REUSE OF PLASTIC WASTE IN CEMENTITIOUS CONCRETE COMPOSITES

In the aim of recycling plastic bottles while keeping energy consumption low, this experimental study focuses on the use of recycled plastic waste as sand-substituted aggregates within cementitious concrete composites. Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) and recycled high-density polyethylene (RHDPE) have been used to partially and completely substitute for sand in Portland cement concrete composites. Various volume percentages of sand (2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50 and 100%) were substituted by the same volume of granulated plastic waste. The authors provided experimental results of both bulk density and mechanical characteristics for the composites produced as part of this study. The results presented show that substituting sand at a level exceeding 50% by volume with granulated RPET affects neither the compressive strength nor the flexural strength of composites. When substitution with granulated RHDPE exceeds 30%, the compressive strength decreases whereas tensile strength remains constant. This study demonstrates that recycled plastic bottles of PET and HDPE shredded into small particles may be used successfully as sandsubstituted aggregates in cementitious concrete composites. These new composites would appear to offer an attractive low-cost material with consistent properties; moreover, they would help in resolving some of the solid waste problems created by plastics production and in saving energy.

• INTRODUCTION

• MATERIALS USED

• RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

• CONCLUSIONS

• REFERENCES