Strength and Durability Characterization of Structural Concrete Made of Recycled Plastic

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing recycled plastic waste as a partial substitute for sand in concrete production. Reprocessing used plastic items or materials involves collecting, cleaning, shredding, and melting, resulting in reprocessed plastic particles. Incorporating these recycled plastic particles into concrete addresses environmental concerns related to plastic disposal and the growing scarcity and increasing cost of natural sand. To evaluate the sand replacement capacity of recycled plastic, four types of mixtures were created with varying levels of recycled plastic replacement (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). All mixtures maintained a water-to-binding ratio of 0.55 and were tested at 7, 28, and 56 days. The testing regimen encompassed determining the slump value, density, compressive strength, tensile strength, and resistance to freezing and thawing. The findings revealed that replacing sand in the concrete mix with recycled plastic enhanced workability, which was attributed to the hydrophobic nature of the plastic particles. However, both compressive and tensile strength exhibited a declining trend. Additionally, after undergoing multiple freezing and thawing cycles, the concrete mix exhibited poor durability properties and brittleness. These issues may arise due to factors such as incompatibility, non-uniformity, reduced cohesion, and the lower density of plastic particles.