Employing copper slag and pet polymer in self-compacting concrete

Abstract

Plastic is the most advanced material of 21st century. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a type of plastic that is commonly used for packaging due to the numerous benefits it offers. PET waste decomposes slowly and can take several years to completely decompose, posing a problem for waste management. Recycling PET and using it as a binder material in concrete will be one of the most effective waste management techniques. It would result in significant reductions in cement consumption. Copper slag is a waste product produced by the copper industry as a byproduct of copper extraction. The use of copper slag and PET bottles in concrete would be extremely beneficial to the environment. Infrastructure expansion has increased demand for various types of concrete, including self-compacted concrete. PET bottles were glycolyzed in polypropylene glycol to produce PET resin. This resin was used to replacement of cement by 5%, 10%, and 15% based on the mass of the cement. Copper slag is used to replace fine aggregate in the following proportions: 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%. The SCC of M−35 was produced with PET rein and copper slag. Slump flow, L-box, and V funnel were used to investigate flow of SCC along with Harden properties. The addition of PET resin shows the improvement in all strength parameter at 1 day curing. The 60% addition of copper slag observed to be beneficiary and further more addition of copper slag reduces the strength of SCC. After allowing the material to cure for 28 days, a permeability test was performed and 60% of copper slag and 15% PET resin content shows excellent water resistance. When all of the combinations and strengths were considered, the optimal, sustainable, and cost-effective combination was discovered to be one that contained 15% PET resin and 60% copper slag.11corresponding author, Satish M Waysal, satish.waysal@gmail.com