Improvement of the Quality of Recycled Concrete Aggregate Subjected to Chemical Treatments: A Review

The main factor that alters the quality of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is the paste adhered to the natural aggregate (NA). Since it causes weakening of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the aggregate and the cementitious paste, it becomes a determining factor for the mechanical behavior of concrete. It turns out that it is critical to enhance this interface by improving the surface of the aggregate or by removing the paste adhered to the NA. Considering the variety of methods for removing paste adhered to RCA—namely using acids such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)), and phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)), among others—this paper presents a review of treatments for the removal of adhered paste using acidic solutions on the RCA, and their influence on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete produced with RCA. Pearson’s correlation was used in the statistical analysis to determine the linear relationship of the main factors—for instance, immersion time, acidic solution, and aggregate size—involved in the removal of the paste in the RCA.