Recycling-oriented characterization and valorization of concrete waste from the february 6th Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in sustainable built environment

Ever-growing waste production and rising need for sustainable building materials have led to a growing interest in recycling concrete waste as a feasible alternative to natural counterparts. This study explores the recycling and valorization of concrete waste from the February 6th Kahramanmaraş earthquakes to promote a circular economy and sustainable reconstruction. Concrete debris from collapsed buildings was analyzed through extensive physical, chemical, and performance tests. Concrete waste displays high levels of SiO₂ and CaO, with water-soluble sulfate and chloride concentrations within regulatory limits. It fulfills requirements for coarse and fine aggregates regarding lightweight contaminators, confirmed by a methylene blue value of 0.275 g/kg, and has flakiness and shape indices of FI₁₅ and SI₁₅. The waste is categorized as LA₃₅ and MD_DE35 in Los Angeles and Micro-Deval tests, respectively, indicating adequacy for valorization in concrete. Its elongation is below 0.1% after 14 days, affirming resistance to alkali-silica reaction. X-ray fluorescence results reveal that waste can be used in blended cement production with suggesting inclusion of minerals, with a total SO₃ content of 0.87%, total organic carbon of 0.29%, and clay content of 0.18 g/100 g—all below defined limits. RCAs are suitable for applications where high strength is not required, offering improved ion permeability and reduced water penetration depth by lowering the effective water/cement ratio.