TAKTL Research

TAKTL RESEARCH
Reclaiming Mineral-Based Building Materials
Report Date: November 2018

Closing the Loop to Recycle Retired Mineral-Based Building Materials
As buildings or facades fail, mineral-based materials can be reclaimed as aggregates in

A|UHPC facade panels to re-clad existing buildings or clad new construction.
On-site installation or
pre-fabricated off-site assembly
of modular wall units
Retiring or Failing
Stone Facade
Re-Clad or New
Construction Facade Stone Facade
Installation Removal
Building
Facade
Life Cycle
Panel Production for Stone Crushing for
New Facade Re-Use
Panel Testing with Petrographic Analysis

Crushed Stone for Effective
Aggregate Re-Use
Testing panel strength and Testing aggregates for
determining appropriate aggregate alkali-resistance and other
sizing and panel thickness impacts on concrete performance
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Developing Thin High Performance Facade Cladding with the Aesthetic of
Natural Stone and Precast Concrete
Aggregates are applied to the surface of A|UHPC and not through the mix to retain
the full UHPC strength and durability advantages. A|UHPC panels are 5/8” thick as
compared to the 4” profile of traditional precast concrete and 1½ –3” profiles of stone,
but with much higher strength and long term performance. Because A|UHPC panels can
be manufactured in the size of curtainwall glazing, they can integrate seamlessly into
unitized applications. Thinner profiles allow for less concrete material and less sub-
structure material for potentially lower costs and lower environmental impacts.
Traditional concrete with

aggregate throughout mix
4”
Natural stone with

no added aggregate
2”
A|UHPC with
surface aggregate only
5/8”
1. Recycled aggregates sourced and mixed 2. Applied to mold with proprietary spreading equipment to
accommodate production volumes
3. Concrete poured with proprietary automated equipment for thickness 4. Surface mediablasted to expose aggregates
and reinforcement control
Advantages of A|UHPC for High Performance Facades
High Strength-to-Thickness Performance Ratio
Performance Properties Compared to Other Facade Panel Materials
WATER ABSORPTION
EMBODIED ENERGY
EMBODIED ENERGY
WATER TIGHTNESS
WEIGHT ( LB/SF)
THICKNESS (IN)
STRENGTH (PSI)
(R-VALUE/IN)
RESISTANCE
( MBTU/LB)*
(MBTU/SF)*
FLEXURAL
THERMAL
(%/WT)
MATERIAL
A|UHPC 5/8" 6.90 4641 - 6526 2.07 - 2.32 14.28 - 16.00 3.9% (No Sealer) (NO DROPLET) 0.50
FACE BRICK 3 5/8" 29 - 32 N/A 1.08 -1.94 31.32 - 63.08 15% - 20% (MAX) -- 0.44
TERRACOTTA (hollow) 1 1/2" 11.50 2494 1.50 - 2.45 17.25 - 28.17 8% - 10% -- 0.35
GFRC (spray-in) 1 1/2" 8.58 1740 -2320 1.87 - 2.30 16.04 - 19.73 8% - 13% (NO DROPLET) 0.30
PRECAST CONCRETE 4" - 6" 40 - 70 520 - 725 2.08 - 2.53 83.20 - 177.10 6% -9% (NO DROPLET) 0.40
LIMESTONE (dim. Slab) 2" 22.00 435 - 1015 2.62 - 3.10 57.64 - 68.20 6% - 12% Varies 0.22
GRANITE (dim. Slab) 1 1/2" 20.00 1203 - 1499 2.54 - 5.98 50.80 - 119.6 0.4% - 1% (NO DROPLET) 0.09
GLASS (2 - ply IGU) 1" 6.40 5656 - 11603 5.10 - 5.80 32.64 - 37.12 0% (NO DROPLET) 2.28
*Values represent range—values will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and for specific project specifications. Energy for transportation to site and disposal of
materials is not included in the representation of embodied energy in this table.
Superior Surface Quality + Freeze-Thaw Performance
Material Properties Compared to Traditional Concrete
5.0% 20.0%
A|UHPC Concrete A|UHPC Concrete A|UHPC Concrete
MATRIX DENSITY SURFACE QUALITY WATER CONTENT
Advantages of Recycled Aggregates in Facade Design
Opportunities to Re-envision Concrete Surfaces
Designers can use recycled aggregates to create a visual reference to the original material or evoke
new design intent in a thinner profile cladding material with greater performance capabilities.
• A variety of sources offer myriad color and size options.

