Engineering Performance of Concrete Incorporated with Recycled High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)—A Systematic Review

Abstract

Incorporating recycled plastic waste in concrete manufacturing is one of the most ecologically and economically sustainable solutions for the rapid trends of annual plastic disposal and natural resource depletion worldwide. This paper comprehensively reviews the literature on engineering performance of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) incorporated in concrete in the forms of aggregates or fiber or cementitious material. Optimum 28-days’ compressive and flexural strength of HDPE fine aggregate concrete is observed at HDPE-10 and splitting tensile strength at HDPE-5 whereas for HDPE coarse aggregate concrete, within the range of 10% to 15% of HDPE incorporation and at HDPE-15, respectively. Similarly, 28-days’ flexural and splitting tensile strength of HDPE fiber reinforced concrete is increased to an optimum of 4.9 MPa at HDPE-3 and 4.4 MPa at HDPE-3.5, respectively, and higher than the standard/plain concrete matrix (HDPE-0) in all HDPE inclusion levels. Hydrophobicity, smooth surface texture and non-reactivity of HDPE has resulted in weaker bonds between concrete matrix and HDPE and thereby reducing both mechanical and durability performances of HDPE concrete with the increase of HDPE. Overall, this is the first ever review to present and analyze the current state of the mechanical and durability performance of recycled HDPE as a sustainable construction material, hence, advancing the research into better performance and successful applications of HDPE concrete.

Evidence-based biomaterials research

“…In the past 20 years, evidence-based methodology has broken through its use in the medical field, and has gradually expanded to areas of health policy, pedagogy, management and psychology, and the application of evidence-based thinking paradigm has continued to expand [ 29 ]. In 2002, the International Campbell Collaboration was established, aiming to apply systematic review methods to provide decision-making evidence for multiple non-medical fields [ [29] , [30] , [31] ], such as engineering, society, psychology, education, and international policy, which became a new beginning for the promotion of evidence-based approaches to other fields.…”

Initiative to Increase the Circularity of HDPE Waste in the Construction Industry: A Physico-Mechanical Characterization of New Sustainable Gypsum Products

“…Another widespread option is the use of the pyrolysis technique to decompose these wastes, aiming to recover them in different industrial processes [8]. HDPE presents certain advantages over other plastics in building products due to its physical properties, which include a low bulk density between 950 and 970 kg/m 3 , a tensile strength of approximately 20-35 MPa, and a relatively high ignition temperature of 487 °C [9]. It is also a chemically inert material, which suits with its incorporation as an aggregate in construction binders [10].…”

Recent Progress in Polyethylene‐enhanced Organic Phase Change Composite Materials for Energy Management

“…For example, HDPE generally has lower thermal conductivity, lower permeability and stronger mechanical strength. It is useful in reducing heat transfer between PCM and the surrounding environment and enhancing energy storage capacity [60] . On the other hand, LDPE typically has a higher melt flow index, making it easier to process through techniques like blow molding or extrusion [61] .…”

“…It is useful in reducing heat transfer between PCM and the surrounding environment and enhancing energy storage capacity. [60] On the other hand, LDPE typically has a higher melt flow index, making it easier to process through techniques like blow molding or extrusion. [61] LLDPE is a relatively new class of polyethylene that was developed to address the limitations of polyethylene.…”