Properties and Performance of Concrete Made with Recycled Low-Quality Crushed Brick

During the past decades, in most industrialized countries, a large number of old buildings have been demolished and millions of tons of construction debris have been produced. Demolition wastes around cities have become a serious environmental issue and a threat to underground water quality and result in unpleasant views. Today, less than 5% of clay bricks taken from demolition sites are being separated and recycled, whereas the proportion of concrete waste being recycled is above 90%. This low rate of brick recycling is due to a lack of understanding about the performance of crushed brick material as aggregate in concrete or road base. In the case of concrete, the high water absorption of crushed brick and its relatively low compression strength in comparison with natural aggregate makes it difficult to meet traditional concrete specifications. The present research is an effort to investigate the properties of crushed clay bricks taken from demolition sites and experimentally evaluate the strength and durability characteristics of the concrete prepared using the crushed clay bricks. The experimental data reveal that, in spite of high porosity and absorption of recycled crushed brick, using this material as aggregate results in a semilightweight, durable, and low-permeability concrete.