Development of eco-friendly foamed concrete with waste glass sheet powder for mechanical, thermal, and durability properties enhancement

Abstract

Despite the increasing prevalence of foamed concrete (FC) in many applications within the construction sector, there is a discernible scarcity of comprehensive evaluations of its performance. Most research efforts are directed towards investigating the integration of industrial wastes in normal weight concrete. Hence, it is crucial to comprehend the performance properties of FC concerning industrial waste. This study focused on investigating the effects of replacing sand with glass sheet powder (GSP) on the fresh, mechanical, thermal and microstructural properties of FC. Various replacement ratios, ranging from 0% to 50%, were considered. The mechanical properties, including the compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths, were evaluated at different curing ages. Microstructural analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy to observe the formation of the microstructure in the FC in the presence of GSP. Additionally, the thermal properties, such as thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and specific heat capacity, were determined using the hot guarded plate test method. At 20% replacement ratio, results show that the mechanical properties greatly improved. The compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths increased by up to 18%, 40%, and 33%, respectively. However, further increases in the replacement ratio did not yield substantial improvements. Thermal properties of FC were improved with the presence of GSP. The test results also exhibited that the sorptivity, porosity, and water absorption decreased with the incorporation of GSP. The outcomes of this study emphasize the potential advantages of integrating GSP into FC, which has the ability to enhance the overall properties of FC.