Validation of Using Mixed Iron and Plastic Wastes in Concrete

Abstract

Metals and plastics waste materials create serious environmental problems, mainly owing to the inconsistency of the wastes streams. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possibility of using mixed iron filings and granulated plastic waste materials simultaneously to partially substitute the fine aggregate in concrete composites. Type I Portland cement was mixed with the aggregates to produce the concrete composites. Three weight fractions (30, 40, and 50%) of iron filings waste aggregate were used with 5% of granulated plastic waste. The slump, compressive and flexural strengths as well as the fresh and hard density of the concrete mixtures were determined. The results of the mechanical properties were analyzed in comparison to the control specimens. The main findings of this investigation revealed that the mixture of iron filings and plastic waste materials could be used successfully as partial substitutes of sand in concrete composites. Increasing the granulated plastic waste in the mixed aggregate waste materials up to 10% did not seriously hinder the strength properties of the waste-concrete specimens.