An Exploratory Quantitative Survey on Practitioner Perceptions of Recycled Construction Debris as Engineered Fill in the Philippines
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Increasing construction waste has become a major global environmental and engineering concern. Thereby, this study examines practitioner perceptions on the potential use of recycled concrete debris as an alternative material for engineered fill applications. This study employed a quantitative descriptive survey design, supplemented by one open-ended question, to examine civil engineering practitioner perceptions, involving 41 respondents in the Philippines, which is considered acceptable for perception-based study. With purposive and convenience sampling, the findings are exploratory in nature and are not intended to be generalized to all engineering practitioners in the Philippines. Data were collected through online survey questionnaires, and analyzed using both descriptive (Mean, Percentage) and inferential statistics (ANOVA) to interpret the data. These results indicate that respondents across different professional backgrounds generally share consistent perceptions regarding the structural performance, environmental impact, economic considerations, and implementation feasibility of recycled construction debris. These findings reflect respondent perceptions and not actual engineering performance. Therefore, it is concluded that the respondents generally expressed favorable perceptions toward the possible use of recycled construction materials, regardless of professional classification or level of experience. However, these conclusions are based on perceived knowledge rather than experimental validation, reinforcing the need for further industry-supported implementation frameworks.
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