Expanded Polystyrene/Tyre Crumbs Composites as Promising Aggregates in Mortar and Concrete.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Sustainable Construction

Background:

• Expanded polystyrene (EPS) and granulated tyre rubber (GTR) are challenging waste materials.
• Recycling these materials into construction aggregates is an environmental and economic necessity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a composite material from EPS and GTR as a sustainable aggregate replacement in mortar and concrete.
• To evaluate the impact of this composite on the mechanical and physical properties of construction materials.

Main Methods:

• Two polymer blending techniques (solvent/low shear and melt/high shear) were employed to create the composite aggregate.
• The composite was used to replace sand and cement in mortar and concrete formulations.
• Key properties including workability, strength, water absorption, density, and porosity were assessed.

Main Results:

• The EPS-GTR composite significantly improved compressive strength by up to 22.2% and flexural strength by up to 18%.
• Replacing sand with the composite boosted compressive strength by 7.6% and flexural strength by 18%.
• Replacing cement with the composite increased compressive strength by 22.2% and flexural strength by 5.26%.

Conclusions:

• The developed EPS-GTR composite offers a viable and beneficial replacement for traditional aggregates in mortar and concrete.
• This research provides a sustainable pathway for utilizing difficult-to-recycle waste materials in the construction industry.
• Mortar properties surpassed standard mortar when substituted with the recycled EPS-GTR composite aggregate.