Recycled materials in concrete

This chapter reviews the main recycled materials that can be introduced in concrete mix design to achieve the sustainability goals asked for by the construction industry. Outcomes from the most recent research work about the use of recycled components in concrete are reported. First, the use of supplementary cementing materials such as fly ash and ground granulated blast-furnace slag is discussed. Then, the application of recycled materials as aggregates is analyzed, paying special attention to recycled aggregates coming from construction and demolition waste, whose use is already regulated in almost all of the developed countries. By-products will also be presented, because their application in concrete is gaining increasing attention by researchers, such as in the case of steel slags. Lastly, some innovative research results about other recycled materials are included, such as recycled glass and plastics, scrap tires, hemp fibers, and ashes from incinerator facilities.