Composite action of textile reinforced concrete skin and recycled aggregate concrete core

Concrete and cement production is one of the highest CO2 contributors in the industrial sector. The possible ways to reduce the carbon footprint is to focus on concrete durability and the use of recycled materials. The project proposes the combination of cementitious composite skin from high performance concrete (HPC) reinforced by unconventional textile reinforcement with recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) core with traditional steel reinforcement. The environmental benefits of the use of HPC come from its excellent durability and mechanical properties that allow to design slender structures and therefore reduce the amount of concrete. The HPC skin protects the RAC core and thereby improves the durability of the composite since RAC suffers from faster carbonation. Furthermore, the core is expected to increase the ductility of the composite, and to improve its fire safety. This solution widens the possibility of structural use of RAC and efficient use of HPC. Essential project goal is to qualify and quantify environmental benefits of the application of these types of composites.