The recycling of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) is an actual challenge regarding the construction industry because of the increasing volumes worldwide produced and the related environmental impacts. In this regard, a suitable application can be developed in the road construction field, in particular for the production of hydraulically bound mixtures for road subbase and foundation layers. In this sense, the reuse of CDW can strongly enhance the environmental sustainability of road construction thanks to the achievable savings of natural resources such as the mineral aggregates obtained from quarry operations. Indeed, the utilization of a CDW as aggregate must ensure the production of mixtures with adequate mechanical and environmental characteristics. Therefore, the herein paper presents the results of an experimental characterization aimed at assessing the suitability of CDW for the production of hydraulically bound mixtures for road pavements. In particular, the main mechanical properties of some mixtures including different percentages and gradations of CDW were analysed and compared with the main technical prescriptions and classification criteria indicated by the reference European standards. Basic properties and production processes of the CDW materials were also studied to determine their effects on the optimum binder and water contents of the mixtures. The research clearly demonstrated that the use of a preliminary-washed CDW coarse aggregate was able to enhance the overall structural properties and the water resistance of mixtures.

C&D aggregate; recycling;performance