ABSTRACT
This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis between recycled concrete material and traditional fresh concrete material, with a focus on evaluating their mechanical properties, workability, and economic feasibility. The objectives include assessing the compressive strength, tensile strength, and durability of recycled concrete in comparison to fresh concrete, as well as investigating the effect of using improper recycled concrete in construction.
Samples of the Recycled Concrete materials was collected from construction and demolition waste within the university of Benin Civil Engineering laboratory building and taken to the laboratory for molding of cubes with a mix ratio of 1:2:4 for 25N grade of concrete. Practical work involved conducting compressive strength tests and slump tests on both recycled and fresh concrete samples.
The results indicate competitive performance of recycled concrete at early ages of curing but lower strengths compared to fresh concrete at later ages. Specifically, at 28 days of curing, fresh concrete exhibited a significantly higher compressive strength of 25.33 N/mm² compared to recycled concrete of 21.46N/mm². Additionally, fresh concrete exhibited slightly better workability than recycled concrete.
