Study of the Application of Glass Waste in Concrete Production

Abstract

Aiming at sustainable development and preservation of the environment, many governments and NGOs are questioning the high volume of recyclable waste in landfills from the construction industry that are not reused by the industry. In this research, the use of the glass residue in the production of concrete in partial replacement to the aggregate was studied, with the objective in applications in the construction of non-structural parts and components such as the execution of gutters, half-wire and sidewalks. This research sought to analyze the behavior of the compressive strength of the concrete produced with partial replacement of the mineral aggregate by glass residues. The results showed that the compressive strength is strongly influenced by the variation of the amount of glass replacing the mineral aggregate, possibly by the interface between the glass surface and the cement matrix. However, concrete with glass residues partially replacing the mineral aggregate can be a viable alternative in our region, for several applications, especially those that do not require structural function, contributing to more sustainable constructions with use of discarded glasses and reduction of consumption , and consequent mineral exploration, of the pebble dredged from riverbeds.