Luisa Pani

Università degli studi di Cagliari | UNICA · Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering

The recycling of concrete debris to obtain coarse recycled aggregates for structural concrete production represents a model of circular economy in the construction sector. It reduces landfill waste and raw material exploitation. In this applied research, the recycled aggregate, obtained from construction and demolition waste, was used in partial re...

The present paper contributes to the investigation on mechanical performance of cement mortar incorporating anhydrous calcium sulphate, in partial replacement of CEM IV/B 32.5 R cement and fine aggregates. The anhydrous calcium sulphate is a by-product derived from the industrial production process of hydrofluoric acid, and it is obtained by a reac...

Recycling concrete construction waste is a promising way towards sustainable construction. Indeed, replacing natural aggregates with recycled aggregates obtained from concrete waste lowers the environmental impact of concrete constructions and improves natural resource conservation. This paper reports on an experimental study on mechanical and dura...

Reinforced concrete (RC) slabs are characterised by reduced construction time, versatility, and easier space partitioning. Their structural behaviour is not straightforward and, specifically, punching shear strength is a current research topic. In this study an experimental database of 113 RC slabs without shear reinforcement under punching loads w...

This study analysed the recycling of debris derived from the partial and selective demolition of concrete structures of Sant'Elia Stadium in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). This recycling was carried out to obtain coarse recycled aggregates for the production of recycled concrete. The experimental investigations demonstrated the possibility of using th...

A current promising way towards sustainable construction is the concrete construction and demolition waste recycling. Indeed, the use of recycled concrete aggregates instead of natural aggregates promotes the natural resources conservation and reduces the environmental impact of concrete. This paper presents the results of an experimental investiga...

The research project funded by Sardegna Ricerche (POR FESR 2014/2020 funds) aimes to define applicable Circular Economy strategies in the construction sector to support the Sardinia Region, in particular recycled aggregates in the structural concrete. The research group of the University of Cagliari, the stakeholders (recycling plants, concrete pro...

This paper highlights the possibility of using structural concrete debris, also with modest mechanical performances (Rck ≤ 20 MPa), in order to obtain coarse recycled concrete aggregates to produce new structural concrete with higher performances. A specific case study concerned the recycling of the debris deriving from the total demolition of Cagl...

Currently, the construction industry consumes annually an average of 40% of resources, producing about 40% of solid waste and pollution. In this context it becomes imperative for the building sector to move towards a sustainable dimension. This need for sustainability is further amplified in territories such as the islands, which are often particul...

La gestione sostenibile dei problemi ambientali legati alle macerie da demolizione è una questione prioritaria per l’industria delle costruzioni del nuovo millennio. La loro eterogeneità, specie in assenza di una preventiva demolizione selettiva, rende complicato il loro riutilizzo quale aggregato riciclato per la produzione di calcestruzzo pur nel...

p>Ageing of Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures is an important problem nowadays, in particular for countries like Italy in which the main infrastructures were built 55 years ago. Carbonation and chloride penetration represent the main causes of reinforcements corrosion because they reduce the passivation of reinforcing steel in concrete. In this...

Le correlazioni tra geo-risorse e forma urbana sono elementi, talvolta sottili, ma sempre ricorrenti, indipendentemente dal luogo e dal tempo, a partire dal segno urbano sino alle recenti megacities. Questo lavoro si articola attraverso una “ripresa” dello studio sugli elementi litici, ritenuti importanti per il loro essere le basi fondanti delle n...

This paper reports on the experimental assessment of the punching shear behaviour of reinforced recycled concrete slabs characterized by fine natural aggregates and coarse recycled aggregates. In particular, the latter were obtained only from demolished concrete. The experimental campaign has been carried out on 12 specimens. Moreover, three reinfo...

The problem of estimating mechanical properties of buildings materials is a major issue in civil engineering, especially when dealing with existing structures. In such occasion a valuable help is given by Non Destructive Testings, which allow materials characteristics to be evaluated in a non-invasive way. This paper analyses the efficacy of the So...

The possibility of utilizing recycled aggregates is an excellent solution to the problem of Contruction and Demolition (C&D) waste and at the same time it reduces quarrying operations and limits the use of natural aggregates. Italian Code allows the use of waste produced by C&D to produce recycled aggregates. In this paper the experimental results...

In order to comprehend the actual seismic behaviour of structures realized with new constructive technologies, a wide experimental programme has been carried out on lightly reinforced precast concrete - polystyrene sandwich panels, composed of a sheet of structural expanded polystyrene 160 mm thick inserted between two grids of galvanized and elect...

Purpose This paper aims to report a case study regarding the combined use of several non‐destructive techniques (NDTs) as a tool in the management of diagnosis and refurbishment of a damaged reinforced concrete building. Design/methodology/approach Four types of NDTs have been selected and carried out on the pillars of the building: visual inspect...

Italian Code permits the use of recycled coarse aggregates from construction and demolition (C&D) waste, for the production of structural concrete. Recycled aggregates have to comply with the UNI EN 12620, they can be replaced with restricted percentages to the natural aggregates. This research analyzes the proprieties of recycled aggregates from c...

In this paper the use of coarse recycled aggregates (RA) by concrete for partially or globally replacing coarse natural aggregates in the production of structural concrete has been analyzed. To evaluate the feasibility of this process, an experimental campaign focused on the observation of recycled concrete mechanical behaviour has been carried out...