PRODUCTION OF PLASTIC REINFORCED CONCRETE USING HIGH DENSITY

POLYETHYLENE (HDPE) AND POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET)

WASTE PLASTICS AS AGGREGATE REPLACEMENT

A thesis proposal presented to the

Faculty of Adamson University
College of Engineering
Chemical Engineering Department

In Partial Fulfillment for the Requirements

in
Methods of Research

Arroyo, Madeline D.
Bonifacio, Sheedah D.
Mendiola, Louis Miguel H.
Pabalan, Christal Aila D.
Pan, John Mark S.

Advised by:
Engr. Robert E. Delfin
November 2018

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

Title Page I

Table of Content ……………………………………………………………… Ii

List of Figures ……………………………………………………………....... Vi

Chapter I: Introduction ……………………………………………………………… 1

1.1 Problem and its Background …………………………………………….. 1

1.2 Objectives of the Study ……………………...……………………............. 3

1.3 Significance of the Study ……………………...…………………….......... 5

1.4 Conceptual Framework ……………………………..……………............ 5

1.5 Scope and Delimitation ………………………………..…………............. 6

1.6 Definition of Terms …………………………………..………................... 6

Chapter II: Review of Related Literature …………………………..………………... 8

2.1 Concrete…………..…………………………….......................................... 8

2.1.1 Materials for Concrete Production…….……………………. 9

2.1.1.1 Aggregate………………………………. ……………… 10

2.1.1.1.1 Fine Aggregate………….…..…...……………… 12

2.1.1.1.2 Coarse Aggregate…………..…...…………..…. 13

2.1.1.2 Cement…………...……….....…….………….................... 14

2.1.1.2.1 Portland Cement..……….…..…...…………… 15

2.1.1.2.1.1 Chemical Properties of Portland 15

Cement…………………………………

2.1.1.2.1.2 Physical Properties of Portland 16

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 Cement………………………………….

2.1.1.3 Water….………...……….....…….………….................... 17

2.1.2 Concrete Reinforcement………….……….…………………….. 17

2.1.2.1 Natural Fiber …....……….....…….………….................... 18

2.1.2.2 Steel Fiber …….……….……...………………………….... 19

2.1.2.3 Glass Fiber ………….……..………………………………. 19

2.1.2.4 Carbon Fiber …….………………………………………… 20

2.1.2.5 Synthetic Fiber …….……………………………..………… 21

2.1.3 Standard for Concrete Mold....……………………………………

2.2 Plastic…..…………..…………………………….......................................... 21

2.2.1 Properties of Plastics…………………..………….……….. 21

2.2.2 Types of Plastics…………………….………………..……. 22

2.2.2.1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) ………………... 23

2.2.2.2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)........................... 23

2.3 Production of Plastic Reinforced Concrete …...........................................

2.3.1 Utilization of PET in Concrete ………………….................. 25

2.3.2 Utilization of HDPE in Concrete …….................................... 26

2.3.3 Concrete with PET and HDPE……………………………... 26

2.3.3.1 Properties of Concrete with PET and HDPE 26

Reinforcement………………….

2.3.3.1 Workability...…………..……………………....... 27

2.3.3.2 Density……...…………………………………...... 27

2.3.3.3 Compressive Strength……………..……………… 28

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 2.3.3.4 Tensile Strength…………….………………........... 28

2.3.3.5 Flexural Strength…………………………………... 28

2..3.3.6 Modulus of Elasticity……………………………… 29

2.3.3.7 Thermal Properties …….…………………………... 29

2.4 Variables to be considered in Preparing Concrete with HDPE and PET

fibers……………………………………………………

Chapter III: Methodology……………………………………………............................ 31

3.1 Chemicals, Materials and Equipment……………………………………. 31

3.1.1 Chemicals………………………………………………………….. 31

3.1.2 Materials and Equipment………………………………………… 31

3.1.2.1 Materials…………………………………………………… 31

3.1.2.2 Equipment………………………………………………… 32

3.2 Experimental Set-up……………………………………………................. 33

3.2.1 Preparation of Plastic Aggregate……..………….......................... 33

3.2.2 Preparation of Concrete……….…………………......................... 34

3.2.3 Testing of Concrete……………………………………………….. 35

3.3 Experimental Design……………………………………………................. 36

3.4 Methodology…………………………………………….............................. 37

3.4.1 Preparation of Aggregate…………………………………………. 37

3.4.2 Preparation of Concrete…………………………………………… 37

3.4.3 Testing of Concrete………………………………………………… 38

3.4.3.1 Mechanical Properties Determination……………………. 38

3.4.3.1.1 Compressive Strength of Concrete…………….. 38

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 3.4.3.1.2 Hardness of Concrete…………………………… 38

3.4.3.1.3 Impact Strength of Concrete…………………… 38

3.4.3.1.4 Tensile Strength of Concrete…………………… 38

3.4.3.1.5 Flexural Strength………………………………... 38

3.4.3.2 Thermal Properties………………………………………… 39

3.4.3.3 Acid Test……………………………………………………. 39

3.4.3.3.1 Hydrochloric Acid Test…………………………. 39

3.4.3.3.2 Sulfuric Acid Test……………………………….. 39

3.4.4 Comparison of the Concrete with Plastic Reinforcement 40

to Control Specimen……………………………………………… 40

3.4 Statistical Treatment……………………………………………………… 40

References………………………………………………………………………………... 41

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Title Page

3.2.1 Preparation of Plastic Aggregate 48

3.2.2 Preparation of Polymer Concrete 49

3.2.3 Testing of the Polymer Concrete 50

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Problem and Its Background

Plastics play a prevalent role in our everyday lives. Plastics can be found in most of the

materials that people use. It contributes an important part to variety of materials in our society

today such as in medical and healthcare application; food and water packaging and storage;

automotive industry; toy and furniture industry; and in clothing and footwear manufacturing.

However, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reported that 300 million tons

of plastic waste is produced every year and half of all plastic produced is designed to be used

only once and thrown away. In addition, the Philippines was reported as the third worst plastic

polluters of the ocean. The country generates 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste each year,

of which 521,000 tons ends up in the ocean. Plastic has very low biodegradability and takes up to

450 years to decompose in landfills. Plastics also poses threat to marine and terrestrial life. Due

to the wide range use of plastics, it is impossible to eliminate them in our daily life. It is

necessary to utilize plastic wastes in other fields in order to inhibit the negative effects of plastic

disposing.

On the other hand, concrete is considered as the most extensively used artificial material.

