Eco-friendly Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) and its Potential Use in Construction Projects

Naturally occurring stone deposits are being rapidly depleted due to the exploitation of resources. Consequently, using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) for construction works could be a sustainable alternative to promoting circularity in construction. Thus, the study assesses the extent of RCA usage in construction projects, intending to enhance sustainability through circular economy strategies by assessing the solid waste materials found in RCA, evaluating the factors driving the usage of RCA, and determining the extent of RCA usage in construction project delivery. The study employed a cross-sectional research design to collect data in one session. Construction professionals with prior RCA experience constitute the study's population. The study adopts a multi-sampling technique where the snowball and purposive sampling methods were used to select 161 construction practitioners in Lagos Metropolis. The statistical tools deployed for analysis comprised frequency, percentage, mean score, relative importance index, percentage mean utilization, and ranking. Findings revealed that RCA is mostly employed for hardcore filling in foundation construction. Besides, RCA is barely utilized in 4.8% of construction projects. The study concludes that the current level of RCA usage for construction works falls short of its full potential. This implies that RCA is underutilized in construction, resulting in the continued depletion of natural resources. Therefore, the study recommends that construction practitioners employ RCA in areas where they are not engaged to optimize RCA eco-friendliness through circular economy strategies. This may be accomplished by specifying the material for construction works and developing the requisite technology to unlock its potential fully.