An investigation on the bending behavior of U profiles manufactured with waste polymers

Nowadays, light steel construction profiles are frequently used in our country due to their ease of application and economic advantages. In the scope of this study, 13 U100 thin-walled light steel profiles with 1.5 m length and 1.20 mm thickness were used.This study aims to investigate the bending, shear and torsional behaviors of the composite material formed by being filled into the light steel U profile molds following the waste polymer material is homogeneously pulped. In the scope of this study, four groups of samples were obtained in total: light steel U profiles containing a hollow profile, waste polymer, waste polymer + glass fiber rod, waste polymer + carbon fiber rod. In the study, 13 profiles were grouped as three hollow profiles, three waste polymer profiles, two waste polymer + glass fiber rod profiles, two waste polymer + carbon fiber rod profiles and three spare profiles. Experimental studies were carried out in order to investigate the bending, torsional and shear behavior of the composite beams formed in the way stated above. In this study, finely ground waste and raw PP (Polypropylene) were used as the waste polymer. Bending behaviors of the composite beams were examined in terms of their moment capacity, stiffness, cross-section deformations and interface shift. The idea of light steel U100 profile and melt-filled waste polymer produced, an innovative approach to recycling and an increase in bending, shear, torsional behavior beyond predictability have been observed. In this study, light waste recycled profiles were produced which behave similarly compared to the standard steel profiles.