Scale effect in direct shear tests on recycled concrete aggregate

The depletion of natural resources is forcing researchers to explore the possibilities of new aggregates, such as recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). In this article, the mechanical properties and the influence of the size of the direct shear box on the obtained parameters were examined. The study was conducted in two apparatus: medium (120 × 120 mm) and large (250 × 250 mm). In each of these devices, a total of 6 tests were performed: 3 for dry sample and 3 at optimum moisture content. From the results, the conclusions described below have been drawn.