Synergistic structural performance of green self-compacting concrete enhanced by nano-clay and waste glass powder

This study presents a novel investigation into the performance of structural for reinforced self-compacting concrete (SCC) beams including waste glass powder (WGP) and nano-clay (NC) as sustainable partial replacements for cement. Unlike prior studies that focus on individual effects, this research evaluates the combined influence of NC plus WGP blends on full-scale beam behavior using advanced Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques. Ten SCC mixtures were designed across three series: NC-only, WGP-only, and hybrid NC-WGP mixes (constant 15% total binder replacement). Reinforced beams (100 × 150 × 1200 mm) were tested under four-point bending to assess flexural strength, stiffness, ductility, crack width, and strain behavior. The results showed that the 2.5% NC + 12.5% WGP mix achieved superior compressive strength (80.6 MPa) and flexural performance. DIC analysis confirmed enhanced crack control, curvature, and energy absorption in hybrid beams. In contrast, high NC content (10%) caused strength loss and embrittlement due to agglomeration. This study is the first to integrate NC and WGP in SCC beams and assess their synergistic effects using full-field DIC analysis, providing new insight into the design of high-performance, eco-efficient structural concrete.