The test specimen was a two story test structure featuring concrete with coarse recycled concrete aggregates (CRCAC) flat slabs, arranged in a three by two bay layout. Longitudinal spans measured 4.5 m and 5.0 m, while all transverse spans were 4.5 m. Each story had a height of 3.2 m. The drop panels had a thickness of 0.25 m, with the rest of slab being 0.15 m thick. The square column sections vary by location, with a side dimension equal to: 0.40 m for interior columns, 0.35 m for edge columns and 0.30 m for corner columns. Steel load cells were embedded at the columns mid height during construction to record internal force demands, following experimental practices previously used at the JRC ELSA laboratory. The building was designed for a dead load corresponding to the self-weight of the structural elements plus an allowance for the self-weight of non-structural elements of 3 kN/m2. The live load was taken as 2 kN/m2 assuming ψ2 = 0.30 (for assessment of the quasi-permanent loading). The design earthquake action consisted of a 0.6% horizontal drift ratio. The longitudinal reinforcement detailing in both slabs was the same, although the first-floor slab contained shear studs as punching shear reinforcement.

The reinforcement used was B500, ductility class C. At the columns, the splicing was done using rebar couplers from Peikko. C30/37 concrete was engineered and produced by the industrial user partner Holcim (Italia) SpA. The recycled aggregates were incorporated as 50% of the coarse aggregates (> 4 mm), which results in a 29% substitution ratio of all (fine + coarse) aggregates. The cement was a CEM II/B-LL 42.5R from Holcim (ECOCEM) and the plasticizer was Mapei Dynamon.