The Role of POFA and Recycled Plastic in Enhancing Concrete Properties

Abstract

The experimental work of waste utilization for Grade 30 concrete incorporating Palm Oil Fuel Ash (POFA) and treated Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) being presented in this paper. POFA is an agricultural waste from palm oil industry that creates uncontrolled landfill disposal, contain high silica-alumina which act as a good pozzolanic material as binder similar to cement. 45 cube specimen size 100 × 100 × 100 mm were prepared with 2 mol, 4 mol, 6 mol and 8 mol of Sulphuric Acid to treat PET. The objectives were to evaluate the workability and performance of POFA and treated PET concrete through slump test and compression test at 7, 14 and 28 days. As the findings, treated PET with 8 mol Sulphuric Acid and 5% POFA concrete significantly improves consistency compared to the control specimen. This resulted from the liquidation technique applied to POFA during the concrete mixing process that functions as a liquid lubricant which can easily blend with cement component. Moreover, 5% POFA and 8 mol treated PET concrete shows strength increment due to the combination effect between raw POFA that act as filler and PET act as fiber reinforcement to help the concrete.