PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS BASED ON PLASTIC WASTE (POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) AND SAND

Faced with the growing need for construction material resources as well as the concern maintaining a safe environment for durable development, it is necessary to study the re-use and valorization of waste in general and industrial by products in particular in the field of civil engineering. Recently there has been growing interest in plastic waste for using concrete, paving stones and tiles. To study the influence of the content of plastic on the physical parameters, seven classes were selected in the interval 20% to 50% (in weight) in step of 5 for the manufacture of materials and three sand granulometries 1.2, and 3.15mm.The determination of the density and porosity is made according to the NF ISO 5017 standard.The results obtained show that, the materials obtained have a maximum density of 1900 kg/m3 lower than that of cementing materials (2000-2400 kg/m3 ), this density varies according to the mass proportion of plastic. Thepermeability and porosity are at the same time functions of granulometry and of the mass of the plastic, the materials obtained between 40% and plastic 50% have a permeability and almost null porosity. The results of porosity obtained are lower than 5%, and vary between (3.8% and 0.05%) compared to the Portland cement material which have a porosity higher than 10%.The analysis of the influence of porosity on the density shows that, the density is proportional to porosity.In the same way the color of these materials varies proportionally with respect to the proportions of plastic and this color is strongly influenced by the parameter L which is brightness. For texture, it arises that the materials are rough when contrast and entropy are raised and when these parameters drop they become smooth.