Structural, mechanical and hygrothermal properties of lightweight concrete based on the application of waste plastics

Abstract

Three different types of plastic waste replacing up to 50% of natural aggregates are used in concrete mix design. A wide set of basic physical, mechanical, thermal, and hygric properties of developed concretes is determined and their assessment is made using a comparison with reference data. The mechanical parameters, though decreasing with the increasing amount of plastic aggregates, are found satisfactory for non-bearing concrete structures. The up to seven times lower thermal conductivity, as compared with the reference material, provides an evidence of greatly improved thermal insulating capabilities. The hygric properties of designed concretes are characterized by an increase of water and water vapor transport parameters and a decrease of water vapor adsorption capacity with the increasing amount of plastic aggregates. Based on the obtained experimental results, a conclusion can be made that the designed lightweight concretes containing plastic waste aggregates present a prospective solution from the points of view of both plastic waste disposal and improvement of buildings' energy efficiency.