Effects of Plastic Waste on the Heat-Induced Spalling Performance and Mechanical Properties of High Strength Concrete

This paper investigates a potential application of hard-to-recycle plastic waste as polymeric addition in high strength concrete, with a focus on the potential to mitigate heat-induced concrete spalling and the consequent effects on the mechanical properties. The waste corresponds to soft and hard plastic, including household polymers vastly disposed of in landfills, although technically recyclable. Mechanical and physical properties, cracking, mass loss, and the occurrence of spalling were assessed in high strength concrete samples produced with either plastic waste or polypropylene fibers after 2-h exposure to 600 °C. The analysis was supported by Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Computed Tomography images. The plastic waste is composed of different polymers with a thermal degradation between 250 to 500 °C. Polypropylene (PP) fibers and plastic waste dispersed in concrete have proved to play an essential role in mitigating heat-induced concrete spalling, contributing to the release of internal pressure after the polymer melting. The different morphology of plastic waste and polypropylene fibers leads to distinct mechanisms of action. While the vapor pressure dissipation network originated by polypropylene fibers is related to the formation of continuous channels, the plastic waste seems to cause discontinuous reservoirs and fewer damages into the concrete matrix. The incorporation of plastic waste improved heat-induced concrete spalling performance. While 6 kg/m³ of plastic increased the mechanical performance after exposure to high temperature, the incorporation of 3 kg/m³ resulted in mechanical properties comparable to the reference concrete.