Feasibility Study on Usage of Metalized Plastic Waste in Concrete

Abstract

Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) are the leading plastics used for food packaging with surface metallization to protect the foodstuff. Unlike the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, metalized plastic wastes (MPW) produced by discarded food packaging articles are not suitable for recycling and reuse owing to the metalized layer. MPW litter in waste streams or sent to the landfill as a part of municipal solid waste (MSW) resulting in hazardous environmental impacts. Efforts are made in this work to utilize MPW in concrete as a sustainable usage of the specific waste. In present work, MPW is shredded into fibers of varying sizes and added to concrete ranging 0% to 2% by volume of concrete. The response of addition of MPW in concrete was evaluated by assessing workability and strength properties namely slump, compaction factor, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexure strength. The results show significantly improved crack resistance and ductility in concrete reinforced with MPW. The increase in tensile resistance of concrete containing MPW up to 1% of volume fraction was observed. Flexure test results exhibited improved ductility of concrete containing MPW. However, reduction in the fresh properties and compressive and flexure strength of concrete was noticed with the increased fraction of MPW beyond 1% dosage. The experimental study establishes the potential of the sustainable use of MPW in concrete to reduce adverse environmental impacts and to improve the tensile resistance of the conventional concrete.