Elaboration of concrete blocks with addition of crushed asphalt pavement

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to determine the mechanical behavior of crushed asphalt, considered as the excess material in the paving of roads in Colombia. Initially, this raw material must be ground and, later, articulated to elaborate blocks that can be used as dividing elements in the construction of any civil works project. For the execution of this experimental research, concrete cubes were developed with different percentages of crushed asphalt that were 25%, 50%, and 75% of recycled asphalt addition, considering the Colombian technical standards procedures to develop the mechanical and physical tests. The results indicated that samples with 25% recycled crushed asphalt were determined as the best replacement of the sample for the realization of the blocks which dimensions of 9 cm × 17 cm × 34 cm, with vertical perforations of 4 cm × 3 cm × 10 cm. Finally, tests related to water absorption, the mechanical resistance to compression gave very good results, concluding that concrete blocks with the addition of recycled ground asphalt material can be used in the construction industry with an emphasis on sustainable construction, thus allowing the development of new materials that provide an environmental care contributing thus to the efficient use of natural resources.