Improving the Quality of Mixed Recycled Coarse Aggregates from Construction and Demolition Waste Using Heavy Media Separation with Fe3O4 Suspension

Abstract EN

The primary objectives of this study are to investigate the feasibility of a heavy media separation process with magnetite (Fe3O4) suspension for upgrading the quality of mixed recycled coarse aggregates from construction and demolition waste (CDW) in Korea and to determine a range of effective operating density of Fe3O4 suspension for producing high-quality RCA acceptable to structural concrete applications.

For the purposes, six 200 kg recycled coarse aggregates (RCAs) samples were collected from a conventional recycling plant in Korea.

Subsequently, the samples were processed by a heavy media separation process using Fe3O4 suspensions with various densities from 2.65 g/cm3 to 2.40 g/cm3 with an interval of 0.05 g/cm3.

Next, a series of tests was performed in the laboratory to evaluate properties of finished sink and float products from the HMS processes, including oven-dry density, absorption capacity, and physical durability.

Furthermore, compressive strength of concrete cylinders (150 mm by 300 mm) made of the finished sink products from Fe3O4 suspensions with three different densities (2.4, 2.5, and 2.6 g/cm3) was tested in this study.

As a result, it was demonstrated that the HMS process using Fe3O4 suspension with a density ranging between 2.40 and 2.65 g/cm3 was effective for upgrading mixed CDW RCAs in Korea to high-quality RCAs acceptable for structural concrete applications.