A Review of Performance of Cement-Stabilized Base Materials Containing Recycled Concrete Aggregate

Semi-rigid base offers excellent performance and is widely used as a high-grade highway subgrade in China. Currently, with a large stockpile of waste concrete in the country, using it as aggregate in pavement base materials is of great significance for environmental protection, energy conservation, and emission reduction. In this paper, the basic performance indicators of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) and the performance of cement-stabilized base materials containing RCA, including strength, shrinkage, fatigue, and erosion resistance were reviewed. It finds that the basic performance indicators of RCA are lower than those of natural aggregate. Therefore, the proportion of RCA in base materials may be limited to 20%‒50%. The shrinkage and erosion resistance of RCA-containing cement-stabilized base materials tend to stabilize after 28 days, necessitating appropriate curing during the early stages. Microscopic testing reveals the reasons for the high water absorption rate and high crushing value of RCA, while finite element analysis explains the characteristics of crack development in such base materials. This paper provides practical recommendations for the application of RCA in cement-stabilized base materials.