Expanding the Application of Recycled Concrete Aggregates for Road Construction

Regarding high natural resource consumption, pavements are considered one of the highest-cost crucial infrastructures. Implementing recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) in pavements promotes a path toward boosting economic, societal, and environmental sustainability. RCA is considered a multifaceted solution by preserving natural resources, minimizing pavement construction costs, and limiting harmful emissions. It has been found that RCA can be applied efficiently across different pavement layers, including base, sub-base, and surface layers. It is also observed that RCA’s mechanical and physical properties can be scrutinized and compared to natural aggregate properties. In addition, several techniques have been highlighted to enhance the performance of RCA in pavements. Although RCA can be recognized as a viable and sustainable alternative to natural aggregate (NA) in paving applications, recommendations regarding replacement rates in asphalt mixtures still vary significantly. RCA’s continued encouragement of implementation depends on in-depth research to unified and homogenous set of standards and specifications to balance the sustainability, functionality, and quality of pavements. This paper underscores the role of RCA as a critical driver for sustainable road construction and, therefore, a circular economy strategy.