Glass powder from non-returnable bottles: Pozzolanic additive to mortar

Abstract

Solid waste from disposable long neck bottles was used as pozzolanic additive to the cement matrix. Mortar specimens containing finely ground glass (90-53 µm) until 15 wt% were evaluated for physical and mechanical properties. The mechanical test showed an increase of 97% (greater than the values found in the literature) in the axial compression strength of the samples containing glass due to the increased pozzolanic activity index caused by glass addition to mortar. The mechanical strength was relatively greater when the glass particle size was reduced (53-38µm). The pozzolanic activity was observed at advanced ages either, by Brazilian standardized tests or thermal reactions between water and calcium hydroxides. Scanning electron microscopy reinforced the hydrated-calcium silicates present after calcium hydroxide consumption, characteristic of pozzolanic materials. From a technical and environmental viewpoint, the use of glass waste from long neck bottles as pozzolanic additive to the cement matrix proved to be feasible.