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TECHNICAL PAPER

AN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF

SERVICE LIFE FOR STANDARD AND

HIGH-STRENGTH SELF-COMPACTING

CONCRETE INCORPORATING

SUSTAINABLE AND RECYCLED

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS B. NARENDRA KUMAR*
A. MEGHANADHA REDDY

Abstract ecologically friendly. However, because porous connected
mortar has poorer properties, the practical application of RA
In this study, an experimental investigation on self compacted has not received much attention up to this point. Even though
concrete (SSC) was performed to obtain the properties such numerous authors have previously suggested a variety of mix
as, workability (slump flow, V-funnel and L box), mechanical designs for recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), employing
strengths (compressive, split tensile and flexural strength) RAC is not viable for a number of reasons. RA is the finer
durability (half-cell potential, ultra sonic pulse velocity, chloride fraction produced by crushing construction and demolition
penetration depth and rapid chloride permeability test), waste (C & DW) while RCA is the coarser fraction produced
and service life. Standard and high strength grades were after crushing C & DW. RAC is the concrete produced by
developed by introducing the sustainable materials such as using recycled aggregates. Among these is the lack of a
ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) (fly ash-15 %), simple and efficient design mix approach based on RAC. The
fine crushed rock aggregate (FCRA) (15 %) and FFA (50 and infrastructural industry has been booming in recent years with
100 replacements). Results were compared with a conventional excessive population growth, especially in developing countries
mix wherein M-sand was used as fine aggregate material. like India. This immense demand on the construction sector,
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray along with advantages like economic growth of the country
spectroscopy (EDS) were also used to analyse the microstructure has also brought in a few disadvantages like depletion of
of the concrete to understand its behaviour. The results reveal natural resources due to their excessive utilization and surging
a lower strength, poor resistance to chloride attack and a lesser up of construction waste after demolition of structures .
[1]
service life with higher fractions of recycled fine aggregate (RFA), Surprisingly, conventional construction practices have an
although the effect was somewhat attenuated with low w/c ratio adverse environmental impact, particularly with the widespread
mixes. Up to 19 % strength decreased and at full replacement use of concrete consisting of natural resources, e.g., river sand
of aggregates 22.5 % strength decreased. About 100 % RFA, and quarried aggregates. An increase in river sand extraction
the standard grade has least durability. Service life has been
predicted by simulation to be reduced by 45 % compared to the has resulted in scarcity in harvesting of sand in many areas. In
control concrete. addition, the substantial amount of demolition waste worsens
the environmental impact since most waste materials wind
Keywords: Self-compacting concrete, chloride migration, service up inside landfills. Hazardous greenhouse gases such as
life, sustainable materials, fine recycled aggregates. carbon dioxide and methane escape from C & DW when it
is disposed of in landfills. The source of this pollution is the
1. INTRODUCTION release of greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane
potent contributors to climate change, and a malignant
Recycled aggregate (RA) appears to be becoming more addition to the carbon footprint of the construction industry.
and more popular around the world as a way to reduce the To begin to mitigate the sector’s environmental impact and
environmental impact of landfills and virgin aggregate mining, reduce its contribution to global climate change . Thus, the
[2]
as well as to make building projects more economical and above two major constraints of infrastructural development

THE INDIAN CONCRETE JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 2026 25
* Corresponding author: B. Narendra Kumar, Email: narendrakumar_b@vnrvjiet.in