The Properties of Bricks Made from Recycled HDPE

Plastic waste, particularly high-density polyethylene (HDPE), poses significant environmental challenges due to its non-biodegradable nature. Recycling HDPE into building materials, such as bricks, offers a sustainable solution to mitigate these impacts. This study investigates the properties of bricks made from recycled HDPE, focusing on their compressive strength, water absorption, and durability. The results indicate that HDPE bricks exhibit superior mechanical properties, including higher compressive strength and lower water absorption compared to traditional clay bricks. These bricks are lightweight, cost-effective, and demonstrate excellent durability, making them a viable alternative for sustainable construction. The research highlights the potential of recycled HDPE bricks in reducing plastic waste and promoting environmental sustainability. The intensifying generation of plastic waste presents a significant environmental challenge worldwide. Plastic waste, due to its non-biodegradable nature, contributes to land and water pollution, requiring the exploration of sustainable waste management solutions. Recycling plastic waste into building materials, such as bricks, offers a potential solution to mitigate environmental impacts. This research aimed to investigate the integration of plastic waste into building materials through a comprehensive study using experimental testing, software analysis, and structural design. The ETAB analysis demonstrated that the HDPE model exhibited lower bending moments and axial loads compared to the concrete model, suggesting superior mechanical properties and load-carrying capacity. This research contributes to the understanding of the behaviour and performance of plastic bricks in structural applications, enabling the development of sustainable and efficient building designs that incorporate plastic waste materials.