Synergistic effect of nano-to-macro waste glass of various particle sizes on ultra-high-performance concrete: Tradeoff between mix design parameters and performance through a statistical design approach

Abstract

Ultra-high-performance glass concrete (UHPGC) is engineered for strength, ductility, and durability, aiming to address environmental and economic concerns associated with traditional ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). In this approach, we individually substituted traditional UHPC components—cement (C), silica fume (SF), quartz sand (QS), and quartz powder (QP) with ground waste glass materials (GWG). Recognizing that the performance of UHPC is influenced by the chemical interactions and packing density of its constituents, which primarily depend on particle-size distribution, our current study focuses on the synergistic effects of these factors. We explored how nano to macro size GWG can simultaneously replace all traditional UHPC components and affect its properties. Employing the Design of Experiment allowed the establishment of statistical equations. Contour diagrams predicted the individual and synergetic effect of mix design parameters on UHPGC's fresh and mechanical properties, with a high correlation (R2 ≥ 0.98) and low error (≤8 %). Validation with 18 additional mixtures confirmed the models' precision. Our research established the production of a superior UHPGC with 40%–100 % lower traditional components (C, SF, QP, and QS) and 65 % less superplasticizer demand. The embodied energy, CO2 emissions, and production cost reduced by 65 %, 38 %, 36 %, and 32 %, respectively. This approach can enhance UHPGC's integrity and environmental sustainability.