Analysis of the Influence of PET and Glass Packaging Waste Materials on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cementitious Composites

Abstract

The limited availability of natural resources, such as sand, and the need to reduce CO2 emissions, which are produced in large quantities in the production of binding materials, indicate the need to look for alternative raw materials used in construction materials. At the same time, there is a strong need to utilise waste packaging materials, the global production of which is constantly increasing. This work aims to investigate the possibility of using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), utilised as a partial substitute for fine aggregate, and waste glass, implemented as powder, serving as a partial substitute for cement in the manufacturing of the cementitious composites. An experimental study was carried out to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of the resultant cementitious composites. The incorporated PET aggregate comprised 0%, 5%, and 10% by volume of silica sand and 0%, 10%, and 20% glass powder by weight of cement. The addition of waste raw materials augmented the flow of fresh mortars, predominantly subsequent to the introduction of PET recyclate. The deployment of artificial aggregate in mortars induces a decrease in the volumetric density. Concurrently, the mechanical properties of mortars enriched with waste materials exhibited a reduction, in terms of both compressive and flexural strength, with the detriment escalating in conjunction with the content of waste raw materials. An analysis of statistical significance of effects, grounded in an analysis of variance, is delineated within this document, pinpointing the quantities of waste raw materials that can be assimilated in mortars without inducing a substantial deterioration of strength properties. Through studies on phase composition, it has been demonstrated that the utilised glass waste, possessing a grain size analogous to cement, exhibited poor pozzolanic properties. The test results indicate that it is possible to partially replace cement with glass powder, up to 10%, and fine aggregate with PET waste, up to 5%, without a significant reduction in the mechanical properties of the material.