Optimizing the Strength of Paver Block Made from Plastic Waste as Partial Replacement of Sand

Abstract

The continuously increasing plastic waste quantity is a newly emerging developing global environmental issue, and thus there is a need for newly emerging and environmentally friendly ideas in waste management. Among the solutions that receive consideration is plastic waste[1] use as a replacement factor in the production of building materials with lower environmental degradation and conservation of natural resources. The present study relies on the utilization of plastic waste as a partial substitute for fine aggregate to create concrete paver blocks. The main emphasis relies on making the best use of the highest strength and toughness properties of the blocks by using plastic waste in different percentages of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10% compared to normal paver blocks. As part of the test process, concrete paver blocks were cast and then subjected to a series of mechanical tests, such as compressive strength and water absorption. The optimal 7.5% plastic percentage has a water absorption of 3.7% and a compressive strength of 31.3 MPa after 28 days of cure. According to these results, it is possible to enhance some mechanical properties of waste plastic without appreciably reducing quality. The use of plastic in concrete is a green building practice since it reuses non-biodegradable waste. This study finds a practical and sustainable solution to reduce plastic waste and create environmentally friendly infrastructure.

Introduction

This study explores the use of waste plastic in manufacturing concrete paver blocks as a sustainable construction practice. It involves replacing fine aggregate with various percentages of plastic waste (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%) and analyzing their mechanical properties through compressive strength and water absorption tests after curing periods of 7, 14, and 28 days.

Key Findings:

• The optimal mix was found to be 7.5% plastic waste, which showed:

  • Compressive strength of 31.3 MPa after 28 days.

  • Water absorption of 3.7%.

• This mix improved certain mechanical properties while maintaining quality, indicating that waste plastic can be used beneficially in concrete without significant performance loss.

• The method provides an environmentally friendly way to reuse non-biodegradable plastic waste and reduce pollution, promoting green construction.

Methodology Highlights:

1. Material Testing:

   • Specific gravity of cement: 3.15

   • Fine aggregate: 2.63

   • Coarse aggregate impact test performed as per IS 2386 standards.

2. Mix Design:

   • Target mean strength: 38.25 MPa

   • Water-cement ratio: 0.45

   • Mix ratio: 1:1.3:2.5 (Cement: Fine Aggregate: Coarse Aggregate)

   • Material weights per m³:

     • Cement: 427 kg

     • Fine aggregate: 584 kg

     • Coarse aggregate: 1110 kg

     • Water: 127 liters

3. Block Manufacturing:

   • Plastic waste was used to replace part of the fine aggregate.

   • Paver blocks were cured and tested for durability and strength.

Conclusion

The current research has established that plastic waste addition in paver block production has a genuine impact on compressive strength and water absorption properties. Different mixes were taken into account, and plastic waste percentages were changed from 0% to 10%. The outcome of the compressive strength tests has established that more plastic content gets weaker because the plastic is non-cementitious and non-bonding in nature that resists cement-aggregate bonding. The blend with 7.5% plastic waste proved to be the most balanced combination in terms of both strength and sustainability. It had moderate compressive strength, which meant that a minimum of plastic could be used without affecting structure adversely. Conversely, water absorption decreased with increased plastic content. This is due to the hydrophobic property of plastic, which decreases porosity and water retention ability of the blocks. Decreasing water absorption increases the durability of the paver blocks, which are less water sensitive and resist deterioration by water. Such a property is favourable for outdoor use like pavements and parking lots. The results establish that 7.5% plastic waste replacement is optimal as it provides a satisfactory replacement that is environmentally friendly with minimal environmental pollution and satisfactory mechanical performance. Long-term performance under diversified environmental conditions must also be studied. High-density plastic form performance, thermal insulation effect, and commercial feasibility are issues that future studies need to investigate. Overall, the study encourages green construction practice through the enablement of efficient recycling of non-recyclable plastic waste.

References

[1] Vanessa Regina Vetryx, Andi Marini Indriani, Gunaedy Utomo. “The Effect of Compressive Strength Paving Blocks Utilizing Polypropylene Plastic Waste” 30 Sep 2024 [2] Rashid Hameed, M Tahir, Shaban Shahzad “Mechanical Properties of Plastic Concrete Made Using Recycled Aggregates for Paving Blocks” 30 Mar 2023 [3] Getahun Demeke Worku, Assamen Ayalew Ejigu “Production of paver blocks from polyethylene terephthalate solid waste as partial replacement of sand” 15 Jul 2024 [4] Utilization of plastic waste as a substitutional material for paving block manufacturing Y. kakerissa, Reinyelda D. Lathueru 18 May 2023 [5] Victor P. Ruban “Variability in the Compressive Strength of Paving Blocks Using Waste Plastic” 05 Oct 2022 [6] Sikander Kumar, Sunil Maurya, Vikas Kumar, Vikrant Singh, Akhilesh Kumar “Transforming Plastic Waste into Paver Blocks: A Sustainable Solution” [7] Sanjith “Partial Replacement of Coarse Aggregate with E-Plastic Waste in Interlocking Pavement block” (2021) Journal- Atria Institute of Technology, Bangalore-24, Karnataka [8] Radhakrishnan, P.; Dhurai, V. Development and Evaluation of Sustainable Bituminous Paver Blocks. Recycling 2023. [9] Azad Khajuria, Puneet Sharma “Use of Plastic Aggregates in Concrete” (2019) Journal - International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring [10] Indian Standard Code- 456-2000- Plain and Reinforced Concrete [11] Indian Standard Code- 10262-2019- New Concrete mix-design [12] Indian Standard Code- 15658-2019: Concrete Paving Blocks – Specification [13] Victor P. Ruban “Variability in the Compressive Strength of Paver Blocks Using Waste Plastic” 2022

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Sachin Kumar Yadav, Lilawati Chettri, Alisha Subba, Lancho Lepcha, Neemalhamu Lepcha, Prashika Tamang. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.