A Sustainable Approach to Producing Green Concrete Using E-Waste Fibers, Polyvinyl Alcohol, and Recycled Concrete Aggregates

Abstract

The focus on environmental sustainability and the increasing demand for effective waste management have become key drivers for the development of green concrete. This study investigates a sustainable method for producing green concrete by replacing 20% of cement with fly ash to reduce cement consumption, using recycled concrete aggregate (0% and 25% by weight) as a coarse aggregate replacement, and incorporating E-waste fibers (0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, 4.5%, and 6% by weight of cement). Additionally, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was added at a fixed dosage of 1% by weight of cement. The slump of the concrete was maintained at 100 ± 25 mm by adjusting the superplasticizer dosage in each mix. The study evaluated the mechanical properties and durability of concrete at different curing ages. The results revealed that incorporating recycled concrete aggregate and E-waste fibers enhanced the compressive strength, with optimal performance observed at an E-waste fiber content of up to 4.5%. Beyond this threshold, the mechanical properties showed a decline. Similar trends were observed for flexural strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity and durability properties. Conversely, water absorption increased with higher E-waste fiber content. The optimal mix demonstrated superior mechanical performance, highlighting the synergistic potential of combining E-waste fibers, polyvinyl alcohol, and recycled concrete aggregate. This approach offers a viable solution for producing sustainable and environmentally friendly concrete.