Investigation on the Use of PET Waste Plastic as Coarse Aggregate for Lightweight Concrete

Plastic waste and its low recycling rate make a significant contribution towards the pollution of the environment. Plastic waste is utilised in different applications, such as aggregate in concrete. The development of new construction materials using recycled plastics is important to both the construction and the plastic recycling industries. This paper emphasizes on using the plastic waste PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) to substitute the coarse aggregates in concrete to lower the density of concrete. The shredded waste plastic was used in concrete with partial replacement of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40 % by weight of conventional coarse aggregate. Five types of concrete specimens including one without plastic aggregate, for comparison purpose, were prepared. All the concrete specimens were tested for compressive strength after a curing period of 7, 14 and 28 days