In fact, according to World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the most widely used

man-made material in the world with a global annual production of up to 20 billion tons is

concrete. Cement production and the concrete industry where it is ultimately applied and

consumed are important and dynamic sectors of the world economy and in every country

(Potgieter, 2012). However, the large annual production of concrete consequently leads to an

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equally large consumption of component materials annually around 15 billion tons of aggregates

and 4.2 billion tons of cement (US Geological Survey, 2015). In addition, UNEP warned about

the growing scarcity on concrete aggregates. This industry is facing problem due to

unavailability of construction material of cement, sand and coarse aggregate. Sand and gravel

account for up to 85% of everything mined globally each year. The UNEP also found out that

extraction causes major local ecological, geological and hydrological damage. This damages and

the massive biodiversity loss has an effect on the fisheries and food chains. Aquatic damages

endanger the supplies of drinking water and environmental safety, and the carbon footprint of

transporting these aggregates over increasingly long distances is considerable.

A solution to the occurring problem in concrete production and the disposal of plastic

waste is the reinforcement of plastic waste particularly Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) to concrete production. Usage of graded waste PET bottles

as a concrete aggregate is considered as the most economical use of PET bottles in concrete.

HDPE is also an appealing medium for scientific and technological research because it is a low

cost plastic having good properties and versatility. Various researches have been conducted to

investigate various aspects in the behavior of concrete mix with HDPE component. This provide

alternative waste disposal and reduction of natural mineral aggregates usage. Addition of plastic

waste has an effect on the concrete’s properties. Recycled plastic can be successfully used as

fraction of fine aggregate in concrete to increase the split tensile strength, compressive strength

and flexural strength and has excellent crack resistance property. The use of recycled plastics

made an eco-friendly way of disposing the plastic. The reuse of waste plastic in concrete helps to

reduce environmental impacts and best choice of strengthening of building (Structural

Engineering Student & Professor, 2017). Under appropriate mix composition of recycled plastic

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for aggregate replacement in concrete mix can improve concrete properties. If an effective

solution of plastic disposal can be realized, it is forecast that approximately 30% of total

disposed plastic could be reduced. Plastic waste inclusion in the concrete mixture can also

significantly contribute towards the advancement of the construction industry (Kamaruddin,

Abdullah, Zawawi, & Zainol, 2017).

Though this topic has gained popularity among researchers in the past few years, small

attention has been given to properties such as specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, acid

resistance and permeability of plastic waste concrete. Little research has been done to compare

the effects of varying composition of PET and HDPE plastics as aggregate on the properties of

concrete. This study has investigated the effect of HDPE and PET individually and as a mixture

to the property of concrete particularly in hardness, tensile strength, flexural strength, thermal

and acid resistance.

1.2 Objective of the Study

This research aims to produce a plastic reinforced concrete using High Density

Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) as waste plastic aggregate.

Specifically, this study aims to:

1.2.1 Determine the effect of adding the HDPE and PET waste plastics to the concrete

mixture in terms of:

1.2.1.1 Oven Curing Temperature with values

1.2.1.1.1 40°C

1.2.1.1.2 60°C

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 1.2.1.1.3 80°C

1.2.1.2 wt% ratio of

1.2.1.2.1 25:75%

1.2.1.2.2 50:50%

1.2.1.2.3 75:25%

1.2.2 Evaluate the concrete produced in terms of:

1.2.2.1 Compressive Strength

1.2.2.2 Hardness

1.2.2.3 Tensile Strength

1.2.2.4 Flexural Strength

1.2.2.5 Thermal Properties

1.2.2.5.1 Furnace Temperature

1.2.2.5.1.1 500°C

1.2.2.5.1.2 1000°C

1.2.2.5.1.3 1500°C

1.2.3 Evaluate the concrete in terms of:

1.2.3.1 Sulfuric Acid Resistance

1.2.3.2 Hydrochloric Acid Resistance

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1.3 Significance of the Study

This research aims to produce concrete with HDPE and PET reinforcements as a

cheaper and more sustainable substitute for traditional aggregates. Results of this study

will be beneficial to the following:

Industry

This research may be significant in developing a solution to revise the traditional

method of concrete production to cope up with the changing demands of the construction

industry. This research also aims to produce concrete that has enhanced mechanical

properties.

Environment

This research provides innovative means of using HDPE and PET which are

detrimental to the environment if not disposed properly. This also provide alternative to

minimize the effect of traditional aggregate scarcity.

Future Researchers

This research may serve as an aid for the future researchers who would conduct

comprehensive research regarding concrete production or plastic recycling. The data,

results and graph can be used as their basis for testing new methods or parameters.

1.4 Conceptual Framework

HDPE and PET plastics are some of the most common types of plastic wastes.

These types of plastics are known to have excellent impact and chemical resistance,

high tensile strength and toughness (Villafañe, Keogh, Curran, & Reynaud, 2018).

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 In a research, it was found out that HDPE plastics in structural concrete increases

the tensile strength and flexural modulus (Pešić, Živanović, Garcia, & Papastergiou,

2016), while PET plastic fibers increase the compressive strength, tensile strength and

modulus of elasticity (Irwan et al., 2013). Aside from that, adding HDPE and PET

plastic fibers into the concrete mix is a great way to recycle plastic.

In a research about the effect of curing temperature on metakolin-based

geopolymer, cylindrical specimens were subjected to steam curing at temperatures 40ºC,

60ºC and 80ºC and they found out that steam curing at 60-80ºC increases the tensile

strength of the concrete and that at 80ºC, the highest compressive strength was attained.

(Ekaputri, Junaedi & Wijaya, 2017). Hence, in this research, the specimens containing

different weight percent of HDPE and PET fibers that were placed in casts were steam

cured at temperatures 40ºC, 60ºC and 80ºC for 24 hrs.

HDPE and PET are to be used as coarse and fine aggregate of the concrete mix

respectively which will be advantageous since it was proven that these materials enhance

some of the mechanical properties of the concrete. Also, this research will be

environmentally friendly since it involves utilizing these materials that are known to

harm the environment when they are not properly disposed.

In this research, PET and HDPE plastics from post-consumer wastes were used

respectively as coarse and fine aggregates in concrete. Specimens containing different

weight percent of HDPE and PET were placed in a furnace at different temperatures then

subjected to different tests measuring the following properties: compressive strength,

hardness, flexural strength, tensile strength, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid

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 resistance. PET and HDPE plastics were used as aggregates to enhance the said

properties.

1.5 Scope and Delimitations

This research will focus on the production of concrete with HDPE and PET as

reinforcements. HDPE and PET will be used as the raw materials as well as Portland

cement. The study will be focusing on the variation of weight percent of the HDPE and

PET and the curing temperature on how it affects the hardness of the concrete,

compression resistance and impact resistance. Also, the study will not exceed in

discussing on the produced materials’ other uses and economic value.

1.6 Definition of Terms

Aggregate. A category of course to medium grained materials containing sand, gravel,

crushed, stone, slag, and etc.

Compressive Strength. The resistance of material to breakage under compression.

Curing. The use of heat to harden a polymer.

Flexural Strength. The resistance of material to bending.

Hardness. The resistance of the material to plastic deformation upon applying stress.

