article · Discover Geoscience
Traditional soil stabilisation relies heavily on energy-intensive binders like cement, driving demand for sustainable alternatives. This research assessed recycled concrete aggregate as a mechanical stabiliser for brown lateritic soil, testing replacement levels between zero and 25 percent. Adding recycled concrete aggregate introduced calcium-rich mineral phases and formed a rigid granular skeleton that interlocked particles and partially filled voids. Soil performance peaked at a 20 percent replacement rate, where maximum dry density reached 2.11 grams per cubic centimetre and soaked California Bearing Ratio values increased from 30 percent to 41 percent, alongside reduced optimum moisture content. Higher replacement levels degraded performance due to excessive water absorption and matrix disruption. Environmental evaluation showed the 20 percent mixture cut carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 93 percent compared to standard five percent cement stabilisation, presenting a viable circular approach for road infrastructure.
Road construction often requires stabilising local soils with cement, a process that generates substantial greenhouse gas emissions. Using crushed concrete waste replaces virgin materials and lowers the carbon footprint of roadbeds while disposing of demolition debris. Demonstrating that recycled concrete aggregate significantly improves the strength and density of lateritic soil offers a cleaner, circular-economy route for building transport infrastructure.
Civil contractors, road authorities, and infrastructure developers could use recycled concrete aggregate to stabilise subgrades in lateritic regions. The findings represent applied, laboratory-tested research that demonstrates structural improvements and cost and carbon savings over cement. Field-scale trials and sourcing partnerships with demolition waste recyclers would be the next steps toward commercial deployment.
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The continued reliance on energy-intensive hydraulic binders for soil stabilization presents a significant environmental challenge, prompting the need for sustainable, low-carbon alternatives. This study investigates the technical, microstructural, and environmental performance of Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) as a stabilizer for brown lateritic soil. A multi-scale experimental program was conducted, integrating microstructural characterization (X-ray Diffraction [XRD] and Scanning Electron Microscopy [SEM]) with macroscopic geotechnical evaluations (compaction and California Bearing Ratio [CBR]) at RCA replacement levels of 0–25%. Mineralogical analysis revealed the laterite to be a quartz-dominant ferruginous soil, while the RCA introduced calcium-rich anorthite and fibrous anthophyllite phases. SEM imaging showed that RCA addition promoted a rigid granular skeleton with mechanical interlocking and partial void infilling by fine particles. Geotechnical testing indicated that soil performance peaked at 20% RCA replacement, where Maximum Dry Density increased from 1.98 to 2.11 g/cm³, Optimum Moisture Content decreased from 9.5% to 8.0%, and soaked CBR improved from 30% to 41%. Replacements exceeding 20% led to performance declines attributed to matrix disruption and high-water absorption of the residual mortar. Environmental and cost analyses suggested that the optimized 20% RCA mixture can achieve a substantial reduction in CO₂ emissions (approximately 93%) compared to traditional 5% cement stabilization within the system boundary considered in this study. These findings indicate that RCA offers a promising circular-economy approach for improving the short-term mechanical properties of this lateritic soil, contributing to more sustainable road infrastructure development.
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DOI: 10.1007/s44288-026-00718-9
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