Use of Waste Glass as A Replacement for Raw Materials in Mortars with a Lower Environmental Impact

Viviana Letelier,Camila Parodi,José Marcos Ortega,Miguel Manosalva,Bastián I Henríquez-Jara

doi:10.3390/en12101974

Viviana Letelier, Camila Parodi + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en12101974

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Journal: Energies	Publication Date: May 23, 2019
Citations: 38	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidad de La Frontera, University of Alicante

Abstract

Glass waste used in mortars or concretes behaves similar to cement, with resulting environmental benefits. In this light, the behavior of glass powder of various particle sizes has been analyzed as a cement replacement in mortars, in an attempt to minimize the loss of strength and durability, and maximize the amount of materials replaced. The dry density, water accessible porosity, water absorption by immersion, capillary absorption coefficient, ultrasonic pulse velocity and both compressive and flexural strengths were studied in the mortars. Furthermore, a statistical analysis of the obtained results and a greenhouse gases assessment were also performed. In view of the results obtained, glass powder of 38 microns allows up to 30% of the cement to be replaced, due to the filler effect combined with its pozzolanic activity. Moreover, it has been observed that glass powder size is one of the factors with the greatest influence among the properties of porosity, absorption and capillarity. On the other hand, in the mechanical properties, this factor does not contribute significantly more than the amount of glass powder. Finally, the greenhouse gasses analysis shows that the incorporation of glass powder reduces the CO2 emissions associated with mortar up to 29.47%.

Highlights

The first manufactured glass was found in ancient Mesopotamia [1] and its production has boosted since to reach massive capacities, which inevitably entails major waste rates
Of the images obtained from the diffraction patterns of the X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis of the Glass powder (GP) (Figure 1), no peaks the images obtained patterns (XRD), of theasXRD
The use of GP particles with a maximum size of 38 microns make it possible to increase the cement replacements up to 30%, GP size is one of the factors with the greatest influence among the properties of porosity, absorption and capillarity

Summary

Introduction

The first manufactured glass was found in ancient Mesopotamia [1] and its production has boosted since to reach massive capacities, which inevitably entails major waste rates. In spite of the lack of information; in 2012 it was estimated that a high-income country produces 602 million tons of solid waste per year, 7% of which is glass [2]. The main concern of waste glass production is the use of landfill, which is at odds with its properties that make it optimal for recycling [3]. The US recycles just 26% of the 11.48 millions of tons of waste glass produced, while 61.3% ends up in landfills [4]. There is an imminent need to find a way to reduce the amount of glass waste in those countries where it is still not managed, and it has been proven that high levels of glass recycling can be achieved

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