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastics. Type of plastic used as fine aggregates.

Mechanical Properties. Properties of material such as hardness, ductility, strength, impact

resistance, etc.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastics. Type of plastic used as coarse aggregates.

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Tensile Strength. The resistance of material to breakage under tension

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 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents an overview of previous literature and studies on the use of plastic

waste as a concrete or cement reinforcements.

2.1 Concrete

2.1.1 Materials for Concrete Production

2.1.1.1 Aggregates

According to Meyer, C. (2003), aggregates are grained materials

like sand and gravel. It is made by passing it through various sieves with

standard mesh sizes for the type of aggregate. Aggregates that passed

through sieve #4 with 4.75 mm openings are referred to as fine aggregate,

while materials that are larger than the sieve opening are referred as coarse

aggregate. The aggregates for the study were waste plastics consisting of

PET and HDPE. These plastic wastes can be obtained from waste produce

by household consumer (Marzouk et al., 2016). Zawawi (2015) found that

due to the mechanical and chemical characteristics of PET and HDPE, it is

suitable to be used as modifier in asphalt and concrete mixture.

2.1.1.1 Cement

Cement binds the concrete ingredients together and is instrumental

for the strength of the composite. Most common cement type is Portland

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Cement, a pneumatic cement which hardens through mixing with water

and other binders (Meyer, 2003).

2.1.1.1.1 Physical Properties of Portland Cement

2.1.1.1.1.1 Soundness

We can say that the cement is not good when it shrinks as it

hardens (Biswas, 2013). There are common tests used for ensuring

soundness of cement and they are the Le Chatelier Test and

Autoclave Test. In the Le Chatelier’s Test, through a Le Chatelier

Apparatus the expansion of cement due to lime is tested.

2.1.1.1.1.2 Fineness

Cement fineness is one of the common factor that affects

the hydration process of cement which would also affect the

strength gain by the cement (Biswas, 2013). According to Building

Research Institute (2008), the fineness of cement measures the

ratio of specific surface area and a given mass of cement and is

quantified in m2/kg. The number of particles present in the powder

contributes to the effect on the cement fineness. The strength

development of the cement is directly proportional to the strength

of the cement.

2.1.1.1.1.3 Compressive Strength

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 The cement paste is the only one that cannot be tested as

for the compressive strength of the cement. For this reason,, either

cement-sand mortar cubes or “cement-concrete cubes” are made.

The outcome of the testing of cubes can be affected by several

things such as water-cement ratio, curing and dampness of cubes

during testing. Standard compressive strength, N/mm2, for 3 days

mortar cube should be 16 and for 7 days cube should be 22

(Biswas ,2013).

2.1.1.1.1.4 Setting Time

According to Building Research Institute (2008), the

required time in order for the cement paste to reach the rigid stage

can also be denoted to the time required to stiffen the cement paste.

The initial setting and final setting time are normally the two

setting times defined. The time covered between the time of water

addition, and the time when the mixture obtained enough firmness

to resist a certain pressure and reach a certain moisture is the

setting time.

2.1.1.2.2 Chemical Properties of Portland Cement

According to Ali et al. (2008), during calcination or when heating

to high temperatures like oxygen and air, the volume contracts, and during

hydration or the process of combining a substance chemically with water

molecules it swells.

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 According to Bediako (2015), the chemical composition of

Portland cement involves both major and minor oxides. The major oxides

include CaO, SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3 whereas the minor oxides also

include MgO, SO3, and some alkali oxides (K2O and Na2O) and

sometimes the inclusion of other compounds, P2O5, Cl, TiO2, MnO3, and

so forth. Each of the oxides performs unique work during cement

hydration; however, during proportioning of raw materials, each content

of the oxide must be in the right quantity.

2.1.1.3 Water

Water is important in the concrete production. Water contaminants or

components may affect the properties of the concrete such as durability and

strength. The chemical components of the water constituent may also affect the

setting time, hardening and strength development of concrete. (Kucche, Jamkar,

& Sadgir, 2015).

2.1.2 Fiber Reinforcement

Fiber reinforcement contributes to the ability of body to carry a certain amount of

load. This body is surrounded of fibers within its matrix. The fiber acts as the principal-

load carrying members and protects the body form environmental damages due to heat

and acidity. The load is moved from the matrix to the fiber by shear deformation. The

transfer of load occurs because of the different physical properties between the matrix

and the fiber (Rivera, 2013).

2.1.2.1 Different Types of Fibers Used for Concrete Reinforcement

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2.1.2.1.1. Natural Fiber as Fiber Reinforcement

Natural fibers are neither synthetic nor manmade. These can be

drawn from herbs or animals. Natural fibers were said to be low cost fiber

reinforcement. It is also lightweight and a more environmental – friendly

substitute to glass fibers. It also has greater amount on its fiber content

which helps in lowering a polluting content of a base polymer. Since these

fibers are lightweight, the composite enhances its fuel efficiency and

lowers emission in the presence of the component’s phase (Joshi, Drzal,

Mohanty, & Arora, 2004).

The composite’s strength has been improved by Fereria et al. with

the use of a natural fiber as its fiber reinforcement. A mixture fiber

composite was consumed in this reinforcement. This fiber composite has a

propylene hemp layer which is adjacent to the interface’s bond. The

reinforcement done was expected to generate additional uniform stress in

short-term regions. According to the experiment done by Richardson and

Zhang, the use of Eucalyptus urograndis or rose gum pulp as a

reinforcement helped the thermoplastic starch to increase its tensile

strength by 100% and it also exhibited a 50% increase on its modulus.

Jayaraman and Bhattacharya stated that with the use of wood fiber, the

mechanical performance of the composite and tensile strength did not

change nor showed any difference. A study by Zulkifli et al. showed that

the increased amount of natural fiber in propylene composites decreases

its toughness.

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2.1.2.1.2 Steel Fiber as Fiber Reinforcement

A high strength composite can be improved by adding steel

reinforcement can increase the mechanical properties of the concrete in

terms of its toughness, splitting tensile strength, rupture’s modulus and

lastly is toughness index. Marar et al. stated that the compressive strength

of a reinforced concrete increased as the fiber volume increases. Splitting

tensile strength and also the rupture’s modulus also increased when the

volume of the fiber increased (Song & Hwang, 2004).

2.1.2.1.3 Glass Fiber as Fiber Reinforcement

Glass fiber reinforcement developed the mechanical flexural

behavior of the variable used in an experiment. Eighteen pieces of

specimen has been presented to be tested and observed. A reinforced

composite showed a much higher maximum load compared to the

unreinforced composite. The maximum load of the reinforced composite is

six times greater than the unreinforced one. In terms of stiffness, a slight

increase was observed between the two, it still gave a good impact to the

composite (Pazeto, Amaral, Pinheiro, & Paraguassú, 2017).

