Characterization of Glass Powder from Glass Recycling Process Waste and Preliminary Testing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Sustainable Construction

Background:

• Glass waste, specifically fine cullet, is a byproduct of glass recycling.
• Incorporating waste materials into construction can reduce environmental impact and resource depletion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using waste glass powder as a partial cement substitute in mortar and concrete.
• To characterize the physical and chemical properties of glass powder.
• To evaluate the impact of glass powder incorporation on the performance of cementitious materials.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of waste glass powder (chemical composition, pozzolanic activity, particle size, and shape).
• Incorporation of glass powder as a partial cement replacement (25% and 40% by weight) in mortar and concrete mixtures.
• Analysis of the effects on setting times, consistency, and mechanical strength.

Main Results:

• Waste glass powder exhibits slow pozzolanic activity.
• The incorporation of glass powder influences the setting times and consistency of the mixtures.
• Mechanical strength is evaluated at different replacement levels.

Conclusions:

• Waste glass powder can be effectively incorporated into mortar and concrete as a partial cement substitute.
• This utilization contributes to reducing cement content and enhancing the sustainability of construction materials.