PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF COARSE AGGREGATE BY PLASTIC WASTE IN CONCRETE

The rapid growth of industrialization and urbanization has led to a significant increase in plastic waste generation across the world. Plastic materials are non-biodegradable in nature and create serious environmental problems due to their accumulation in landfills and natural surroundings. At the same time, the construction industry is facing a shortage of natural resources such as coarse aggregates due to excessive consumption. This study focuses on the utilization of plastic waste as a partial replacement for coarse aggregate in concrete. The main objective is to investigate the effect of replacing coarse aggregate with plastic waste on the properties of concrete. Different percentages of plastic waste such as 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% were used in concrete mixes, and their compressive strength was evaluated after standard curing periods. The experimental results indicate that the compressive strength of concrete decreases with an increase in the percentage of plastic waste. However, up to a certain limit, the strength remains within acceptable ranges for specific applications. The use of plastic waste reduces the overall weight of concrete and contributes to sustainable waste management. This study concludes that plastic waste can be effectively used in concrete for non- structural applications.