2.1.2.1.4 Carbon Fiber as Fiber Reinforcement

In an experiment conducted by Fei et al., Carbon reinforcement

can improve the tensile strength and also the flexural strength of a

composite which was proven by an experiment conducted by Fei et al.

(2017). In their experiment titanium dioxide nanorods was used as the

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experimental variable. A uniform titanium dioxide rod showed a

significant change on its flexural and tensile strength. Eighty-Four percent

improvements in terms of tensile strength were observed and almost

seventy-four percent was noticed in terms of flexural strength. The carbon

reinforcement also helped the titanium dioxide to decrease by 56% in

terms of its wear rate. According to the experiment conducted by Wang et

al. that the carbon reinforcement to a certain composite tend to be

unsteady because of the low wettability and also the surface of the carbon

fiber is said to be chemically inert. These factors limit the effect of

reinforcement to the composite. Even though these factors decreased the

potential of carbon fiber reinforcement, a remarkable improvement was

observed in the graphite oxide sheets which are reinforced with carbon.

The composite’s maximum load had increased by 75.6% (Wang et al.,

2017).

2.1.2.1.5 Synthetic Fiber as Fiber Reinforcement

Synthetic fibers are widely consumed mostly in double walls,

pipelines and also sleepers. Utilization of this type of reinforcement can

help to manipulate and interrupt the growth of the crack and also enhance

the toughness of the concrete. This type of fiber enhances a brittle

concrete to make it tougher materials compared to the unreinforced

concrete. This helps the concrete to have a resistance from cracks and also

improves its malleability. Synthetic fiber is a great substitute to steel fiber

reinforcement since it prevents corrosion. It also protects the concrete

21
 from the negative reactions such as reactions of alkaline, water that is

acidic, and other microorganisms. A study of Foti (2013) confirmed the

improvements of a concrete due to the addition of the fibers. Foti used

polyethylene terephthalate bottles being the fibers to be used in the

reinforcement. Result from Foti’s report showed that the use of synthetic

fiber has a higher tensile strength compared to other types of

reinforcements (Khalid, Irwan, Wan Ibrahim, Othman, & Shahidan, 2018).

According to Juhász et al., fiber length has a great impact on its

performance as reinforcement. It was also said that the longer the fiber, a

higher post crack capacity will be obtained. Ochi et al. stated and

confirmed that if the fiber and concrete has a bigger area of contact with

each other gives a higher pull out energy. It was also confirmed that longer

fiber gives greater friction energy. Longer fibers significantly affect the

strength of the concrete. According to Irwan et al. (2018), volume of the

fiber is not the principal factor that affects the compressive strength of the

concrete, it was said that length and shape are the main contributors why

the concrete has a higher compressive strength (Khalid et al., 2018).

2.1.3 Standard for Concrete Mold

According to (ASTM:C192/C192M-13, 2013), cylinders should be set in an

upright position in a cylinder or splitting tensile strength. The length must be two times

the diameter. The diameter of the cylinder must be at least thrice the used size of the

coarse aggregate. If the size of the coarse aggregate is greater than 50 mm, then the

sample shall be process through wet sieving through a two in sieve. The accepted testing

22
 of the compressive strength, the cylinders must be 150 mm by 300 mm or if specified 4 x

8 in. ( 100 by 200 mm).

2.2 Plastics and Its Uses

Plastics have played an omnipresent role in our lives. Since 1600 BC, the use of polymers

already benefited humans. From then, plastic has been increasingly applied to the needs of the

people until the development of modern thermoplastics in the nineteenth century began.

The five major commodity plastics are polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene,

polystyrene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Polyethylene Terephthalate and Polyethylene are

the most easily recycled plastics (R.Kavitha & Mohanan, 2014). Plastics contribute an important

part to the range of things used in modern society, it can be found in most of the materials that

people use. An important application of plastic is its beneficial use in public health. It is used in

medical devices such as aseptic medical packaging, surgical equipment, drips and blister packs

for pills. It also supplies food packaging that reduces food wastage making it safe and time-

dependent, such as in the use of modified atmosphere packaging that prolongs the life of

vegetables and meat. It also facilitates clean drinking water supplies. The application of plastics

has reached the automotive and toy/furniture industry. Usage of plastic in this industry lowers

the unit cost and improves the performance specifications as a substitute for substances like

metals, wood, glass, and paper. Clothing and footwear relies heavily in using plastics. Apparel

manufacturer converts around 40 million tons of plastics into textile fiber, mainly polyester,

acrylics and nylon (Andrady & Neal, 2009).

2.2.1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

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 According to Mendivil Escalante et al., (2015) in a Research entitled “Synthesis

and Characterization of PET polymer resin for your application in concrete”, PET was

purposely patented for fiber manufacturing derived from a combination of two

monomers: dimethyl terephthalate elements such as Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen.

Escalante also stated that The Society of the Plastics Industry, identifies PET with the

logo of the three arrows in the center and the number one (100% recyclable) at bottom of

the containers.

Polyethylene Terephthalate has many significant uses yet generates at the end of

their use. It can contaminate nature and its degradation process in said to be between 100

and 1000 years therefore, it is important to provide a solution in forming other uses of

this material.

Sulyman, Haponiuk, & Formela, (2016) defined PET as a transparent polymer

containing dimensional stability and good mechanical properties under variable load. It

also has good chemical resistance and gas barrier properties.

2.2.1.1 Sources of PET

Many research papers stated that there is a big problem arising when it

comes to the disposal of plastic waste. A great number of these plastics were

known as High Density Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate.

Researchers are seeking solutions on how to improve the end life of Plastics.

Sulyman et al., (2016), categorized and identified the different sources of

waste PET into three: 1) Bottles 2) Foils 3) Cord from tires. The main problem

occurring with these sources is the recycling after use.

24
2.2.2 High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

A research about “Effect of Changing Environments on Microstructure of HDPE

Polymer” stated that HDPE plastic is a good material for technological and scientific

studies due to its good properties, versatility and low cost.

Many studies were conducted to look into various aspects in the potential

application of HDPE’s weathering behavior in outdoor exposure. The following

environmental parameters: humidity, temperature, radiation, biological agents, and

chemical exposure influence the strength of a polymer by intervening changes in its

structure. The most important parameter in using and designing polymers for load

bearing engineering applications is the effect of temperature on its stiffness (Bal, Mahesh,

Sen, & Ray, 2007).

Sutar et al., (2018) conducted a study about the Mechanical, Thermal, and

Crystallization properties of Polypropylene reinforced composites with High Density

Polyethylene and stated that due to its little branching, HDPE has a large strength to

density ratio. The compatibility of HDPE and PP is dependent on factors like polymer

structure, processing temperature and blending ratio. It was concluded that the formation

of polyblend with greater mechanical strength is achieved by polymers with similar

physical properties. The improvement of flexural and tensile strength is due to the

dispersion of PP in HDPE. The dispersion of PP in HDPE improves tensile and flexural

strengths.

