To alleviate the excessive extraction from natural resources and to properly manage construction waste, recycled concrete technology is globally recognized as an eco-friendly way to address these escalating challenges. This study explores the influence of three particle size distributions (PSD) (upper, median, and lower limits) and two curing conditions (normal: 19–25 °C, humidity 48–56 %; lab standard: 20 ± 2 °C, humidity ≥ 95 %) on the compressive strength, tensile splitting strength, and strength development of recycled concrete through a series of experiments. The detailed data make up the research gap in this aspect and reveal that the influence of the PSD on the compressive strength and tensile splitting strength is limited. However, a favourable curing condition benefits the mechanical properties of recycled concrete, especially in resisting tension. In terms of compressive strength, this study indicates that recycled concrete has the potential to replace natural aggregates totally and is feasible to be applied in almost all practical engineering applications, which provides a solid foundation for the future of sustainable construction.

This study presents a method for recovering cement-rich powder from recycled fine aggregates by thermal shock, during which particles are fragmented and spalled due to differential thermal stress. When recycled fine aggregates (RFA) are exposed to high temperatures, the cement paste-rich boundary between the aggregates is weakened and spalled, liberating cement rich particles due to thermal shock. To investigate this phenomenon, experiments have been carried out by subjecting fine recycled aggregates to high temperatures ranging from 500 °C to 700 °C at different residence times. The result suggests that the particles split and crackle due to thermo-mechanical changes. Following thermal treatment, gentle milling completes the liberation process of recycled cement-rich powder (RCP). The composition of the recovered powder confirms the feasibility of the recovery method. To understand the thermo-mechanical process better, modelling efforts have been carried out on a spherical concrete particle of known diameter. The model predicts the temperature profile, residence time and radial stress inside the particle. According to the model, a 2 mm particle experiences a radial stress high enough to overcome the tensile strength of the concrete within 35 s, causing cracks due to the thermal gradient created between the inner and outer surfaces of the particle. These predictions have been verified by experimental results in the laboratory. This approach not only enhances recovery of RCP but also promotes sustainable construction practices.

The authors regret that the original version of this article contained numerical errors in Figure 2 within the main text and Table A1 of Appendix A. Supplementary data. Corrections that need to be made are presented as follows: • For Figure 2 in the main text, the label “0∼4mm SS (42.5%)” of a flow should be corrected to “0∼4mm SS (44.5%)”, as shown in Fig. C1 below. [Figure presented]• In Table A1 of Appendix A, the electricity usage for the “Wet processing” under the S1 BAU WP scenario should be corrected to “400 kWh” instead of “60,000 kWh”.The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and state that the changes reported do not affect the scientific results and conclusions of the manuscript.

This study addresses a critical gap in circular construction practices by assessing the use of high-quality Recycled Coarse Aggregates (RCA) from end-of-life concrete on an industrial scale. Unlike previous studies, which predominantly relied on theoretical mix designs or laboratory-level experiments, this research focuses on real-world applicability, employing commercially produced RCA and conventional production methods in industrial settings to identify upscaling challenges. Advanced Dry Recovery technology is utilized to produce high-quality RCA for both ready-mix and prefab concrete production. To ensure practical relevance, the research examines three water-to-cement ratios for ready-mix concrete and three strength classes for prefab concrete, all prepared and cast in a commercial setting using standard industrial practices. The results show that by selecting the appropriate application for RCA, there is potential for concrete companies to produce mixes using 100% RCA that meet standard requirements in terms of fresh, mechanical, and durability properties without the need for extra treatments or specific mixing methods, particularly when the water absorption of RCA is less than 4%. Achieving optimal performance requires adjustments in the mix design, specifically by considering the effective water-to-cement ratio. Additionally, the study underscores the impact of the parent concrete's properties on the RCA quality. This research not only demonstrates the feasibility of employing RCA in industrial-scale concrete production along with its associated challenges but also highlights the potential for enhancing circularity in the construction industry through large-scale adoption of RCA, thereby contributing to sustainable and circular construction practices.

The construction industry urgently requires a resilient information system for effective coordination of data transmission among various stakeholders, including both the public and private sectors. Such an advanced digital solution would not only enhance transparency along the value chain but also improve both the quality of and confidence in recycled materials. Achieving circularity and reducing environmental impact are closely tied to the efficient management of material flows and life cycles. Within this context, Material Passports (MPs) are posited as a foundational element, particularly when integrated with a digital database. This integration is particularly beneficial for increasing the circularity of concrete, beginning with end-of-life concrete, a major contributor to global construction and demolition waste. MPs effectively transmit crucial information about the quality of recycled aggregates, thereby enabling their use in future construction projects. This study explores the feasibility of employing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology as an MP, aiming to enhance sustainability in the concrete industry by improving transparency, traceability, and data reliability in the recycled concrete supply chain. Extensive laboratory tests carried out in three distinct experimental phases revealed that RFID tags exhibit remarkable resilience to mechanical stress typical in the supply chain and consistently maintain readability when embedded in concrete. The water content in concrete samples was identified as a significant factor influencing initial tag readability, although readability improved over time. Other factors, such as the type of aggregates, particle size distribution, and proximity to steel rebar, had minimal to modest impacts on tag performance. Additionally, the study confirmed that the readability of RFID tags remains robust at typical transport speeds, which highlights the potential of an RFID-based system in advancing supply chain management. This study provides a solid foundation for future research in this evolving area.

