Investigation of the effects of plastic waste on the mechanical and physical properties of concrete

In this thesis, the effects of using waste plastic additives as additives in the concrete manufacturing process on mechanical and physical properties were investigated using experimental methods. In the study, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene), and PE (polyethylene) plastic waste was added to concrete mixtures at ratios of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%, and the compressive strength, tensile strength in flexural testing, tensile strength in bending, impact resistance, unit volume weight, and thermal conductivity properties of the resulting samples were examined. According to the experimental results, the compressive strength of concrete with plastic additives decreased by approximately 13% at a 1.5% additive ratio. In contrast, tensile strength in flexural and bending tests increased by approximately 12% with a 1.5% PET additive. Additionally, the impact strength increased by approximately 55% with a 1.5% PP additive. In terms of unit volume weight, the unit volume weight of concrete with plastic additives decreased by 5-6%. In terms of thermal conductivity, a decrease of approximately 11% was achieved with a 1.5% PE additive ratio. This demonstrates that plastic additives improve the thermal insulation properties of concrete. This study demonstrates the mechanical and physical applicability of plastic waste additives in concrete production and evaluates their potential contributions in terms of environmental sustainability.