Durability and stability contributes a huge role in the widespread applications of

plastics and polymers. The most easily recycled plastics are Polyethylene Terephthalate

25
 and Polyethylene. The most widely used types of polythene are the Low-Density

Polyethylene (LDPE) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) (R.Kavitha & Mohanan,

2014).

2.3. Production of Concrete with Plastic Reinforcements

A research in Shahjalal University of Science and Technology about the usage of

recycled polymer materials as aggregates for concretes also used HDPE wastes as a partial

concrete reinforcement. The concrete was prepared in the ratio of 1:2:4 (cement: fine aggregate:

coarse aggregate with waste plastic, HDPE) H2O basis together with a water and cement

combination of 0.40:1.00. The weight of the HDPE added were based on the weight of coarse

aggregate. Fresh concrete was prepared by mixing the computed quantity of fine and coarse

aggregates, sand, water and plastic waste were according to the procedure and process as

established by ASTM C 31-84. The mixture was then placed into a .1524 m box molds with

vibration according to the established process by ASTM, C31-84. After 24 hours, the specimens

were demolded and were placed in water for 28 days for curing (Rahman et al., 2012).

According to Jassim (2017), longer curing time increase the cohesion in the concrete.

A research that both used recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET) and recycled high-

density polyethylene (RHDPE) as cement concrete composite was conducted in the University of

Picardie Jules Verne in France. For each sample type, the quantity of water was determined in

such a way that paste subsidence in the cone equaled the controlled specimen mortar. The fresh

concrete was poured in the molds, the samples were stored in a hydrometrically-controlled and

temperature-controlled room with 95% relative humidity ant 20°C for 24 hours. The molds were

removed, and the concretes were kept in a storage room for another 28 days. The composites

26
were dried in an aerated oven at 50°C until constant mass was achieved (Dheilly, R. M.,

Marzouk, O. Y., and Queneudec, M., 2016).

2.3.1 Utilization of PET in Asphalt Pavement

According to (Mendivil Escalante et al., 2015), a suitable method for conversion

of materials with potential application in concrete additive is chemical recycling.

Concrete may improve their properties by modifying waste PET. Therefore, it is

necessary to create a process that allows such application, this requires the study of

thermal sequencing chemistry that allows the said additive to elevate the industrial

application in the construction and in the use of concrete.

A research entitled “Utilization of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in

Engineering Materials: A Review” by Sulyman et al., (2016) discussed PET as a

contributor in modifying the engineering and physical properties of construction

materials such as concrete and asphalt. Asphalt has been used as the binder aggregates in

road pavement construction. However, serious temperature susceptibility such as low

temperature cracking damage, medium temperature fatigue and high temperature rutting

were shown in coating layer and asphalt mixture. By modifying asphalt with the addition

of polymers its quality can significantly improve, especially its rheological properties.

Improvements in temperature susceptibility, thermal cracking, rutting resistance,

stripping and fatigue damage is also accomplished by substituting PET for asphalt

pavements. This is used when durability and extra performance are desired; it is also used

to lessen the life cycle costs of PET. Polymer modified binders also show enhanced

cohesion and adhesion properties.

27
 Sulyman et al., (2016) also enumerated six reasons to modify asphalts with

plastics: 1) it reduces cracking and obtain softer blends at low temperatures, 2) it reduces

rutting and obtain stiffer blends at high temperatures, 3) it reduces viscosity, 4) it

increases the strength and stability of mixtures, 5) it upgrades the fatigue and abrasion

resistance of blends, also the aging and oxidation resistance, 6) it reduces life costs and

structural thickness of pavements. The improvement in performance of asphalt

pavements can be achieved by increasing mixture resistance to thermal cracking, fatigue

cracking and permanent deformation to polymers. Polyethylene Terephthalate has been

found to be the most effective polymer additive due to its semi crystallinity and low glass

transition temperature.

(Rahman & Omardin, 2016) experimented about the “Characterization of recycled

Polyethylene Terephthalate as Partial Fine Aggregate Replacement Properties and

Behavior of Asphalt Mixtures for Road Pavements” wherein resulted the optimum

bitumen content for PET modified asphalt mixture to 5.5% of weight of asphalt mixture

and the maximum stiffness modulus is 3300 MPa at unmodified asphalt mixture. All PET

modified asphalt mixture resist to rutting at 1800 cycle especially 20% PET modified

asphalt mixture. In addition, 5% and 15% PET modified asphalt mixture are resistant to

fatigue as the strain at 1800 cycle are lower than unmodified asphalt mixture. In

conclusion, the 5.5% bitumen content and additional 5% replacement aggregate of

recycled PET plastic on asphalt mixture would enhance all engineering properties asphalt

mixture for road pavement.

28
2.3.1 Utilization of Waste PET in Concrete

The inclusion of fibers to concrete would act as crack inhibitors and

substantially upgrade the cracking resistant, tensile strength, impact strength,

ductility and fatigue resistance of the modified concrete. Fiber reinforced concrete

was essentially used for industrial floors and pavements. Today, the fiber

reinforced cement composite is being used for tunnels, bridges, canal linings,

pipes, hydraulic structures, safety valves, explosion resistance structures, rolled

compacted concrete and cladding. Fibers supplies resistance to crack opening and

crack propagation before being pulled out or stressed to rupture. The tensile

strength of concrete can be enhanced through fiber reinforcement. Cracking can

be effectively controlled and section thickness can be reduced by using FRC

instead of conventional concrete resulting in lighter structures with longer life.

Other benefits of FRC include improved wear resistance, fatigue strength, and

durability (Sulyman et. al, 2016)

The proposal of waste PET bottles to PET fibers resulted in a lower cost

fiber reinforced concrete. The use of fiber waste PET directly as an aggregate in

the mortar production or concrete is considered the most economical use of waste

PET bottles in concrete, it also provides benefits in reducing pollution of

environment and waste disposal since natural mineral aggregates resources

remain unused.

In reusing PET plastic wastes, it is most suitable in construction

engineering. The addition of waste PET in concrete will lessen the mining burden

29
for natural aggregate and will produce an eco-friendly way of recycling waste

plastics (Saxena, Siddique, Gupta, Sharma & Chaudhary, 2018)

Waste plastics may be an undesired property for its slow degradation in

the natural environment but it appears to be a valuable material in construction.

They can be properly utilized when added to concrete since it will also provide a

solution for environment problems caused by them. Several researches about the

use of recycled plastic waste in concrete have been carried out. Most of them

dealt with recycling of Polypropylene (PP), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE),

and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE). These materials have been recycled and

used as aggregates in replacing conventional aggregates in the production of

concrete and polyblocks, and the effect of waste plastic materials on the physical

and mechanical properties of poly blocks/concrete have been studied (Rahman,

Islam, Ahmed, & Salam, 2012).