• Different dispersion densities create a range of visual effects.
• Automated mediablasting capabilities allow variance in relief
and pattern.
Types of Salvaged Materials Being Evaluated
Mineral-Based Materials
Recycled Recycled Recycled Recycled

Porcelain Black Slag Brick Granite
Non-Mineral-Based Materials
Recycled Recycled Recycled Recycled

Clear Glass Colored Glass Mirrored Glass Plastic
Application Example: Higher Education [Interior]
Cornell Tech, Roosevelt Island, NY - Completed 2018
Recycled Porcelain Recycled Granite
Application Example: Multi-Family Residential
Eagle Warehouse, Long Island City, NY - Completed 2018
Recycled Porcelain
Application Example: Mixed Use Commercial
Westfield Century City Mall, Los Angeles, CA - Completed 2017
Recycled Porcelain
Application Example: Multi-Family Residential
251 First Street, Brooklyn, NY - Completed 2017
Recycled Porcelain
R+D Case Study and Proof of Concept
Recycling Existing Building Facade into A|UHPC Cladding
Problem Statement
The existing marble facade panels are failing on a highly trafficked fifty-year-old government
building, causing concerns for public safety. Panels are cracking and warping due to freeze-thaw and
movement issues with both the panels and the facade support substructure. The entire facade must
be replaced.
Design Intent
The owner and designers intend to replace the facade with a visually consistent material.
Potential Solutions
[1] Match original stone with This execution responsibly re-uses aggregates to meet the
similar recycled aggregates in design intent; however it does not resolve the challenge of
A|UHPC panel existing facade panel disposal.
[2] Crush original stone to be Crushing the existing facade panels and using as the aggregate
used as recycled aggregate in in A|UHPC panels will meet design intent and close the loop on
A|UHPC panel the life cycle of the existing panels.
Case Study (continued)
Potential Solution 1:
Source recycled aggregates to match existing stone and provide subtle panel-to-panel variation to
evoke the variance of natural stone.
Existing Stone 3 Example Matches to Existing Stone Facade Panel

Facade Panel Using Recycled Aggregates in A|UHPC Panels
Potential Solution 2:
Samples from the existing stone facade panels were provided to our team of material scientists for
crushing and testing for use in A|UHPC panels. Our analysis was two-pronged:
Historical Review of Similar Applications Petrographic Analysis

A government project in the region (built Test methods included:
1978) used similar stone as filler in • Visual examination
concrete. The architectural concrete used • Stereomicroscopical examinations for
was composed of white cement, a coarse evaluation of texture and composition
pink aggregate, a fine white aggregate, • Examination of blue dye-mixed epoxy-
and similar stone dust to match exterior impregnated area to highlight cracks and
cladding. As of the time of this review, no open spaces
reported deterioration had been published • Black and white image analysis of
for this comparable structure, providing photomicrographs in thin sections to
indirect evidence that the stone can be used calculate volumes of inter-granular pore
in concrete. spaces and microcracks
• Mineral analysis of pulverized stone by
x-ray diffraction
Examples from Petrographic Analysis
Black and white reproduction on right (of blue-dye-impregnated sections on left) showing the
pore spaces and microcracks as black against everything else in white to calculate volume
of pore spaces and microcracks in the sample, which in this mosaic of six photomicrographs
is determined to be an average porosity of 3.0 percent. Boxed areas at top and bottom are
microcracks. The low average porosity is a positive finding in our analysis and contributes to the
qualifications for salvaging the existing stone facade panels for re-use as aggregate in A|UHPC panels.
Examples from Petrographic Analysis
Photomicrographs of lapped cross section showing: (a) equant calcite crystals well-distributed as
mosaic texture of marble, (b) a long continuous zigzag suture line of stylolite through the entire
thickness, and (c) some fine microcracks at the surface as well as the bottom, which is to be
expected.
Petrographic Analysis Confirmed Use of Reclaimed Aggregate
The main objective of the petrographic analysis is to determine the risk of alkali-carbonate reactions
(ACR) which cause degradation in the concrete. ACR is caused by presence of dolomite aggregate in
the concrete matrix. Based on the laboratory analysis and references consulted, the sample tested for
this project is composed primarily of a low porosity (2-3%) calcite with trace presence of dolomite and
ferruginous impurities (not detectable by X-ray diffraction). The following table shows the chemical
composition of the stone (area framed in red) and the low risk potential for ACR.
Potential of ACR based on

chemical composition of
quarried carbonates, from
CSA A23.2-26A
Thus, it can be used as face aggregate in A|UHPC without the risk of ACR occurrence. As a face
aggregate, not included throughout the panel matrix, no substantial formula adjustment or
subsequent testing is required to verify the compressive strength, flexural strength, and anchor
pullout strength required to qualify the adjusted formula under ASTM C1186 quality certification.
Ongoing Research
TAKTL is conducting ongoing research to include salvaged architectural materials and post-
industrial waste as aggregate in the base formulation to enhance impact resistance, improve ballistic
performance, and expand the material’s visual range.

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TAKTL RESEARCH

Reclaiming Mineral-Based Building Materials

Report Date: November 2018

As buildings or facades fail, mineral-based materials can be reclaimed as aggregates in

Panel Testing with Petrographic Analysis

Traditional concrete with

Natural stone with

Performance Properties Compared to Other Facade Panel Materials

Superior Surface Quality + Freeze-Thaw Performance

Material Properties Compared to Traditional Concrete

A|UHPC Concrete A|UHPC Concrete A|UHPC Concrete

MATRIX DENSITY SURFACE QUALITY WATER CONTENT

• A variety of sources offer myriad color and size options.

Recycled Recycled Recycled Recycled

Recycled Recycled Recycled Recycled

Recycled Porcelain Recycled Granite

Existing Stone 3 Example Matches to Existing Stone Facade Panel

Historical Review of Similar Applications Petrographic Analysis

Potential of ACR based on

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