Upcycling of construction and demolition waste: Recovery and reuse of binder and fine aggregate in cement applications to achieve circular economy
Ravi Chandra Malladi, A. S., Gayathri Chandran, Thirumalini Selvaraj
Abstract
The effective recycling and utilization of construction and demolition (C&D) waste to its maximum capacity to achieve a circular economy model is challenging in the current scenario. This current research emphasizes upcycling C&D waste using an acid dissolution method to separate the binder and aggregate fractions, and their performance was evaluated in cement mortar mixtures. The results showed that replacing 20% of cement with the recovered binder improved compressive strength by 8.07%, enhanced hydration product formation, and decreased water absorption and porosity by 11.48% and 5.21%, respectively. Replacing natural sand with recycled aggregates also resulted in comparable strength gains compared to reference mortars. The complete utilization of the secondary products from the upcycled C&D waste in construction activities helps to achieve sustainable development goals by reducing the carbon footprint and contributing to a circular economy model.