Performance of Concrete Made with Recycled Crushed Glass

Hjort, Jesse (2023) Performance of Concrete Made with Recycled Crushed Glass. [USQ Project]

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Abstract

According to Cao et al. (2022), sand is the second most extracted natural resource globally, with an annual consumption of about 15 billion tons. The construction industry is the major sand consumer, with concrete production alone accounting for approximately 10 billion tons of sand per year. The extensive use of sand has negative environmental implications such as habitat destruction, depletion of natural resources, and degradation. Therefore, the construction industry must explore sustainable building practices to reduce environmental impact.

The primary objective of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using recycled crushed glass (RCG) as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in concrete. The study involved a comprehensive review of relevant literature and various tests to determine the fresh and hardened concrete properties made with RCG. The literature review revealed conflicting results of multiple studies investigating the effects of RCG on concrete properties. However, most studies suggest an optimal RCG replacement level of 20%. Therefore, this project utilised three high strength mix designs, including the control, 20%, and 40%, where sand is replaced with RCG by weight. Three main tests, namely compression, crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD), and pull-out testing, were used to evaluate the RCG concrete's performance.

The results showed that the addition of RCG caused a significant decrease in workability, a slight decrease in hardened density, no loss in compressive strength at 20% RCG replacement, and an increase in flexural strength at 20% and 40% RCG replacement. The findings of this research align with multiple other studies, which concluded that 20% RCG is the optimum replacement level in a concrete mix.


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Item Type: USQ Project
Item Status: Live Archive
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Engineering (1 Jan 2022 -)
Supervisors: Banerjee, Sourish
Qualification: Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil)
Date Deposited: 25 Sep 2025 01:46
Last Modified: 25 Sep 2025 01:46
Uncontrolled Keywords: construction industry; concrete; recycled crushed glass (RCG)
URI: https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52954

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