2.3.2 Influence of PET in Concrete Strength

A research study entitled “Influence of Continuous Plastic Reinforcement

arrangement in Concrete Strengthened” by (Baldenebro-Lopez et al., 2014)

Several studies have been oriented in adding recycled plastics in the concrete mix.

Waste plastics have been used as constituent in mortar, cement pastes and

concrete. The performance of concrete improves with the reinforcement of short

plastic fibers and eliminates its disadvantages such as low ductility, low tensile

strength and low energy absorption capacity. The thermal performance of

concrete mixed with PET improves. Flexural strength, ductility, and toughness of

concrete also increase. The research concluded that plastic waste is a promising

30
reinforcement as a concrete aggregate (Nibudey, Nagarnaik, Parbat, & Pande,

2013)

(Foti, 2013) reported that the mechanical concrete properties may improve

by adding low concentrations of waste PET fibers. The compressive strength,

thermal conductivity, ductility and first crack strength noticeably improves

compared to unreinforced concrete.

2.3.3 Polymer blends based on HDPE and PET

(Chen, Ab Ghani, Salleh, Ahmad, & Gan, 2014) conducted a research

entitled “Influence of Blend Composition and Compatibilizer on Mechanical and

Morphological Properties of Recycled HDPE/PET Blends” This study

investigated the effects of compatibilizer content and PET on the morphological

stability and mechanical properties of HDPE-rich blends. It showed an

enhancement in HDPE/PET (75/25 wt/wt) blend in flexural strength and tensile

properties as compared with those of the neat HDPE. It concluded that as the PET

content increased, the strain at break showed a decreasing trend.

2.3.4. Properties of Plastic as a Possible Concrete Reinforcement

Some studies reviewed recent reports on the plastic waste materials used

in concrete mix and its properties. Using recycled plastic materials in concrete has

been researched extensively and has gained significant interest from many

researchers.

A research paper entitled “Potential use of Plastic Waste as Construction

Materials: Recent Progress and Future Prospect” showed that addition of waste

31
plastic can improve some properties of concrete when mixed in appropriate

composition. About 30% of total waste disposed from solid waste was reported to

be diminished if optimum solution of plastic was utilized as partial aggregate

replacement (Kamaruddin et al., 2017). The use of plastic waste in concrete was

inferred to significantly provide more holistic and sustainable construction

industry. In addition, Logachandran and Kalaivani (2017) concluded on their

feasibility study that recycled plastic waste can be successfully used as partial

replacement of fine aggregate in concrete to increase the split tensile strength,

compressive strength and flexural strength and has excellent crack resistance

property. Hence, the reuse of recycled plastic waste in concrete helps to reduce

environmental impacts and best choice of strengthening of building. However, a

review by Gu and Ozbakkaloglu (2016) showed that the 84 recent reports on the

topic proved the use of recycled plastic aggregates in concrete would not result in

such an improvement while the use recycled plastic fibers in concrete can

improve concrete properties. These studies were classified depending on whether

they involve concrete with plastic fibers (35 studies) or with plastic aggregates

(49 studies).

Plastics were mixed in with concrete mainly in two different forms, one of

them as plastic aggregates (PA), which replaced natural aggregates and plastic

fiber (PF). The properties of fresh and hardened concrete with added plastic

materials were investigated in several studies. Researches show that adding

plastic affects the properties of concrete.

2.3.4.1 Workability

32
 The property of newly prepared and mixed concrete which is

characterized by ease and uniformity when mixed, consolidated, placed

and finished is the workability. Concrete specimen can be workable based

on several requirements. Adding plastic waste affects the free water

available in the mixture of concrete hence its workability. Concrete mix

workability changes when PET aggregates are added since PET particles

tend to have larger specific surface area compared with fine aggregates

such as sand resulting to more friction between the particles (Rahmani,

Dehestani, Beygi, Allahyari, & Nikbin, 2013).

2.3.4.2Density

The material’s density is defined as mass to volume ratio.

Densities of samples were usually at dry condition just before the

compressive strength test. Reduction in density of PET aggregate concrete

compared to natural aggregate concrete ranges between 4% and 10%

(Islam, Meherier, & Islam, 2016). The density for cement mix with PET

decreased with increase the water-cement ratio while the density

controlled specimen did not significantly change. This is because of the

low unit weight of PET compared to regular coarse aggregate.

On the other hand, compared to the control specimen, the true

density of the sample decreased by 5% when the HDPE content is 15%,

12% decrease for 30% HDPE, 19% decrease for 45% HDPE, and 25%

decrease when 60% is added. Thus, the density of control composite

mortar was higher compared to mortar which contained HDPE. This

33
phenomenon which lead reduction can be explained by the grain size

distribution of the medium sized aggregates of HDPE which led to bigger

pore volume.

2.3.4.3 Compressive Strength

The most significant characteristic of concrete is the compressive

strength, it is necessary to know the compressive strength of the control

and mixture with substitute aggregate before it is used.

Rahmani et al. (2013) observed that the 5% substitute of fine

aggregates with PET particles resulted to better results in compression.

The compressive strength increases by 8.86% for water-cement ratio of

0.42 and 11.97% for water-cement ratio of 0.52 with the 5% replacement.

In addition, when up to 2% of PET bottle fibers replaced the aggregate,

19.23% increase in compressible strength was observed. Decrease was

observed after 4% of the fine aggregates where being replaced. After 2%

of the PET fiber substitute was replaced, the compressibility strength of

the concrete would increase, therefore it can be concluded that the value of

the percentage of fine aggregates of PET is tolerated.. (Www, Ramadevi,

& Manju, 2012).

Malagaveli (2011) showed that after the addition of 3.5% HDPE

fiber, 7.96% of the compressive strength would increased when 28-day of

curing was finished. However, the decrease in strength of the concrete

decreased when more than 3.5% was added. On the research conducted by

Badache et al. (2018), at 180 days incorporating of recycled HDPE as

34
aggregate with 15% interval into mortars, resulted in a decrease in the

strength by 2% with respect to the specimen control which is the mortar.

The mechanical property of PET and HDPE resulted to improvement

concrete’s compressibility strength (Saikia & De Brito, 2014).

2.3.4.4 Tensile Strength

In understanding the concrete’s behavior to tension, the split

tensile strength is calculated. This is done to understand the immediate

measurement of the concrete’s tensile strength. When tensile stress is

applied, the effect of the plastic addition on the split tensile strength of

concrete been discussed in some research.

Rahmani et al. (2013) reported that the decrease in the tensile

strength is because of the smoother surface texture and larger surface area

of PET particles negatively affects the bond strength when compared to

sand. Malagaveli (2011) evaluated that with a fiber content of 3.5%, the

split tensile strength of the sample increased by 14% and decreased if

3.5% of the HDPE content was increased.

