Concrete containing waste recycled glass, plastic and rubber as sand replacement

Extensive research has been conducted during the past three decades to include waste plastic, rubber and glass in concrete. Recent interest to include these materials in concrete can be ascribed to the growing need for innovative waste disposal, as well as to minimise raw material usage. However, this research domain and application has not yet gained popularity and urgency in countries with an abundance of aggregates, such as South Africa. For these materials to be a viable option to be used as a concrete constituent in these countries, concretes produced using these materials should retain satisfactory properties. This study investigates various fresh, mechanical and durability properties, utilising waste ground Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) plastic, crumb tyre rubber, and crushed clear flat glass as a partial fine aggregate replacement, using materials sourced in South Africa. Two replacement contents are investigated: 15% and 30%, replacing fine aggregate by volume. The results show that plastic, rubber and glass decrease concrete workability, and increase air content. It also demonstrates that glass improves the mechanical and durability properties of concrete. Concrete containing low plastic content has promising mechanical properties but performs poorly in durability. Rubber significantly impacts the mechanical and durability properties of concrete negatively. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Research has shown that waste plastic, rubber and glass have significant effects on the properties of concrete, with glass having a positive impact on both the mechanical and durability properties of concrete, while rubber may have negative effects on concrete properties.