Using Recycled Ceramics to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Concrete

This thesis investigates the feasibility of using recycled ceramics as the aggregate in concrete, as an alternative to natural rock aggregates. The study evaluates the mechanical properties of concrete made with recycled ceramics and compares them with those of traditional concrete. The research involved laboratory experiments to determine compressive strength and displacement. The results show that the concrete made with recycled ceramics exhibited higher compressive strength and lower maximum displacement than traditional concrete, which means it acted more brittle. However, when the recycled ceramics were used to replace only 50% of the rock aggregate, the compressive strength decreased while the maximum displacement stayed the same, though the study concludes that a larger sample size is needed for more reliable results. Based on the findings, the thesis concludes that while the use of recycled ceramics in concrete may not be suitable for structural concrete, it could still have potential as a sustainable building material in non-structural applications.