2.3.4.5 Flexural Strength

The concrete’s resistance to failure when bent is defined as the

flexural strength. As the amount of PET particles increases, the flexural

strength of concrete decreases (Saikia & De Brito, 2014). In their

research, 5, 10 and 15% PET aggregates were used. However, the results

of flexural strengths of specimens presented in the research of

(Sadrmomtazi, Dolati-Milehsara, Lotfi-Omran, & Sadeghi-Nik, 2016),

35
indicated that PET aggregates has caused decrease in flexural strength

cement mixes. This was caused by the reduction in adhesive strength

between waste PET aggregates and cement paste and hence the decrease

in flexural strength. At the age of 28 days, the flexural strength of mix was

decreased up to 14.7% which contains silica fume. Flexural strength of the

sample was highest with respect to control specimen when 4% PET fiber

was used.

Malagaveli (2011) concluded that the flexural strength was acquire

which is 17.47% relative to the control. For strength purposes, it was

found out that a 2% maximum fiber could be used. In addition, flexural

toughness is one of the most important characteristics of HDPE fiber

reinforced concrete over the plain concrete according to Pešić et al.

(2016). As 0.75–1.25% of added HDPE fibers (by volume) can sustain a

constant post-cracking tensile capacity of concrete at a level of 30–40% of

the flexural capacity peak.

2.3.4.6 Modulus of elasticity

Rahmani et al. (2013) determined static modulus of elasticity for

concrete mixtures, when various amount of PET is used in the mixes with

various water-cement ratios. Replacing fine aggregates with PET resulted

to the reduction of the modulus of elasticity which has linear relationship

to PET content. The weak bond between the PET particles can be pointed

out as another reason. The reduction in modulus of elasticity can be due

36
to the small modulus of elasticity of PET particles as far as the

deformation of concrete is related to the aggregates elastic deformation.

The dynamic modulus of elasticity decreased by 73% upon the

addition of HDPE waste in mortars. Hence, the production of cementitious

materials that are resistant and more versatile to impacts using HDPE

fibers and grains is feasible (Badache et al., 2018). The modulus of

elasticity of HDPE fibres produced from the recycled sources are lower

than those of the engineering grade HDPE but they still improved a

number of serviceability properties of concrete.

2.3.4.7 Thermal Property

Using the guarded hot plate method, the thermal conductivity

property was tested in a study by Corinadelsi et al. (2015). The utilization

of PET as aggregate filler allowed to reach extremely low values of

thermal conductivity. In the other cases, quite lower values of thermal

conductivity were obtained by using together both PET particles and

pulverized glass fiber reinforced plastic with respect to the values reported

in for plasters with plastic waste.

Badache, Benosman, Senhadji and Mouli (2018) illustrated the

thermal conductivity of cement mortar at ambient temperature differs

according to the age of the cement. As the cement ages, its conductivity

decreases. The lowest thermal conductivity was found in the mortar with

4:6 HDPE sand ratio for different ages compared to the other mortars. As

37
 a result, it can be deduced that usage of HDPE sand in composite mortars

enhanced the energy performance of most buildings and construction.

2.4 Variables to be considered in Preparing Concrete with HDPE and PET

fibers

An experimental research conducted by Saxena, Siddique, Gupta, Sharma,

& Chaudhary (2018) the concrete’s impact resistance with the waste plastic as

reinforcement was determined. The results showed that as the percentage of

plastic waste in the concrete increases, the impact resistance also increases. It was

also observed that the number of blows needed for the concrete to have its initial

crack is greater in the plastic used as fine aggregate rather than that used as coarse

aggregates. The resistance to elevated temperature was also tested and it was

shown that the addition of plastic waste as fine or coarse aggregate will result to a

loss of residual compressive strength. The higher porous structure of PET waste

concrete caused thermal gradient to be unbalanced which caused crack formation.

It was stated that the possible reason was that the thermal lowering of PET causes

the fracture of ester links to form carboxylic acid-ended oligomers and vinyl ester

wherein the oligomers further decomposes in the gas phase to form C1-C2

hydrocarbons, CO, CO2, aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic aldehydes, acids,

esters and ketones and this decomposition of PET and formation of these products

may cause thermal stress and greater extent of vacancies in concrete. The reaction

of vinyl ester groups with benzene rings forms cross-linked char that caused

separation of the concrete paste which created holes.

38
 In a study conducted by Nooman (2016), wherein he investigated the

effect of zeolite on compressive strength, bond strength, tensile strength and

microstructure of concrete, maximum increase in bond strength, tensile strength

and compressive strength, was observed after the curing process which lasted on

28 days.

In a research by Foti (2013) wherein recycled waste PET bottle fibers

were used for reinforcement of concrete, specimens containing different percent

by weight of PET fibers were tested and it was observed that for a specimen with

0.50% in weight of fibers, the compressive strength was measured to be 36.9

N/mm2 and the splitting tensile strength was 3.65 N/mm2. For another specimen

with 0.75% in weight of fibers, compressive strength was 39.27 N/mm2 and

splitting tensile strength was 4.55 N/mm2. In another research by Rahim et al.

(2013) wherein they used HDPE in mixture of concrete as substitute of the

concrete aggregate, the compressive strength of concrete was maintained

compared with controlled concrete samples. Despite that, strength noticeably

decreased when the HDPE used was more than 20% by weight. The drop in

compressive strength when HDPE was added was because of the lower bond

between the cement paste and HDPE aggregate and the instability of plastic.

According to ASTM C685/C685M-01 essentially, in the washout test, 1

ft3 [0.03 m3] of concrete is washed through a No. 100 [150-µm] sieve and No. 4

[4.75-mm] sieve; that retained on the No. 4 sieve is referred to as coarse aggregate

while the remaining that is retained on the No. 4 sieve and passed through No.

100 sieve is considered fine aggregate.

39
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Chemicals, Materials and Equipment

3.1.1 Chemicals

Technical grade Sulfuric Acid and Hydrochloric Acid solutions having 2%

concentration.

H2O (Tap Water) as a binder of the concrete mixture.

3.1.2 Materials and Equipment

3.1.2.1 Materials

HDPE using post-consumer plastic wastes such as plastic bags,

will be used as fine aggregate while PET using packaging plastic bottles

will be used as coarse aggregate.

Portland cement will be purchased from the hardware and will be

used as the base of the concrete mixture.

The gravel and sand will be bought from the hardware and will be

used for the control specimen, the former as the coarse aggregate and the

latter as fine aggregate.

A cylinder mold will be used to cast the cement mixture.

3.1.2.2 Equipment

Hot Air Oven at Adamson University, Manila in the Chemistry

Laboratory will be used for curing the specimen.

40
 Plastic Shredder at Adamson University, Manila in the Civil

Engineering Department will used to shred plastics.

ASTM E-18 Rockwell Hardness at the Industrial Technology

Development Institute at Department of Science and Technology in

Taguig, Manila will be used to measure the hardness of the concrete.

