Enhancement of Concrete Building Blocks Properties Through the Incorporation of Low-E Glass

Glass waste is a pervasive phenomenon, with significant local and global implications. Low-E glass, a material that has gained prominence in the building industry due to its energy-efficient properties, which have been demonstrated to reduce heating costs, is not currently being recycled. Silica, the primary component of glass, renders glass powder a potential partial replacement for cement in concrete applications, thereby contributing to sustainability efforts. Glass powder, composed of fine particles measuring 300 micrometers, undergoes a chemical reaction with cement hydrates, known as pozzolanic activity, leading to the formation of Calcium Silicate Hydrates (C-S-H). The objective of this research is to assess the viability of employing Low-E glass powder as a partial cement replacement in 15×20×40 cm³ load-bearing mortar blocks. The experimental blocks, with glass-to-cement replacement percentages of 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% by mass, were subjected to rigorous testing to assess their compressive strength, absorption, and thermal conductivity. Given that glass does not require water, the water-to-cement ratio was maintained at 0.61 for all samples. The findings indicated an enhancement in compressive strength after 55 days, with the optimal replacement percentage determined to be 20%. Furthermore, an increase in the replacement percentage resulted in a reduction in absorption, average weight, and thermal conductivity of the blocks.