Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) is a relatively easy way to reduce material and transportation costs, and consequently reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
Demand for quality aggregates has increased as virgin resources have decreased, so RCA increasingly offers significant savings. RCA also supports environmentally sustainable construction, lessening not only needless use of limited landfill space, but also haul distances which, in turn, cuts fuel consumption associated with aggregate acquisition and concrete slab disposal. Ultimately, concrete recycling saves energy and reduces GHG emissions.
On May 11th, ACPA and the CP Tech Center at Iowa State University hosted an informative webinar on An Introduction to RCA that illustrates the entire concrete recycling process, details the qualification tests, and identifies the reuse applications and benefits of RCA in concrete paving projects.The very knowledgeable and experienced presenters were Tara Cavalline, Ph.D., P.E., Assistant Professor, UNC Charlotte, and Matt Fonte, Concrete Operations Manager for Castle Rock Construction Co., Chairman of the Research, Technology & Innovation Committee for the National ACPA.
Matt Fonte provides an exceptional contractor perspective on how he is successfully using RCA in his paving mixes to produce better gradations and smoother pavement.
Overall, it’s an excellent presentation with great photos of the entire process that’s definitely worth viewing: https://player.vimeo.com/video/552424163