Design of Sustainable Concrete Pavement Using Recycled Concrete Aggeregates

in Lupao, Nueva Ecija

Project By
Dominguez, Dominique C.
Manahan, Jefferson Kyle C.
Manansala, Blessy D.

Submitted to the School of Civil, Environmental and Geological Engineering

(SCEGE)

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

BENEFICIARYS COPY

RECEIVED BY:

Design of Sustainable Concrete Pavement Using Recycled Concrete Aggeregates

in Lupao, Nueva Ecija
Dominique C. DOMINGUEZ
Student, BSCE
School of Civil, Environmental and
Geological Engineering
Mapua Institute of Technology
2nd Flr. South Building Mapua Institute
of Technology, Muralla Street,
Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Mobile: +639275597954
E-mail: dominguez_dc@yahoo.com

Jefferson Kyle C. MANAHAN

Student, BSCE
School of Civil, Environmental and
Geological Engineering
Mapua Institute of Technology
2nd Flr. South Building Mapua Institute
of Technology, Muralla Street,
Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Mobile: +639055580207
E-mail: jkcmanahan@yahoo.com

Blessy D. MANANSALA
Student, BSCE
School of Civil, Environmental and
Geological Engineering
Mapua Institute of Technology
2nd Flr. South Building Mapua Institute
of Technology, Muralla Street,
Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Mobile: +639275433932
E-mail: blessdmanansala@gmail.com

Abstract: Brgy. Sto. Domingo, one of the several barangays situated in the
municipality of Lupao, Nueva Ecija is in a rural setting. With that being said, most of the
roads within the area are rough and unpaved which limits the efficiency of the transport
system. Such road condition gives its users difficulty in their trip along their way. There is a
clear path along the way but only a few portion of it is paved and the rest of the path going to
the site of the beneficiary is left rough. Thus, providing a concrete pavement for the rest of
the unpaved path will offer its users improvement in their transportation and accessibility to
goods and services.
The design of the concrete pavement will employ the concept of sustainability by
incorporating the use of recycled concrete aggregates as an alternative for local natural
aggregates. The most common use of recycled concrete aggregates is for road base and/or
subbase which is used as foundation for the roadway pavement. In todays situation where
conservation of natural resources is a must, the practice of recycling construction materials
will help in reducing detrimental environmental impacts of the construction industry.
The principal beneficiaries of the project are the residents of Brgy. Sto. Domingo,
which includes the nuns of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Concepcion and the
farmers. The secondary beneficiaries will include the motorists who will enjoy the easier
access to go back and forth in the area. Recreational visits from tourists might earn them
RECEIVED BY:

more funds for further projects. Increased level of mobility is expected making the time of
travel less-consuming.
Recycled concrete aggregates might came from old and abandoned structures like old
houses and commercial buildings within or near the area which are left due to age and
decline in function. When put into use, quality specifications and gradations of recycled
concrete aggregates must be met like a natural aggregate.
Key Words: concrete pavement, transportation, recycled concrete aggregate, sustainability

I. INTRODUCTION
Transportation and accessibility to services is generally considered to be a fundamental factor
of economic growth of an area. Rural transport and accessibility has been one of the major
factors that limit an area from opportunities due to restricted access. Having the existence of
a good quality road will automatically lead to the provision of public transportation and
improved access to services.
The target area of the project, Brgy. Sto. Domingo, Lupao, Nueva Ecija is in a rural setting
and most of the road found in the area are classified as rough road. The current condition of
roadway limits the transfer of people and goods from one place to another. Mobility in this
rural area is only pursued through means of motorized vehicles, i.e. tricycle and motorcycle,
kuliglig (tractor) and on foot. Also few jeepneys pass by to deliver goods within the area. As
a result, opportunities are also limited.
This paper aims to design and develop a road pavement to address this problem, might as
well to improve the mode of transportation in the area. Improving mobility is a vital element
in allowing access to services even in far distances. Not only will it offer new opportunities
but will enhance the efficiency of work within the area. Further development of the place is
also expected to take place if there is an improved road. People will be encouraged to visit
the place, thus providing more income to the residents living in the area.
The design of the concrete pavement will incorporate the use of recycled concrete aggregates
in the design of the concrete pavement. Promotion of sustainable pavement is being
considered in the project. These are usually derived from activities involving breaking of
used concrete, i.e. demolitions and repair works. Using recycled concrete aggregate in the
design reduces the need for virgin aggregates which in turn reduces the environmental impact
of the aggregate extraction process. Recycling of concrete remains an increasingly known
procedure of disposing of the rubble thus making landfill spaces conserved.
At present, most recycled concrete is used as a subbase layer of roads. And from a
sustainability viewpoint, these low-grade uses currently provide the optimal outcome in most
circumstances.

2. PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of the project is to provide improvement in the transportation system
in the barangay. The project aims to design the roadway from the farms of Brgy. Sto.
Domingo all the way to the town proper of Lupao, Nueva Ecija. Introduction of a concrete
road will also offer improvements to the localities of the area including its residents, the nuns
and the farmers. Increased level of mobility is expected in the area and lesser time of
transportation will be accumulated. Transfer of goods will be a lot faster due to the improved
road. More visitors will come over the place thus giving more income to the residents.
The secondary objective of the project would be considering alternatives in the construction
of a road pavement, thus promoting sustainable design, i.e. using recycled concrete
aggregates as road base/subbase to minimize the use of natural aggregates.
3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
3.1. Project Rationale
Transportation system is very important and plays a vital role in the development of a certain
place whether it is either rural or urban areas. The sole purpose of this project is to provide
better accessibility to the goods and services as well as for the people in for the development
of socio-economic status of the community by the construction of a sustainable concrete
pavement.
On the other hand, recycling concrete for use in recycled aggregate on-site would also
provide benefits of reduced use of landfill space, lower costs in acquiring and transport of
aggregates and might as well, improve efficiency of road pavements. Not only efficiency of
the transport system will be improved but also the conservation of resources used in the
process of road construction, both environmentally and economically.
3.2 Project Information
Brgy. Sto. Domingo is about 8 kilometers from the town proper of Lupao. From our
beneficiary's area, the existence of rough road is evident because of its current condition, i.e.
unpaved and undeveloped road. Construction of a concrete pavement is desired to improve
the condition of the transport system in the said area. With that said, employing the use of
recycled concrete aggregates as road bases and/or subbases will make the concrete pavement
more sustainable.
Recycled aggregates that are produced from used concrete from demolished structures such
as old buildings, pavements, or even bridges and foundations were crushed and processed
into various size fractions. In order to prevent contamination by dirt or other waste building
materials such as plaster or gypsum, embedded items such as reinforcing steel were removed.
Also they are advised to be stored separately from other demolished materials to avoid the
same cause.

Recycling plants make use of primary and secondary crushers which reduces the sizes of
materials before they are being screened to separate one material size from another. Quality
assurance and quality control is being considered to avoid any problems. Reclassification is
made when low quality crushed material is observed.
With that information, the project is set to provide a design of a 1 kilometer concrete road,
and leaving the rest of the 8 kilometer road for recommendation.
3.3 PROJECT LOCATION
The location of the project is in Brgy. Sto. Domingo, which is a part of the municipality of
Lupao, in the province of Nueva Ecija, in Central Luzon. The target area is estimated to be 8
kilometers northwest of the Poblacion Proper of Lupao. The total land area is roughly 12
hectares.

Figure 1. Project Location of Target Area (Lupao, Nueva Ecija)

Figure 2. Map showing existing streets and roads within the area
4. THE PROJECT BENEFICIARY
The principal beneficiaries of the project will be the residents of Brgy. Sto. Domingo, which
include the nuns of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Concepcion and the farmers.
Increased level of mobility is expected and the transfer of people and goods from in and out
of the area would be easier and less time-consuming.
On the other hand, the secondary beneficiaries will include the motorists who will enjoy the
easier access to go back and forth in the area. Recreational visits from tourists might earn
them more funds for further projects.
5. MAJOR AND MINOR FIELDS OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
The project will cover three fields of Civil Engineering as follows:
Transportation Engineering
The aspect of the study of transportation engineering aims to propose the most efficient
transport route that can be possibly made in this project. Other transportation engineering
elements that would be considered include the design of simple curves, road widening and
superelevation.
Structural Engineering
The design of the concrete pavement will be covered by the field of structural engineering.
This will also cover the different elements that are needed to be determined such as the
pavement thickness, the number of steel bars and dowels to be used, etc.

