Generation and Numerical Analysis of Random Aggregate Structures in Recycled Concrete Aggregate Systems
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 4
Abstract
A computational modeling procedure for generating a random aggregate structure (RAS) for recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) materials is proposed in this paper. The two-dimensional aggregate generation was based on a convex hull algorithm to randomize arbitrary planar shapes of RCA particles. During the generation of RAS, randomizations of the maximum aggregate size and spatial distribution of RCA particles were considered. Finite-element models for RCA systems were generated based on an extensive image analysis procedure. Numerical analyses were performed for 12 different RCA systems including crushed-shape and rounded-shape aggregates by varying the morphological parameters of the RCA particles. The mechanical performance of RCA systems with different particle shapes, maximum aggregate sizes, adhered mortar content levels, and aggregate ratios were used as factors to evaluate the mechanical performance of RCA systems under simulated compressive loading. Numerical results were compared with experimental studies from a large statistical database. The numerical simulation results for the mechanical properties of RCA systems showed represented experimental behavior such as the simulated elastic moduli and compressive strengths were within one and two standard deviations, respectively, of experimental results from a robust data set obtained through a detailed literature investigation. The proposed aggregate generation approach and numerical simulation procedure can be used by researchers to better understand how aggregate morphological properties influence the mechanical behavior of concrete made with recycled aggregates.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available in a repository or online in accordance with funder data retention policies developed by Jayasuriya et al. (2019).
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Foundation for their generous funding and continuous support provided under the Project ACI CRC 18.571. Special thanks are also acknowledged to Emily S. Shibata and Tola Chen at New Jersey Institute of Technology in John A. Reif, Jr., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for their contribution in data collection for the statistical database analysis.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32 • Issue 4 • April 2020
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©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 22, 2019
Accepted: Sep 9, 2019
Published online: Jan 29, 2020
Published in print: Apr 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jun 29, 2020
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