Mechanical, environmental, and cost evaluation of concrete using recycled polypropylene
This study investigates the mechanical, environmental and cost of concrete incorporating recycled polypropylene (PP) granules as partial fine aggregate replacement at 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %, with water-to-cement (W/C) ratios of 0.45 and 0.55. The addition of PP granules reduced workability and de...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016425001628 |
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| Summary: | This study investigates the mechanical, environmental and cost of concrete incorporating recycled polypropylene (PP) granules as partial fine aggregate replacement at 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %, with water-to-cement (W/C) ratios of 0.45 and 0.55. The addition of PP granules reduced workability and density due to their hydrophobic and lightweight nature, leading to compressive strength reductions of up to 48 % at 30 % PP content. The optimal substitution level was identified at 10 %, achieving a balance between mechanical performance and environmental benefits. A strong exponential correlation between ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and compressive strength was established (f'c = 0.045e0.0016v, R2 = 0.793), enabling reliable non-destructive strength prediction. Life cycle assessment (LCA) revealed that incorporating PP granules increased the global warming potential (GWP) by approximately 2–6 % at a 0.45 W/C ratio and 3–8 % at 0.55, primarily due to the energy-intensive recycling process. Additionally, the embodied energy (EE) increased by 5–15 % and 7–21 % at 0.45 and 0.55 W/C ratios, respectively. Although PP integration contributes to reducing natural aggregate consumption, its environmental benefits are constrained by higher embodied energy and costs, indicating its application is best limited to non-structural concrete where sustainability trade-offs can be justified. |
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| ISSN: | 2666-0164 |