Influence of nano-silica and shredded plastics in pervious concrete

Abstract

Regular concrete uses a lot of cement, which is bad for the environment. Adding plastic waste to concrete as a substitute reduces pollution, but it can weaken the concrete. This study tackles this problem by creating an eco-friendly concrete alternative. The researchers mixed shredded PET plastic bottles (up to 10%) with concrete and replaced some cement (up to 10%) with nano-silica. They tested how this affected the concrete’s strength in different ways (bending, splitting, and compression). Interestingly, they found that using a specific mix (4% plastic and 4% nano-silica) actually made the concrete stronger! This suggests a promising new way to use recycled plastic to create a more sustainable and even stronger building material.