PRODUCTION OF VALUE ADDED COMPOSITES FROM SELECTED WASTE MATERIALS FOR STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS IN GREEN BUILDING

Abstract

This research examined the possibility of using waste glass powder (WGP) as a partial replacement of cement binder and also the use of termite’s mound (TM), egg shell powder (ESP), sawdust (SD) and sun-flower pith (SFP) to replace natural sand aggregates in sandcrete composites such as building blocks, tiles and particle board to serve as sustainable solutions to environmental degradation, provisions of alternative panels to conventional building constructions materials and the conservation of natural resources. The replacement levels of cement and natural aggregates with respective solid waste mixes was casted in a mould at 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% in each composite mix, and the production of test samples of 50 mm x 50mm x 50mm size at cement binder : sand, at the mixing ratio of 1:3. After casting the cubes, their workability were tested using water absorption, volume porosity and Xray Diffraction test. Samples A1 (20% cement + 40% TM + 20% WGP (brown) + 20% ES), D (20% Cement + 20% TM + 60% CG {Coarse Glass}) and F (20% Cement + 50% TM +20% SD + 10% SFP) showed to produce a satisfactory result of compressive strength test result of 6.20N/mm2, 2.56 N/mm2 and 1.87 N/mm2, water absorption test result of 4.01%, 4.58% and 15.64 % and XRD diffractogram for sample A1, D and F respectively. The compressive strength indicated that they satisfied the minimum compressive strength for both load and non load bearing concrete. The water absorption, porosity result of 4.09%, 4.58% and 8.84% and 9.9% respectively showed the performance of solid waste based sandcrete composite when compared with conventional concrete. The Xray Diffraction test further showed no formation of new mineral groups as compared to that of control. The continued strength development of these selected solid wastes indicated that they can be used as alternative aggregates in the manufacture of concrete with glass powder as pozzolanic binder in composite manufacturing. However, the density was reduced when compared to standard mixture of concrete.