Carbonated recycled concrete aggregates in construction: potential and bottlenecks identified by RILEM TC 309-MCP

This review by Working Group 1 of the RILEM TC 309-MCP discusses recent advances in the beneficial carbonation treatment of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA). The impact of carbonation on RCA properties as well as the microstructure and performance of concrete and other construction materials made thereof is critically reviewed. The increasing focus on environmentally friendly building practices has led to a greater interest in the CO₂ uptake associated with carbonation processing. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on the importance of adopting tailored strategies to optimise the carbonation process based on the quality and type of RCA. Evidence in the literature highlights the beneficiation potential of carbonation processing in improving RCA properties and performance, which translates in variable degrees of enhancement of the performance of concrete or otheinitial; position: relative; float: left; top: 0px; left: 0px; z-index: 1 !important; pointer-events: none;"/>er applications made thereof. The review concludes that, to date, significant techno-economic challenges remain to be addressed to improve the competitiveness of the technology, notably in terms of upscaling and refining life cycle assessment data.