC, the shape of particles was angular and
hydrated products were attached on the surface of the particles
they were porous. In addition, the average particle size of WCP1
and WCP2 were 176 and 90 lm respectively.

2. The viscosity of paste mixed with waste concrete powder

decreased compared to the viscosity of paste that only used
OPC. The pastes mixed with WCP1 decreased by maximum
62% compared to the paste that only used OPC while the paste
mixed with WCP2 decreased by 50%. It is believed that these are
caused by the fact that the Blaine neness of WCP is smaller
than OPC and there is an increase in the amount of water not
related to hydration reaction.
3. The ow of mortar that was mixed with waste concrete power
was likely to decreased by 30% compared to the mortar that
used OPC. Moreover, when 45% of waste concrete power was
mixed, sorptivity coefcients increased by 70% compared to
the mortar that only used OPC. It is thought that such a tendency is due to the fact that WCP is porous so that its ow is
reduced and its sorptivity coefcients are on the increase.
4. The higher the level of waste concrete power used, the lower
the compressive strength became. In detail, the mortar with
WCP1 decreased by up to 73% compared to the mortar that only
used OPC while the WCP2 mortar decreased up to 64%. It is suggested that these are derived from the fact that WCP is a nonreactive powder.

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