Publication

Abstract : The amount of plastic waste disposed of in landfills is increasing at an alarming rate due to the growth in population and changes in the standard of living. The non-biodegradable nature of these waste plastics poses serious problems to the environment globally. The present paper presents the development of a sustainable construction material from the plastic waste along with the extensively used sand as a filler material. Recycled LDPE -sand composite performance has been analyzed for its strength and durability. Two composite specimens have been made by recycled LDPE with river sand and manufactured sand. Mechanical properties like compression, tension, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion have been tested and analyzed in laboratory settings. It has been observed that the compression and split tensile strength of the river sand composite is better than the manufactured sand composite whereas manufactured sand specimens showed higher water absorption and thermal conductivity. Testing results indicate the superior performance of the LDPE composite specimens in comparison to conventional bricks. These results justify the suitability of using the developed composite as an alternative for building applications.