Enhanced mechanical and durability resilience of plastic aggregate concrete modified with nano-iron oxide and sisal fiber reinforcement

Abstract

The utilization of electronic plastic waste (EPW) as a substitute for traditional aggregates in concrete has gained attention for its potential to reduce environmental waste. However, the incorporation of EPW aggregate leads to reduced mechanical properties, limiting its structural applications. This paper aims to address this issue by enhancing the mechanical and durability properties of EPW aggregate concrete by incorporating nano iron oxide particles (NIOP) and sisal fiber (SsF) reinforcement. Natural coarse aggregates were partially replaced with 30% EPW coarse aggregate (EPWCA). The performance of the resulting concrete was thoroughly investigated by incorporating 1% SsF and varying NIOP content from 1.0% to 4% of the cement’s weight. The workability of concrete is compromised by the intrusion of both NIOP and SsF. However, the addition of SsF and NIOP decreases and increases the hardened density of the resulting concrete, respectively. The combined effect of NIOP and SsF reinforcement led to enhanced performance of EPW concrete, with the superior performance observed in the EPW concrete modified with 4% NIOP and 1% SF. This modification led to increases of approximately 15.81% in compressive strength, 22.80% in splitting-tensile strength, 21.75% in flexural strength, and 28.79% in bi-surface shear strength. In terms of durability, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) values demonstrated a net increase of approximately 6.50%, while sorption and water absorption capacity showed reductions of approximately 8.04% and 4.52%, respectively. Moreover, the modified EPW concrete exhibited a net decrease of 28.79% in linear shrinkage compared to the control virgin concrete. Forensic investigations confirmed microstructural densification resulting from the addition of NIOP. Thus, the modified EPW concrete with NIOP and SsF reinforcement shows promise in enhancing overall performance and promoting eco-friendly construction practices.