Application of demolished concrete material (DCM) in civil engineering structures - a review

Abstract

Demolished concrete material (DCM) is a waste material produced in large quantities during the demolition activities of old buildings and structures associated with design errors. The amount of waste generated during the demolition processes is massive and creates several environmental problems. This waste is biodegradable and considered harmful due to the existence of cement within the mixture of DCM. It is normally dumped in landfills or illegal dumping sites resulting in polluting the surrounding and consuming a large space. The massive production of concrete demolished material calls for recycling this material for environmental sustainability, greener production, and economical reuse. This material could be utilized as coarse or fine aggregates in producing sustainable civil engineering materials. Besides, it is also used to enhance the engineering properties of soft soils in order to meet the engineering requirements. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review on the amount of waste of DCM, applications of DCM in producing construction materials, and soil stabilization in the past 10 years period. The review showed the ability of DCM to be used as sustainable material in the production of construction materials. The review also showed the ability of DCM to enhance the engineering properties including the shear strength of soils when mixed with the optimum percentage of DCM.