Universal Testing Machine at Adamson University, Manila in the

Civil Engineering Department will be used to test the compressive

strength, flexural strength and tensile properties of the control specimen

and concrete in cylindrical samples.

Zwick Charpy Impact test equipment, UMH-100 Machine, at

Adamson University, Manila to evaluate the impact test of plastic

reinforced concrete.

Furnace at Adamson University, Manila in the Civil Engineering

Department will for the thermal testing.

3.2 Experimental Set up

3.2.1 Preparation of Plastic Aggregate

Figure 3.2.1 Preparation of Plastic Aggregate

41
 Figure 3.2.1 shows the preparation of plastic aggregates collected from households.

HDPE and PET wastes that will be collected will be washed, dried and shred.

3.2.2 Preparation of Concrete

Figure 3.2.2 Preparation of Concrete

Figure 3.2.2 shows the preparation process of the concrete for curing. The

temperatures that will be used was based on the study conducted by (F, 2017)

wherein the specimen was cured at temperature ranging at 40, 60 and 80 for 24

hours.

42
3.2.3 Testing of Concrete

Figure 3.2.3 Testing of Concrete

Figure 3.2.3 shows the process for the property’s evaluation of the

concrete. According to Ekaputri, Junaedi, &Wijaya, (2017) comparing to the first

temperature used (40˚C), the strength is increased up to 14% at 80oC. The

hardness of the specimen was increased from 70 up to 93% with a 0.5% wt %

fiber using Rockwell hardness. This is due to the uniform distribution of load on

the concrete (Alomayri & Low, 2013). At 0.5 wt %, the impact strength of the

concrete increases and then decreases right afterwards. The thermal properties of

the concrete will be determined using 500, 1000 and 1500°C furnace

temperatures, these temperatures were based on the study conducted by Fenghong

Fan (2015). The 4th specimen to be used will be the control specimen for

43
 comparison consisting of the traditional aggregate used which are the gravel for

the coarse aggregate and sand for the fine aggregate.

3.3 Experimental Design

Design Expert is a software used particularly in performing design of experiment. It used

for comparative tests, optimization, characterization etc. It offers multi-factorial data analysis

which can help researchers to determine the optimum output or result they needed. Design

Expert can provide matrices which can hold up to 50 factors. These factors can be statistically

treated or established using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). It can also provide graphs that can

determine the outliers or the dependent variables in a design of experiment.

In this experiment, Design Expert v.7 will be used. Multilevel Category or most

commonly known as “general factorial” will be utilized because it can be useful in determining

the effect of one or more factors in a specimen. In this research, four factors will be used. The

first factor will be the oven temperature varied at 40, 60 and 80 oC. The second factor will be the

HDPE and PET varied at 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 % by weight. The third factor will be the furnace

temperature varied at 500°C, 1000°C and 1500°C. The last factor will be the concentration of

Hydrochloric and Sulfuric Acid solution which will have a 2% concentration. The experiment

will be performed in triplicates.

3.4 Methodology

3.4.1 Preparation of Aggregate

To prepare the plastics for the mixing process, several steps are to be followed.

Plastic wastes will be collected from post-consumer waste and will be separated into the

desired classification namely HDPE and PET. Washing then followed to remove

44
 undesired particles from the plastic waste. After washing, the plastics will be air dried for

the drying process at ambient temperature. Finally, the plastics will be shredded into

strips using a grinder. The size of shredded HDPE plastics must conform with the

standard size of sieve no. 100 while sieve no. 4 for PET based on ASTM C 685/C 685M.

3.4.2 Preparation of Concrete

The prepared shredded plastics will be used as the aggregates, specifically, the

HDPE will be used as fine aggregates and the shredded PET as the coarse aggregates.

The following HDPE-to-PET ratios were used – 25:75, 50:50 and 75:25. The

aforementioned aggregates with varying composition of plastic fine aggregates and

coarse aggregates will be mixed with cement paste (composed of water and Portland

cement) to form the concrete mix with 6:1 ratio. The concrete mixes were molded in a

cylinder mold with a diameter of 4 in and length of 8 in based on ASTM C31/C31M-03a.

After the molding process, the samples will be placed in a hot air oven at different

temperatures of 40 ˚C, 60 ˚C and 80 ˚C for 24 hours. Concrete mixed will then be cured

for 28 days.

3.4.3 Testing of the Concrete

3.4.3.1 Mechanical Properties Determination

3.4.3.1.1 Compressive Strength of Concrete

The compressive strength of the plastic reinforced concrete will

be determined using Universal Testing Machine.

45
 3.4.3.1.2 Hardness of Concrete

The hardness of the plastic reinforced concrete will be determined

using ASTM E-18 Rockwell Hardness.

3.4.3.1.3 Impact Strength of Concrete

The impact strength of the plastic reinforced concrete will

be determined using UMH-100 machine.

3.4.3.1.4 Tensile Strength of Concrete

The tensile strength of the plastic reinforced concrete will

be determined using Universal Testing Machine.

3.4.3.1.5 Flexural Strength

The flexural strength of the plastic reinforced concrete will

be determined using Universal Testing Machine.

3.4.3.2 Thermal Properties

The twelve (12) samples will be exposed to a furnace with 500, 1000 and

1500°C temperature in which 3 samples with different % wt. and the control

specimen with 3 replications will be exposed for each temperature. For the set-up

of the furnace temperature, a heating rate of 25°C/min will be adopted until it

reaches the required/designated temperature. This temperature will be maintained

for 1 hour then the furnace will be left to cool down to the room temperature at a

rate of -40°C/min. The change in weight and mechanical properties will be

determined.

46
 3.4.3.3 Acid Test

3.4.3.3.1 Hydrochloric Acid Test

Twelve (12) samples will be submerged in 2% Hydrochloric Acid

at room temperature for 28 days. The solution will be replaced at regular

intervals to maintain the concentration of the solution throughout the test

period. The change in weight and mechanical properties will be

determined.

3.4.3.3.2 Sulfuric Acid Test

Twelve (12) samples with the will be submerged in 2% Sulfuric

Acid at room temperature and changes in weight and mechanical

properties will be recorded after 28 days. The solution will be replaced at

regular intervals to maintain the concentration of the solution throughout

the test period.

3.4.4 Comparison of the concrete with plastic reinforcements to the control specimen

The mechanical properties, chemical and thermal properties of the specimens that

were cured in an oven will be compared to the control specimen that is pure Portland

Cement which will determine the effect of the curing temperature and variation of the

plastic concentration added. The control specimen will also undergo with mechanical,

chemical and thermal properties test.

47
3.5 Statistical Treatment

The concrete produce under varying conditions will be analyzed statistically using

General Factorial by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) this will be computed using Design Expert

v. 7 and the results will be analyzed to determine the optimum result.

48
 References

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