Crushing concrete that contains rebar is a specialized process that involves heavy machinery designed to separate metal from masonry. This allows for effective concrete recycling where both the steel and the aggregate can be repurposed.

The process follows these key steps:

1. Material Assessment: Before crushing begins, practitioners conduct a visual inspection to identify the presence of steel rebar or high-tensile steel mesh. This determines if any pre-processing—such as using a hydraulic hammer or cutting torch—is needed to manage oversized pieces.
2. Separation of Steel: Specialized mobile crushers are equipped with powerful magnetic separators. As the concrete is broken down, these magnets extract the steel rebar from the mix, ensuring the resulting aggregate is clean.
3. Managing Blockages: To prevent damage to the equipment, operators must monitor for blockages in the crusher’s jaw cavity. If rebar causes a jam, the feed is stopped immediately so the metal can be cleared manually or with specialized tools.
4. Processing and Sorting: Once crushed, the material is screened and sorted to remove any remaining wire mesh or debris. The final product, known as Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA), can then be used on-site for foundation fill or sub-bases.