The Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) Concrete Road was designed and constructed as a partnership with the Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology located at the University of Waterloo, Cement Association of Canada (CAC), Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada and Region of Waterloo, where the road is constructed. The road includes three sections which contain 15% RCA, 30% RCA and 50% RCA in the Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP) structure and as well a control section with 0% RCA or 100% Virgin Aggregate. All RCA that has been incorporated into the road came from demolished curb and gutter and sidewalk from the Kitchener/Waterloo area. The approximate age of the demolished concrete varied from 30 years old to approximately 80 years old. The road has been carefully designed to examine if RCA can be used as a viable aggregate for incorporation into the concrete pavement structure. Preliminary results show not only the environmental benefits of recycling the old demolished concrete, reduced impacts to the ecosystem and avoidance of needing to landfill this material, but the preliminary economic estimates of using RCA can provide a savings as high as 60%.