Construction Engineering Management

The field of construction engineering management will focus on the proposition of using
recycled crushed aggregates for the subbase of the concrete pavement in replacement of
using the natural aggregate, i.e. gravel.
6. THE INNOVATIVE APPROACH
The project will be utilizing the modern technology by employing the use of existing
computer software to produce better designs as well as to lessen time accumulation during
the duration of this project. The following software are to be used in the project.

AutoCAD 2010
The structural layout and details of the concrete pavement will be presented with the use of
this software.

Google SketchUp
This software is used as a tool to have the walkthrough of the desired roadway. The
perspective of the roadway will be shown here.

ESAL Calculator
The project will make use of an internet software that will compute the necessary equivalent
single-axle load or ESAL, which conformed to the standards set by the American Association
of State Highway Officials (AASHTO). This will serve as the design load for the project.

Microsoft Excel
The software will be used for data tabulation and for cost estimation.

MS Project
This software will be used to create the project schedule which will serve as a guide for the
activities to be done in the construction of the pavement.
7. SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT CONCEPT
Roads have always been an essential part of the social and economic well-being of a place
since every daily needs is being transported by or accessed from the road network. Although
benefits are assured from having an efficient mode of transport, road construction and its use
may have an impact on the environment. Thus, a balance between the benefits the people are
earning from it and its impact on the environment should be considered in the project.
A sustainable pavement design would promote safe, efficient and environment-friendly
pavement that would offer maintainable benefits, might as well not giving any hinder in the
transportation in the future. Also, a sustainable design will uphold the minimization of
energy utilization, natural resources, and related emissions, while performance standards and
conditions are met. Through this, environmental impacts would be greatly reduced and so no
any other harm would occur.

Using recycled concrete aggregate in using for the construction of the concrete road
pavement will be employed to promote sustainability in the design. Recycled concrete
aggregates are a feasible way to reduce the environmental impact of construction practices.
Using RCA will reduce the environmental costs of mining and transporting virgin
aggregates, and in return will reduce the amount of material sent to landfills.
8. THE RESEARCH COMPONENT
The research component of the project shall focus on the following:
Design of Pavement
The design of the concrete pavement will include the procedure on how to come up with the
necessary structural details of the concrete pavement.
Recycled Concrete Aggregates (RCAs)
The research component of the project will also give way to the study of other materials
which can be also used in the construction of road pavement. For this project, the research
team will incorporate the use of recycled concrete aggregate instead of using virgin
aggregates like gravel which will serve as the road base. Economy and sustainability will be
promoted in the use of such road aggregate. Performance of using such will also be covered.
Basically, the flow of the study will go as follows:

Figure 3. Methodology
9. DESIGN NORMS CONSIDERED
The design norms that are to be considered would include safety, economy, functionality and
sustainability. The project would ensure that there would be a safe design of work for the
concrete pavement. Safety for all future users will also be guaranteed once the project is
completed. Economy and sustainability is also considered, not only in the design, but also in
its maintenance. The project would make use of recycled materials to minimize use of
natural/virgin materials, thus reducing amount of money to be spent on the duration of the
project operation. Lastly, the functionality of the project shall be regarded, i.e. the roadway
will be used for transportation processes, and will be able to maintain its strength. Maximum
quality but with optimum cost should be observed in the design and construction of the road
pavement.
Road constructions in general, by their nature, can be environmentally disturbing. It is
important therefore to observe environmental-friendly design and construction of the road so
that the expected impacts would be as small as possible. The physical characteristics,
biological, socio-economic characteristics, and the nature and level of present and future
environmental pollution shall be considered.

