Structural Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beams Containing Waste Glass

Abstract

As more towns and factories have been built over the course of the last several years, there has been a concomitant increase in the amount of waste glass that has been produced. The vast majority of glass that is considered waste is thrown in landfills, and only a small part of this glass may really be recycled. Because of the significant costs involved in cleaning and color sorting. The fact that glass does not decompose in landfills means that this type of waste disposal is not considered to be good for the environment. Recent research has revealed that recycled glass can be successfully utilized in concrete in as an aggregate, or as a replacement for cement. Both of these applications have been demonstrated to have positive results. The utilization of fine and coarse aggregates served to highlight this point. Glass has the ability to have a nature that is cementitious. This is due to the fact that glass is an amorphous substance and contains relatively significant amounts of silicon and calcium. In addition, glass is made up of calcium and silicon in proportions that are nearly identical to one another. Glass that has been treated to a finer particle size than waste glass, which has been processed to a coarser particle size, does not contribute to the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) since the waste glass has been processed to a coarser particle size. The use of pozzolanic reaction products as a substitute for cement that can be used in limited amounts will, in addition to improving the characteristics of concrete through the pozzolanic reaction, contribute to a greener environment. This is due to the fact that one ton of portland cement output resulted in the production of about one metric ton of carbon dioxide, which contributes to issues relating to global warming. In other words, one ton of portland cement output caused the production of approximately one ton of carbon dioxide. The most recent advancements in the structural behavior of reinforced concrete beams and the present status of recycling operations for waste glass are both investigated in depth during the course of this research paper's investigation. In addition, the article details the actions that need to be done in order to successfully employ waste glass in place of aggregate and cement. These products will not only help to recycle previously used glass, but they will also make the environment that surrounds us greener.