To upcycle End-of-Life (EoL) concrete from demolished buildings, it is essential to efficiently identify the different materials that may contaminate it. The precise identification and classification of materials and contaminants are vital processes for in-line quality inspection of recycled concrete aggregates transported on a conveyor belt. In this study, a total of eight potential contaminants are considered as target contaminant materials in the streams made of coarse and fine aggregates resulting from the upcycling of EoL concrete. These contaminants degrade the quality of the aggregates even at low concentrations, so it is essential to identify the presence of such contaminants along with the main products of recycling which are recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) and recycled fine aggregates (RFA). An efficient method is proposed to identify and classify EoL concrete waste along with RCA and RFA in motion on conveyor belts via laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) coupled with a cluster-based identification algorithm. The model is verified with an accuracy of 0.97, a precision (weighted average) of 0.98, a recall (weighted average) of 0.97, and an F1-score (weighted average) of 0.98 for the validation set, under the optimal conditions. This study suggests that LIBS may be well suited for fast and in-line analysis of recycled concrete aggregates in industrial applications. This approach presents an innovative approach for the quality characterization of secondary materials produced from EoL concrete being transported on conveyor belts, and therefore can be of great value for the processing and high-end utilization of EoL concrete.

This study focuses on formulating the most sustainable concrete by incorporating recycled concrete aggregates and other products retrieved from construction and demolition (C&D) activities. Both recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) and recycled fine aggregates (RFA) are firstly used to fully replace the natural coarse and fine aggregates in the concrete mix design. Later, the cement rich ultrafine particles, recycled glass powder and mineral fibres recovered from construction and demolition wastes (CDW) are further incorporated at a smaller rate either as cement substituent or as supplementary additives. Remarkable properties are noticed when the RCA (4–12 mm) and RFA (0.25–4 mm) are fully used to replace the natural aggregates in a new concrete mix. The addition of recycled cement rich ultrafines (RCU), Recycled glass ultrafines (RGU) and recycled mineral fibres (RMF) into recycled concrete improves the modulus of elasticity. The final concrete, which comprises more than 75% (wt.) of recycled components/materials, is believed to be the most sustainable and green concrete mix. Mechanical properties and durability of this concrete have been studied and found to be within acceptable limits, indicating the potential of recycled aggregates and other CDW components in shaping sustainable and circular construction practices.

A stronger commitment towards Green Building and circular economy, in response to environmental concerns and economic trends, is evident in modern industrial cement and concrete production processes. The critical demand for an overall reduction in the environmental impact of the construction sector can be met through the consumption of high-grade supplementary raw materials. Advanced solutions are under development in current research activities that will be capable of up-cycling larger quantities of valuable raw materials from the fine fractions of End-of-Life (EoL) concrete waste. New technology, in particular the Heating-Air classification System (HAS), simultaneously applies a combination of heating and separation processes within a fluidized bed-like chamber under controlled temperatures (±600 °C) and treatment times (25–40 s). In that process, moisture and contaminants are removed from the EoL fine concrete aggregates (0–4 mm), yielding improved fine fractions, and ultrafine recycled concrete particles (<0.125 mm), consisting mainly of hydrated cement, thereby adding value to finer EoL concrete fractions. In this study, two types of ultrafine recycled concrete (either siliceous or limestone EoL concrete waste) are treated in a pilot HAS technology for their conversion into Supplementary Cementitious Material (SCM). The physico-chemical effect of the ultrafine recycled concrete particles and their potential use as SCM in new cement-based products is assessed by employing substitutions of up to 10% of the conventional binder. The environmental viability of their use as SCM is then evaluated in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The results demonstrated accelerated hydration kinetics of the mortars that incorporated these SCMs at early ages and higher mechanical strengths at all curing ages. Optimal substitutions were established at 5%. The results suggested that the overall environmental impact could be reduced by up to 5% when employing the ultrafine recycled concrete particles as SCM in circular cement-based products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 41 kg CO2 eq./ton of cement (i.e. 80 million tons CO2 eq./year). Finally, the environmental impacts were reduced even further by running the HAS on biofuel rather than fossil fuel.