The Effect of the Use of Pet Plastic Waste as Coarse Aggregate in Lightweight Structural Concrete

Oct 13, 2025 by recoveryshake.com 126 views

The Effect of the Use of Pet Plastic Waste as Coarse Aggregate in Lightweight Structural Concrete

The use of plastic in daily life has become a common thing for the community. Plastic is used in various forms, such as household appliances, electronic equipment, and food and beverage wrapping materials. One type of plastic that is widely used is PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). The increasing amount of plastic waste has become a significant environmental concern, and finding alternative uses for plastic waste is essential. This study examines the use of PET plastic waste as a substitute for coarse aggregate gravel in a mild concrete mixture. Through this research, it is expected to find the PET waste treatment method into an aggregate, how to mix the foam agent additive material in lightweight concrete, as well as an evaluation of light concrete performance that uses PET waste aggregate.

The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources, including aggregates such as gravel and sand. The use of these natural resources has led to environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. The use of plastic waste as a substitute for aggregates can help reduce the demand for natural resources and minimize waste disposal problems. PET plastic waste is a common type of plastic waste that can be recycled and reused as a building material.

In this study, the concrete produced from a mixture of PET plastic waste showed an average variety of average weight in accordance with the Mixed Formula (FM). For example, for FM 1, the average weight is 1357,113 kg/m³, while for FM 2 it reaches 1733.201 kg/m³, and FM 3 is 1717,528 kg/m³. This shows that the contents of the concrete are in a range that is categorized as structural lightweight concrete, which is between 1400-1800 kg/m³. The concrete mixture was prepared by mixing PET plastic waste with cement, water, and foam agent additive material. The mixture was then cast into molds and cured for 28 days.

The results of the analysis showed that the gradation variations of the aggregate affect the strength of concrete. In this study, although the use of pet waste in a mild concrete mixture shows promising potential, there are still obstacles in terms of meeting the compressive strength requirements. The maximum compressive strength achieved in the FM 3 sample is only 15.14 MPa, which does not meet the minimum requirements to be categorized as a structural mild concrete, which is 17 MPa.

The use of PET plastic waste as a substitute for coarse aggregate gravel in a mild concrete mixture shows promising potential. However, there are still obstacles in terms of meeting the compressive strength requirements. The gradation variations of the aggregate affect the strength of concrete, and further innovation is needed to improve concrete performance that uses PET plastic waste as an aggregate. The use of PET plastic as construction material can help reduce plastic waste, and offers more environmentally friendly alternatives in the construction industry.

In conclusion, the use of PET plastic waste as a substitute for coarse aggregate gravel in a mild concrete mixture shows promising potential. However, there are still obstacles in terms of meeting the compressive strength requirements. Further research is needed to find more effective ways to increase the strength of concrete that uses plastic waste aggregates, so that it can meet the requirements as a safe and quality structural lightweight concrete. The use of PET plastic waste as a building material can help reduce plastic waste, and offers more environmentally friendly alternatives in the construction industry.

Based on the results of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Further research is needed to find more effective ways to increase the strength of concrete that uses plastic waste aggregates.
The use of PET plastic waste as a building material can help reduce plastic waste, and offers more environmentally friendly alternatives in the construction industry.
The gradation variations of the aggregate affect the strength of concrete, and further innovation is needed to improve concrete performance that uses PET plastic waste as an aggregate.

The use of PET plastic waste as a building material is a promising area of research. Future research directions include:

Investigating the use of PET plastic waste as a substitute for other types of aggregates.
Developing new technologies to improve the strength of concrete that uses plastic waste aggregates.
Evaluating the environmental impact of using PET plastic waste as a building material.

This study has several limitations, including:

The use of a small sample size.
The limited range of PET plastic waste aggregate gradations used in the study.
The lack of control over the curing conditions of the concrete.

A: The purpose of using pet plastic waste as a substitute for coarse aggregate gravel in lightweight structural concrete is to reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills and to provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional aggregates.

A: The benefits of using pet plastic waste as a building material include:

Reduced plastic waste in landfills
Conservation of natural resources
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
Improved durability and strength of concrete
Increased sustainability of construction projects

A: The limitations of using pet plastic waste as a building material include:

Limited availability of pet plastic waste
Variability in quality and consistency of pet plastic waste
Potential for contamination of pet plastic waste
Limited understanding of long-term durability and performance of pet plastic waste-based concrete

A: Pet plastic waste is typically processed and prepared for use as a building material through a series of steps, including:

Collection and sorting of pet plastic waste
Shredding and grinding of pet plastic waste
Cleaning and washing of pet plastic waste
Mixing with cement, water, and other additives to create a concrete mixture

A: The potential applications of pet plastic waste-based concrete include:

Building foundations and footings
Walls and partitions
Roofs and floors
Bridge decks and pavements
Other structural and non-structural applications

A: The potential challenges and risks associated with using pet plastic waste as a building material include:

Potential for contamination of pet plastic waste
Limited understanding of long-term durability and performance of pet plastic waste-based concrete
Potential for reduced strength and durability of pet plastic waste-based concrete
Potential for increased cost and complexity of construction projects

A: The potential benefits and advantages of using pet plastic waste as a building material include:

Reduced plastic waste in landfills
Conservation of natural resources
Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
Improved durability and strength of concrete
Increased sustainability of construction projects

A: The potential future directions for research and development of pet plastic waste-based concrete include:

Investigating the use of pet plastic waste as a substitute for other types of aggregates
Developing new technologies to improve the strength and durability of pet plastic waste-based concrete
Evaluating the environmental impact of using pet plastic waste as a building material
Investigating the potential applications of pet plastic waste-based concrete in various industries and sectors.