Recycled Low Density Poly Ethylene Plastic Powder Substitute for Sand in Mortar and Concrete

The mortar and concrete are essential construction materials.The cement, sand, aggregates, and water are used to manufacture mortar and concrete.The sand is mined from riverbeds, which results in environmental impacts.The environmental effects can be reduced by substituting a low-cost replacement material for sand.The low-cost material used in this study is Recycled Low Density Poly Ethylene (R-LDPE) plastic powder.The R-LDPE is replaced in mortar and concrete mixes from 5% to 30%.This study conjectures that the R-LDPE's excellent water-repellent properties will make the mortar and concrete less pervious to water.In this study, the selected mortar mix for testing is 1:3, and the concrete mix for testing is M-45.The mortar and concrete samples are tested for compression, flexure, conventional seepage, and the Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT).The suitable R-LDPE replacement percentage concerning the volume of the sand is identified as 15% for compression, flexure, conventional seepage, and RCPT tests.The conjecture of this study fails as R-LDPE particles make the mortar and concrete samples porous.The testing mortar and concrete samples containing 15% R-LDPE replacement are suitable for making porous concrete.