Experimental Investigation on Waste Paper-pulp Infused Cement Mortar

Abstract

A huge amount of newspaper waste is generated in an average Indian household on a daily basis. The ideology behind this study is to amalgamate this paper waste into construction materials. This manuscript is a preliminary initiative for the same motive and explores the feasibility of mixing waste paper pulp into cement mortar for further adopting the practice on construction sites. Different ratios of cement, standard sand and crushed paper pulp (soaked for 72 hours) were administered to cast cement mortar cubes and the same were tested for compressive strength in a compression testing machine. The several trial mixes, partially replacing sand in mortar making were attempted to study the behavior of cement mortar while infused with waste paper pulp. The strength of these cubes were compared to standard cement mortar cubes cast using one part cement and 3 parts of standard sand. The trial ratios of cement, sand and paper pulp were 1:0.5:0.5; 1:0.75:0.25 and 1:0.25:0.75 respectively. Both 7 days as well as 28 days strength was determined. It was found that one part cement, half part standard sand and half a part of waste paper pulp was the most optimum combination yielding satisfactory strength of cement mortar cubes. The compressive strength of standard cube was 7.2 MPa and the same for 1:0.5:0.5 was 6.6 MPa. Thus waste paper pulp infused cement mortar may be used for brickwork and other trivial lean cement members in construction. The purpose of the study is to address two major underlying challenges in modern day construction projects, first being the dearth of river sand availability and secondly the disposal of waste paper which ultimately ends up in landfills subsequently polluting the environment.