Emission factors of modified concrete with glass in replacing of fine aggregates

Abstract

Large quantities of waste glass are generated every year, and inappropriate disposal creates an increasing problem that needs to be addressed. This research aims to use glass waste as a partial replacement for fine aggregates in the preparation of concretes, to save natural resources and solve environmental pollution problems. Different mixes were produced by replacing fine aggregates with 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 50% of waste glass. Concrete specimens of 0.15 m in diameter and 0.3 m in length were fabricated and tested in settling and compression strength. The experimental results indicated that the settling decreases with the increase of the percentage of glass. The best specimen (20% replacement) exhibited an increasing 5.5% in compressive strength. The assessment of economic and environmental aspects reveals that the same sample can provide 0.7% savings in cost and 6.4% in emitted carbon dioxide compared with traditional concrete. The results demonstrate that waste glass can replace fine aggregates to manufacture concrete. This approach offers an environmentally friendly solution to the ongoing problem of waste glass.