Incorporation of Marine Microplastics and Litters into Sustainable Construction Materials – Application on Masonry Blockworks

Abstract

It is obvious that concrete and cement make the backbone of the infrastructure industry these days. However, the economic and environmental tolls of producing these materials remain controversial. On the first hand, the natural resources like sand and gravel aggregates and other raw materials are limited and finite in nature, and that poses economic challenges on the production of concrete and normally raises its price. On the other hand, the overconsumption of aggregate reserves at a rate faster than the natural replenishment cycle increases the risk of depletion and induces dangerous alterations on the natural ecosystem, including water reserves. Overmining and extensive competition to extract these resources create a serious environmental toll. On a parallel, yet similarly alarming manner, dumping plastic wastes in oceans and other aquatic habitats threatens the natural marine biodiversity and disrupts whole habitats, and the harm extends to human livelihood. To contain this issue, sound planning of innovative protective waste management has become a must. This research tackles the two issues at once. It puts forward an eco-friendly plan that uses plastic wastes to partially replace some coarse or fine aggregates found in concrete and cement-based materials. By collecting these plastics from aquatic habitats, it not only helps manage these wastes wisely but also decreases the dependence on mined aggregates. This normally reduces cost and creates a sustainable solution for plastic waste. Quite obviously, this process needs careful laboratory experimentation to evaluate the durability and workability of the substitute mixes and all related mechanical requirements. This will ensure a balance between structural requirements and wise environmental practices. Initially, the methodology began with compressive strength evaluation to determine the most suitable plastics replacement approach: fine plastics as partial replacement for fine aggregates, coarse plastics as replacement for coarse aggregates, and combined replacements of both fractions. After finding the ideal plastic replacement approach, further investigations were evaluated for compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity to study the material behavior at different replacement ratios. Finally, the selected type of plastics wastes was embedded in the production of masonry blockworks and concrete panels, enabling evaluation of different replacement ratios for its practical feasibility in construction application. The anticipated outcome of this research is to find an alternative concrete mix that is more eco-friendly and more cost-efficient, and that would mitigate the pressure on financial and natural resources in the construction field and help lessen the pollution caused by plastic waste. Incorporating this plastic in the construction material creates an innovative approach to treating waste while simultaneously employing it in useful products, and this will reflect positively on both the economy and the environment.