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Mechanical and Environmental Performance of Concrete Incorporating Post-Consumer Plastics and E-Waste
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Researchers incorporated ground polypropylene plastic waste and pulverized printed circuit board powder as partial replacements for sand and cement in concrete, finding roughly 11% reductions in compressive strength and beam load capacity, with life cycle assessment showing cement replacement yielded far greater environmental benefit than aggregate substitution.
A significant portion of plastic products is not accepted by curbside recycling companies and goes to landfills or incineration, causing an adverse impact on the environment. This study investigated the effects of utilizing post-consumer plastic and e-waste in concrete. A plastic product made of thermoplastic polypropylene (PP) was ground into fine particles and used for 10% volumetric replacement of sand, while bare printed circuit boards (PCBs) were pulverized into powder and used for 10% cement replacement by mass. This study introduces a unique utilization of grounded powder PCBs by partially replacing cement in concrete. Furthermore, reinforced concrete beams with the replacements were constructed and tested under flexure for structural behavior evaluation. The results of this study show an average of 11% reduction in both the compressive strength of concrete and the maximum load capacity of the beams incorporating plastic products. A life cycle assessment study was conducted using a functional unit of 1.0 cubic yard concrete production. The system boundary for the environmental assessment of the concrete in this study includes only the production phase, which is from the cradle to the end gate of the ready-mix concrete plant. The environmental impact estimation of a 10% reduction in constituents of concrete showed a 10% reduction in most LCA measures where cement was replaced compared to a 1% effect for the fine aggregate replacement.
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Researchers partially replaced fine aggregate in concrete mixtures with processed PET and other waste plastic particles and found an optimal replacement level that preserved acceptable compressive and tensile strength while reducing density, beyond which plastic-to-cement bonding degraded mechanical performance, suggesting a viable route for incorporating plastic waste into lightweight non-structural construction.
Utilization of Recycled Plastic Waste as Partial Substitute of Fine Aggregate in Eco-Friendly Concrete
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Researchers tested recycled plastic waste as a replacement for fine aggregate (sand) in concrete, mixing it in at 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. Concrete with 10% plastic waste had the highest compressive strength, while plain concrete (0%) had the lowest, and strength declined slightly at 20% and 30%.
A Step towards Sustainable Concrete with Substitution of Plastic Waste in Concrete: Overview on Mechanical, Durability and Microstructure Analysis
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This review evaluates the use of plastic waste as a substitute material in concrete, analyzing its effects on mechanical strength, durability, and microstructure to assess its viability as a sustainable construction approach.
Utilization of plastic waste as replacement of natural aggregates in sustainable concrete: effects on mechanical and durability properties
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Researchers tested concrete made with recycled polyethylene and PET plastic aggregates substituted for natural sand and gravel, finding that while plastic additions reduced compressive strength and increased water permeability, they improved impact resistance and chloride resistance, with PET concrete showing no microplastic leaching.
Mechanical properties studying in concrete through PET plastic and rubber waste integration in mixture
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Researchers incorporated recycled PET plastic and rubber tire waste as partial replacements for fine and coarse aggregates in concrete mixes at substitution rates up to 60%, finding that while compressive strength and density declined with higher replacement ratios, the resulting lightweight concrete could reduce structural dead loads and offers a viable outlet for polymeric waste in non-load-bearing applications.
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