A comprehensive summary on the enhancement of properties of concrete with recycled polypropylene materials

Abstract

The scientific community is currently confronted with critical problems in providing a healthy world for future generations. The study for sustainable plastic recycling methods is difficult for a variety of purposes. Indeed, during the previous century, the widespread usage of plastic materials has resulted in vast amounts of long‐lasting waste that has remained largely unaddressed by effective collection and disposal policies. Packaging materials are responsible for the majority of this waste which also includes polypropylene materials. However, environmental concerns imposed a new trend in the previous decade that brought this research under focus, as seen by the growing number of linked publications. For the recycling of polymeric plastic materials, several chemical and mechanical methodologies have been proposed. Due to the low ultimate tensile strain of concrete, plastic waste fiber materials have been used in concrete in recent times as the reinforced concrete components often function with cracks during the serviceability phase. The bonding strength and stress variation during flexure, toughening effect of a hybrid combination of steel and recycled polypropylene fibers on high‐strength concrete are investigated. Polypropylene's compressive and tensile strength, good dielectric characteristics, and acid and alkali resistance have all been observed in various studies. Hence the current review focus on the past researches on utilization of recycled polypropylene in concrete for the enhancement of its physical and mechanical properties.