Mechanical and Durability Properties of Concrete Using Residual Plastic Waste Powder

Plastic garbage is produced in massive quantities all around the world. Plastic trash has been successfully used in concrete in recent years. The purpose of this research is to look at the impact of residual plastic waste (PW) powder as a substitute for coarse and fine particles on the fresh and mechanical characteristics of concrete. The research also investigates the water penetration depth for control and residual powder concrete mix. Seven test specimens were created by adjusting the plastic waste powder by weight of fine and coarse aggregates in 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%, respectively. The compressive, split tensile, and flexural strength of the specimens are measured after 7 and 28 days of curing. The test results show that the presence of leftover plastic waste powder reduces strength characteristics, with the rate of strength reduction being faster for coarse aggregate replacement. 5% fine aggregate replacement, on the other hand, produces comparable results. Furthermore, the water penetration depth for 5% fine aggregate replacement falls within the allowable limitations specified by IS 516: Part II/Sec 1 (2018) and DIN 1048: 5 (1991). As a result, using plastic powder up to 5% fine aggregate substitution offers the best results. The current experiment ensures that the inclusion of PW powder in the concrete mix provides a favorable approach to generating cost-effective materials while also controlling the solid waste concerns produced by plastic to some extent.