Performance of the Mechanical Properties of Concrete Modified with Coarse Glass Aggregate and Incorporation of Polypropylene Fibers

Millions of tons of glass are wasted annually. Recycling glass is an important professional function for resource conservation, waste reduction, and environmental impact mitigation. Incorporating polypropylene fibers into concrete has been proven effective in enhancing its compressive, tensile, and flexural resistance while addressing concerns related to brittleness. The main goal of this study is to find out what happens to the mechanical properties of concrete samples when Coarse Glass Aggregate (CGA) is used as a partial replacement for a natural aggregate of the same size, along with polypropylene fibers. The experimental approach involved preparing concrete mixes with incremental glass ratios, ranging up to 50% with 10% increments. Mechanical tests were performed on the specimens. The results revealed an increase in compressive and tensile strength with increasing glass ratios, peaking at an optimum of 40%. Beyond that, the strength declined. Furthermore, the optimal glass ratio exhibited a remarkable improvement of 31.92% in compressive strength and 41.24% in tensile strength compared to samples devoid of glass content. Also, the flexural test conducted with a 40% glass ratio yielded an optimal mixture displaying a strength 44.78% greater than the control experiment. The proposed equations to correlate compressive strength versus splitting tensile strength and splitting tensile strength versus flexural strength are consistent with the existing research. However, the correlation between compressive strength and flexural strength is consistently underestimated. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the utilization of glass waste in concrete production has the potential to serve as a sustainable solution for waste management while simultaneously improving the mechanical properties of concrete.