Abstract. The use of plastic waste as coarse aggregates in concrete is part of efforts to reduce environmental pollution. In one hand the use of plastic as aggregates can provide lighter weight of the concrete than concrete using natural aggregates, but on the other hand bond between plastic coarse aggregates and hard matrix give low concrete compressive strength. Improvement of the bond between plastic coarse aggregate and hard matrix through a sand coating to plastic coarse aggregate whole surface is studied. Sand used to coat the plastic aggregates are Merapi volcanic sand which are taken in Magelang. Three mixtures of polypropylene (PP) coarse plastic aggregates, Cimangkok river sand as fine aggregates, water and Portland Cement Composite with a water-cement ratio of 0.28, 0.3 and 0.35 are conducted. Compression test are performed on concrete cylindrical specimens with a diameter of 10 cm and a height of 20 cm. The results in general show that concrete specimens using plastic aggregates coated with sand have higher compressive strength compared to those of concrete specimens using plastic aggregates without sand coating. The bond improvement is indirectly indicated by the betterment of concrete compressive strength.

One of the most important factors used to determine the compressive strength of concrete is its aggregate and matrix adhesion. This study examines the surface properties of polypropylene (PP) waste coarse aggregate (PWCA) to determine the influence of sand. The PWCA was made from the PP waste and different types of coating such as PWCA-R (river sand) and PWCA-V (volcanic sand), with experimental tests conducted on the physical properties of sand and PWCA, while the compressive strength, FESEM and density of polypropylene waste coarse aggregate concrete (PWCAC). Concrete specimens were prepared by replacing natural coarse aggregate with PWCA in percentages of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, varying the water-cement ratio by 0.3 and 0.42 and using polypropylene (PP) waste coarse aggregate (PWCA-R and PWCA-V) as the coating material. The results showed that fineness modulus (F.M) and water absorption of the river sand was higher compared to volcanic sand. The PWCA-V had higher density and specific gravity compared to PWCA-R. On the other hand, water absorption of the PWCA-V was lower than PWCA-R. The PWCA concrete had density which varies from 1740 kg/m3 to 2074 kg/m3. For both, the PWCA concrete compressive strength at 28 days with a 100% replacement ratio was reduced by 43% to 55% compared to the natural coarse aggregate (NCA) concrete with 0.3 and 0.42 water-cement ratios. Also, the structural efficiency of PWCAC decreased with an increase in replacement ratio. River sand adhered to the PWCA surface resulted in a better compressive strength value compared to the volcanic sand.

The paper discusses strength-time relation of unfired soil-lime bricks in presence of different water content of soil as one of principal materials for the brick making. Two batches of soil-lime bricks were made with a mixture of lime, soil and water with a mass proportion of 1: 5.7: 1. Water contents of the first and second batch of soil are 30% and 40.581% respectively. Both batches of brick underwent compression and three point bending test. Absorption and physical change of bricks were also evaluated. Experimental investigation reveals that for both batches of bricks, up to 90 days compressive strength decreases a little but modulus of rupture rapidly decreases with time. The study shows that unfired soil-lime bricks with lower soil water content resulted in better strength performances compared to those with higher soil water content.

The paper discusses strength-time relation of unfired bricks reinforced with and without natural fibers. Untreated and treated coconut fibers with three different lengths (1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm) were prepared for soil lime bricks reinforcements. The effects of 4% uniform 2.5 cm fiber reinforcement was compared to the effects of 4% non-uniform fiber reinforcement, which constitutes a fiber mix between 1/3 part each of 1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm fiber length. Absorption of brick was also evaluated. Experimental investigations reveal that for all type of bricks, up to 90 days compressive strengths decrease a little but bending strengths rapidly decrease with time. The results show that unfired bricks added with uniform treated fiber resulted in better strength performances compared to those added with uniform untreated, non-uniform untreated and non-uniform treated fibers, and also to those without fibers.