Recycling and reuse of waste concrete in China: Part II. Structural behaviour of recycled aggregate concrete and engineering applications

This paper presents an extensive overview of the achievements in the study on the mechanical behaviour of elements and structures made of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) in China. Experimental findings on the flexural and shear properties of RAC beams, the compressive behaviour of RAC columns, the seismic performance of RAC column-beam joints and frame structures are summarized and discussed. The related design recommendations given in the first Chinese code on RAC—Technical Code for Application of Recycled Aggregate Concrete (DG/TJ07-008), are also briefly introduced. The design formulas are evaluated using the test data available. Furthermore, some successful practical applications of RAC in the pavements and building structures are also presented.