Investigation of the use of expanded glass aggregate in building mortars

In this study, mechanical and physical performances of mortar samples with expanded glass bead substitution produced from waste glass were examined. For this purpose, first mortar mixtures were prepared using expanded glass beads and natural sand as the aggregates and cement and lime as binders. Eight series of mortars were produced by replacing the aggregate of expanded glass beads of 1-2 mm and 2-4 mm dimensions with sand of the same grade at 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100% by volume. Mortar mixtures were poured into 40x40x160 mm molds and cured for 7, 28, and 56 days. At the end of the curing, physical and mechanical tests were performed on mortar samples in their fresh and hardened states: physical tests included measuring the unit volume weight, unit weight, specific gravity, porosity, water absorption by mass and volume, capillarity, water vapor permeability, thermal conductivity, and ultrasonic velocity and the mechanical tests included elastic modulus, tensile strength at bending and compressive strength. It was concluded that a composite structure with low density, high porosity, high thermal performance, and sufficient strength can be obtained by using a mortar aggregate of expanded glass beads made of recycled glass. This demonstrates that mortars obtained with expanded glass bead substitution can be used in roughcast and finishing coat plasters, in bedding mortar, and masonry mortar.