10. THE DESIGN COMPONENT

The project is about the design of a road pavement in Brgy. Sto. Domingo, Lupao, Nueva
Ecija. The type of pavement that will be designed is rigid, so the use of concrete will be
applied. The rigid pavement is laid in slabs with steel reinforcement. Elements of the road
pavement that will be needed to be determined will include the pavement thickness, bar
spacings, development length of dowels, etc. The design of the road pavement will make use
of recycled concrete aggregate as the subbase layer of the pavement.
11. STRUCTURAL DESIGN
The design of the pavement in this study will conform to the AASHTO method which will be
used in order to come up with the design thickness of subgrade, subbase, base and concrete
slab. In the computation of Design Equivalent Single Axle Load (DESAL), the equivalent
single axle load (ESAL) calculator was used. It is a concept developed from the data
collected at the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) Road test to
establish a damage relationship for comparing the effects of axles carrying different loads.
The reference axle load is an 18000 lb, single axle with dual tires.
All of the assumptions made are based on the data of the population growth and traffic count
of Lupao, Nueva Ecija. Figure 4 shows the output of the ESAL Calculator, which is the total
equivalent single axle load for the design period. Figure 5, on the other hand, shows the total
ESALS, i.e. 157, 479.
The design of the road base, subbase and concrete slab are also determined. The concrete
pavement thickness is 500mm, with a reinforcement of 6-16 mm bars per 4.50 meter length,
and 800-mm dowel bars.

Figure 4. Inputs in ESAL Calculator

Figure 5. ESAL Calculator Output

12. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

The architectural design of the concrete pavement is created through Google Sketch-up.
Below is the perspective of the design.

Figure 6. Design Perspective of the Concrete Pavement

13. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
The design of the concrete pavement incorporating the use of recycled concrete aggregates as
an alternative material for a road subbase would help in the reduction of use of naturallyoccurring aggregates and would also eliminate the need for disposal by using the readily
existing concrete as a source for aggregates for new concrete or other applications. The use
of recycled concrete aggregates in the construction industry, be it on the vertical or horizontal
structures, might be helpful in minimizing amount spent in construction materials. Using
recycled concrete aggregates in the country is not yet dominant, but presenting this kind of
project might help increase the demand of using such recycled aggregates in the construction
than the natural aggregates.
Recycling of concrete is relatively a simple process since the process would only include
breaking, crushing, and removing of embedded materials to prevent contamination. Possible
sources of recycled concrete aggregates would include old abandoned structures such as
houses and commercial areas which are no longer used in the area. Including a subbase as
one of the layers in the concrete pavement would help in the achievement of a longer service
life for the pavement due to its capabilities of draining away excess water which can be
detrimental to the life of the pavement.
Providing the area of Brgy. Sto. Domingo a sustainable concrete pavement will help its
residents as well as motorists to have a more efficient travel in and out of the area.
Accessibility and mobility will be increased. Less time travel will be established due to the
improvement of unpaved roadways. More opportunities will come its way to improve the
social and economic way of life of Brgy. Sto. Domingo, Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

14. RECOMMENDATIONS
The use of recycled concrete aggregates should be properly managed especially in choosing
the quality of used concrete that will be recycled. The quality of the recycled aggregate will
be dependent upon the quality of the used concrete to which it will be derived. Also, the
proper gradation or sizes should be taken into consideration. Once the project is put into
construction, laying out of each layer should be properly managed, i.e. each layer must be
levelled and properly compacted.
Source of recycled concrete aggregates shall be identified. To promote economy in the
design, it is also essential to have a cost analysis to compare the virgin aggregates and
recycled concrete aggregates throughout the length of the road. Assumed ground/soil
mechanical properties along the road shall also be identified prior to the construction of the
road pavement.
Since the project concerns only in the transportation, structural and construction engineering
field, it is also efficient to recommend a hydrologic and flood study for the road drainage
system. It is essential since the project area is in rural setting and flow of runoff should be
properly managed. Additional sections of U-canals can be provided at other sections of the
entire length of the road to ensure effective drainage system.
Aside from the sample mix design presented previously in related literature, it would also be
essential to provide a trial mix for the project and subject it to compressive strength test, and
be able to compare it with the conventional concrete pavement. Comparisons of slump
requirements, strength and other concrete properties shall be identified.
When recycled concrete aggregate is used as base material, environmentally, it is necessary
to wet the material so as to prevent fugitive dust particles from becoming airborne just like
any other aggregate base material that contains dust. Proctor testing, typically required for
conventional base materials, is not required when RCA is specified for a base. Excessive
working of the RCA base should be avoided as it will segregate the base materials. Minimum
shaping of the RCA base material should occur. Compaction of the RCA base should be in a
saturated state to aid in the migration of fines throughout the mix. Moisture levels are
maintained and compaction is continued until the maximum level of compaction is achieved
for the equipment being used.
Road construction operations must comply with the guidelines presented by the Department
of Public Works and Highways.