Utilization of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP) Plastic Waste as Fine Aggregates in Pervious Paver Block Production

Abstract

Plastic is now regarded as the third most polluting waste source on a global scale, with its volume rising rapidly as the global population increases. Recycling plastics will help prevent serious environmental threats and add value to plastic waste by incorporating them into various applications, such as construction. Previous research primarily focuses on the investigation of replacing aggregates with plastic wastes in manufacturing concrete. There is a lack of study pertaining to the partial replacement of fine aggregates with plastic waste in producing PPB. In this study, PPB is produced by partially replacing fine aggregates with HDPE and PP plastic wastes. Results show that the 15% HDPE and 15% PP plastic waste replacement of fine aggregates exhibited maximum compressive strength at 11.1 MPa and 9.9 MPa, respectively. The maximum average density recorded was 2678.026 kg/m3, which shows a 23.95% increase compared to the reference block. Additionally, the replacement improved the infiltration rate of PPB, recording a maximum increase of 10% plastic waste replacement. The PPB with 15% HDPE replacement is identified as the optimum mixture and is best utilized in low-traffic areas.