Mechanical Strength, Characterization and Suitability of Cement-Plastic Concrete Admixture

Abstract

A significant increment in the consumption of plastic has been monitored globally in recent years, which has led to a high amount of plastic waste. Given its benefits on both an economic and ecological level, recycling plastic waste to create new materials like concrete is considered to be one of the finest ways to get rid of plastic waste. The objective of this paper was to examine the workability, durability, and mechanical strength of concrete with partial replacement of coarse aggregates with plastic waste using standard procedure. The percentages of plastic waste used to replace coarse aggregate were 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%. Lastly, the mechanical characteristics of the concrete mix specimens was determined by testing them using a testometric and compressor machine. The specimens are then compared with the conventional mix. The test results demonstrated that the compressive strength exhibited a decreasing trend. For mixes ranging from 0% to 15%, the compressive strength varies from 35.66 to 17.88 N/mm2, however the flexural strength significantly decreases when 15% of the coarse aggregate is replaced with plastic waste. It can be concluded that reusing plastic waste as an aggregate during the concrete-making process reduces waste and conserves resources.