Assessment of the mechanical and physical characteristics of PET bricks with different aggregates

PEISINO, LUCAS ERNESTO; BARBERO-BARRERA, MARÍA DEL MAR; BARRIO GARCÍA-CASTRO, CLARA; KREIKER, JERÓNIMO; GAGGINO, ROSANA

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2024

0301-4797

Construction and demolition waste, along with discarded PET plastic bottles, have become a widespread global resource. However, they currently contribute to environmental pollution due to their disposal in landfills. This research  focuses on assessing the performance cement mortar made from larger PET particles in mixtures with sand, construction and demolition waste, and lightweight expanded polystyrene aggregates. The primary objective of this study is to develop a mixture suitable for non-structural elements that can be easily produced for social housing construction. This modified mixture builds upon the original certified mixture used at CEVE for brick production, which comprises cement and 3mm-long PET particles. The experimental analysis revealed that a mixture containing 8mm-long PET particles, combined withfine aggregates of construction and demolition waste, achieved a requestedmechanical strength of 2MPa, while maintaining the bulk density and hydric properties of the initial PET bricks developed at CEVE in Argentina.