Influence of Waste Glass Powder in Cement Mortar as Partial Replacement of Cement

Abstract

The rapid increase in glass consumption in construction, packaging, and household applications has resulted in a significant rise in waste glass generation. Since waste glass is non-biodegradable, its disposal in landfills poses serious environmental and sustainability challenges. The effective utilization of waste glass in construction materials has therefore gained increasing attention as an eco-friendly alternative. This study investigates the feasibility of using waste glass powder (WGP) as a partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in cement mortar. Waste glass was collected, cleaned, crushed, and ground to obtain fine powder passing through a 75 ?m sieve. Cement was replaced with WGP at proportions of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight. Standard mortar specimens were cast and tested for compressive strength at 7 and 28 days. The results indicate that replacement levels up to 10–15% WGP show comparable or improved strength performance compared to conventional mortar, while higher replacement levels result in strength reduction. The study concludes that WGP can be effectively used as a sustainable supplementary cementitious material, contributing to waste reduction, conservation of natural resources, and reduction in carbon emissions.

Introduction

The construction industry is a major contributor to environmental pollution, with cement production alone accounting for about 7–8% of global CO? emissions. At the same time, increasing quantities of non-biodegradable waste glass pose serious disposal challenges. Finely ground waste glass powder (WGP), rich in silica, exhibits pozzolanic properties and can be used as a supplementary cementitious material, offering both environmental and technical benefits.

This study investigates the use of waste glass powder as a partial replacement for Ordinary Portland Cement in mortar. A review of existing literature shows that WGP, when finely ground and used at optimal replacement levels, improves strength, durability, and sustainability of cementitious materials, while excessive replacement can reduce performance.

Mortar mixes were prepared with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% cement replacement by WGP, maintaining a constant mix ratio and water–binder ratio. Compressive strength tests conducted at 7 and 28 days revealed that mixes with 5–10% WGP achieved strength values comparable to or slightly higher than the control mix. This improvement is attributed to pozzolanic reactions that form additional calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H) gel and refine pore structure. Higher replacement levels (15–20%) showed reduced strength due to cement dilution.

Durability tests indicated reduced water absorption, improved sulfate resistance, and mitigation of alkali–silica reaction when WGP was used in powder form. Microstructural analyses using SEM and XRD confirmed denser microstructures, reduced calcium hydroxide, and enhanced C–S–H formation in WGP-modified mortars.

Overall, the study concludes that waste glass powder can be effectively used as a sustainable partial replacement for cement, with an optimal replacement range of 5–10%, balancing mechanical performance, durability, and environmental benefits.

Conclusion

Based on the experimental investigation, it can be concluded that waste glass powder can be effectively used as a partial replacement of cement in mortar. An optimum replacement level of about 15–20% enhances compressive strength and contributes to sustainable construction. The utilization of waste glass powder reduces environmental pollution, conserves natural resources, and lowers cement consumption. Further studies on durability and microstructural characteristics are recommended. Based on the experimental investigation, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) Waste glass powder can be effectively used as a partial replacement of cement in cement mortar. 2) Normal consistency and final setting time increase with increasing glass powder content, while initial setting time decreases slightly. 3) Compressive strength improves up to an optimum replacement level of about 30% of cement. 4) Finer waste glass powder (<75 ?m) performs better than coarser glass powder due to higher pozzolanic reactivity. 5) The use of waste glass powder contributes to sustainable construction by reducing cement consumption and glass waste disposal.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Gamar Singh Dawar, Somaya Gangotiya, Kishor Patil. 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.