Field Performance of Drainage Systems in Highways Next to Recycled Concrete
M
any roads, building
concrete that is obtained from
retaining structures are
and roads for a number of years.
foundations, and
constructed with aggregates,
aged buildings, curbs, gutters,
which is a mixture of broken
Tanyu’s research is funded
soil particles.
of Transportation (VDOT) as
rock pieces and smaller sized
There are several advantages to creating aggregates using recycled materials as opposed to using natural resources. Creating aggregates from natural
rocks not only results in extensive carbon emission and is costly,
but the process also destroys the nature that could otherwise be a habitat to many living creatures. One way to minimize the impact
on nature is to consider creating aggregates from materials that can be recycled.
Civil Engineering Associate Professor Burak Tanyu
and his post-doctoral fellow
Aiyoub Abbaspour have been investigating aggregates from
by the Virginia Department the agency is interested in
potential practical applications and benefits of using recycled concrete aggregate in road construction. The research conducted by Tanyu and
In the summer of 2020, Tanyu
suitability of the recycled
the research to construct a field
Abbaspour will confirm the concrete aggregate for the
intended engineering application without unexpected/unintended consequences that may occur in the future.
The first phase of their
initiated the second phase of
test site with recycled concrete
aggregate (RCA). This will allow validation of the findings from
the laboratory phase of the study before wider application of RCA in Virginia highways.
investigation was conducted
If the field study confirms the
Infrastructure (SGI) Laboratory,
study, Tanyu is optimistic that
in the Sustainable Geo
which examined the physical and chemical properties of the recycled concrete and
experimentation of the formation
of tufa from concrete aggregates. The laboratory findings from
findings from the laboratory
VDOT and other state agencies will implement this approach
more broadly across the United States to preserve our natural resources. g
the first phase are publicly
available through VDOT’s website (virginiadot.org/vtrc/main/online_ reports/pdf/21-R12.pdf).
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