Determination of Compression Stress and Volumetric Weight of Lightened Concrete Blocks, with the Use of Recycled Polymers and Nanoadditives

Abstract

The current study describes the development and evaluation of hollow concrete blocks using recycled polymers and a waterproof, resistance improver nanoadditive together with cement, sand, and pumice to search for an ecological building material capable of reducing the environmental pollution. Three phases were performed; in which the first, we characterized petrous aggregates, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and the nanoadditive. In the second one, several dosages were established with different percentages of crushed PET that represented to the sand. Additionally, a nanoadditive's part was placed in relation to the total water of the mixture. In the third phase, the compressive stress, volumetric weight, and absorption of the elaborated specimens were determined according to the national standard. The resulting optimal dosage was about 25% PET in replacement of sand + 0.0087 kg of nanoadditive, able to generate a better quality material, obtaining a compressive strength of 36.5 kg/cm2, very close to the normative (40 kg/cm2) and superior to the of commercial blocks (14.35 kg/cm2). Regarding the volumetric weights, the plastic had a good performance as it managed to reduce the weight by 20%, while the use of the nanoadditive waterproofing decreased by 25% of water absorption. The block of the current research was twice as expensive as the traditional, even if production is tripled, as it was reduced to only $ 0.06 (8%). However, in comparison with the industrially elaborated procedure, the costs are very similar.