Properties of cementitious rendering mortar prepared with recycled fine aggregates

The results of an experimental study on investigating the properties of cementitious rendering mortars prepared with a recycled fine aggregate (RA) were presented. The RA was obtained from a recycling plant in which mixed demolition wastes were processed by mechanical crushing, sieving and sorting operations. Two series of rendering mortar mixes were prepared with a constant water/cement and a constant aggregate/cement ratios of 0.55 and 3 respectively. River sand and natural crushed rock fine were originally used in the two series separately, and they were consistently replaced by 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by the recycled aggregate. The experimental results showed that mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of the mortars prepared with the RA were lower than the mortars made with the natural aggregates. Nevertheless, the bond strength at the interface between the mortar and masonry bricks determined by the Triplet test was found to be higher for the mortars prepared with the RA.