Development of eco-friendly hollow concrete blocks in the field using wasted high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and crumb tire rubber

Abstract

A new configuration of hollow concrete blocks was fabricated in the field. Three distinct types of hollow concrete blocks were produced to assess the effectiveness of such blocks in the market. In addition, the experimentally determined thermal resistance was used to calculate the expenses, oil consumption, and CO2 emissions. Blocks made with crumb rubber failed in the ASTM C129 tests for non-load bearing compressive strength, whereas those made with the control and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) met the standard requirements. It was shown that the inclusion of rubber particles lowered the strength by 56%. The control block with the new configuration used in this investigation has a thermal conductivity of 53.4% lower than the commercial hollow blocks. While the inclusion material had a smaller impact than the arrangement of holes, HDPE thermal conductivity decreased by 6.4% compared to the control block. Likewise, the control-block wall's layout can reduce the power consumption by 53%. Moreover, the HDPE and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) blocks lowered the power consumption by 54 and 57%, respectively, saving roughly 4.26 ($/m2.year). Furthermore, the oil consumption and CO2 emissions were decreased by 56% when HDPE with 20% replacement was utilized. Reducing oil consumption as an energy source implies cleaner air and a lower carbon footprint. Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate these waste materials in the production of concrete blocks in order to reduce CO2 pollution in the world.

Keywords

• Polyethylene
• Rubber
• Strength
• Thermal conductivity
• Economic evaluation
• Oil fuel usage