QUALITY EVALUATION OF PULSED POWER RECYCLED SAND BY ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY METHOD

Abstract

Construction and Demolition (C&D) wastes, inclusively concrete, establishes a major portion of total solid wastes produced in the globe. Regeneration of recycled aggregates from concrete wastes is a promising technique to mitigate the over-exploitation of natural sand and make waste concrete as a source for aggregates. This study mainly discusses the production of recycled fine aggregates from concrete wastes by electric pulsed power discharge method and it’s evaluation with other natural and artificial fine aggregate. Specimens were prepared from both pulsed power recycled sand and virgin sand. The water absorption of pulsed power recycled sand was tested regarding virgin Fine Aggregates (FA) by the electrical conductivity method. The water absorption of recycled sand progressed rapidly during the initial stage of the water absorption test. Besides the pulsed power recycling technique, it is more effective compared to other recycling methods, it produced high-quality fine aggregate with a reduced amount of powder. The compressive and tensile strengths of the mortar produced from pulsed power recycled sand were also approximately identical to mortar made of virgin sand. The mechanical properties of mortar made from pulsed power sand are satisfied and relevant to be utilized in the construction industry. It was confirmed in the pulsed discharge method, that the recovered aggregate could be reduced by giving a large number of discharges, but the cement paste portion could be almost removed.