Critical Analysis of the Sustainable Consumption of Bitumen in Asphalt Concrete Mixtures Made with Recycled Concrete Aggregates from Construction and Demolition Debris

The frequent construction and demolition of buildings and civil works causes excessive waste of energy and natural resources. It is generally accepted that asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures made with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) promotes sustainable construction. However, our analysis identifies an environmental downside: increased consumption of bitumen from these mixtures and therefore increased consumption of fossil fuels. Technical solutions to limit RCA content in mixtures, control their impurities, control the fraction in which it is used, and the application of pretreatments are emerging as potential tools to limit the consumption of bitumen by AC made with RCA. From the management point of view, we also propose as policy a revision of the technical specifications to adapt the technical standards to the particularities of RCA. This paper makes a contribution in joining both engineering and economic approaches in order to make proposals for construction management only using recycled materials economically feasible.