Abstract Manager

Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) is increasingly promoted as a sustainable alternative to natural aggregate in concrete production. However, its high porosity and elevated water absorption remain major barriers to widespread structural and pavement applications. This study focuses on the application of silane surface treatment as a targeted method to reduce water absorption in RCA and enhance its suitability for concrete pavement use. An experiment was designed to evaluate the water resistance performance of silane-treated RCA, with untreated RCA serving as a reference for benchmarking improvement. The research emphasizes quantifying changes in aggregate-level water absorption and assessing the effects on water uptake in hardened concrete. The silane treatment is intended to create a waterproof layer on the RCA, reducing water penetration into the aggregate pore structure. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of silane treatment in reducing water absorption in RCA and to quantify the level of improvement compared with untreated RCA. By reducing water absorption, silane-treated RCA is expected to improve durability-related performance, particularly in environments where water exposure accelerates long-term deterioration mechanisms such as freeze-thaw damage and material degradation. The outcomes of this research provide insight into the effectiveness of silane-treated RCA as a water-resistant recycled aggregate solution and support the development of more durable, resilient, and sustainable concrete pavement materials. The findings aim to help future guidelines for RCA treatment and implementation in infrastructure applications.