Developing Eco-Friendly Concrete Using Recycled Aggregate Pre-Soaked in Blended Cement-Calcined Clay Slurry with Incorporation of Kenaf Fibre

Abstract:

The need for new infrastructure and expansion of old ones has increased construction activities leading to increasing raw aggregates demand, depletion, carbon-dioxide emission and construction wastes generation. Waste generated can be an alternative source of recycled aggregate (RA) in new concrete. However, this aggregate type is limited by certain constraints. Consequently, this research investigated the effectiveness of enhancing the quality of RA through surface coating with blended slurry mixture of cement-calcined clay. Kenaf fibre (KF) was further added to evaluate its effect in the concrete mixes. The RA was pre-treated before soaking in slurry mixture. Concrete mixes were formed using uncoated and surface coated RA as substitute for gravel at replacement levels of 0, 30, 60, and 90% at 0.25 water-cement ratio, with KF addition at constant amount of 0.75% cement weight. Mixes fluidity was evaluated using slump test, while density, tensile and compressive strength tests were conducted on samples. Morphology of selected samples was examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), while effect of coating and KF on the concrete was statistically evaluated. Results indicate that workability and density of concrete mixes containing coated RA was marginally improve by about 3% compare to uncoated RA. Meanwhile, compressive and tensile strength of concrete mixes with coated aggregate improve by about 7.8% to 10% respectively at an optimum of 30% replacement level and 0.75% KF addition, as corroborated by the optimization surface model. The SEM images revealed modification at the interfacial zone of the concrete with coated RA. This indicates the effectiveness of surface coating treatment of RA deploy as viable aggregates in making eco-concrete to promote sustainability and minimize impact of construction waste.

• Periodical: International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa (Volume 80)
• Pages: 177-200
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-0lESgU
• Online since: July 2026
• Authors: Oluwarotimi M. Olofinnade*, Damilola O. Taiwo-Abdul
• Keywords: Coated Recycled Aggregate, Environmental Sustainability, Kenaf Fibre, Recycled Aggregate, Sustainable Construction

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