Preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of using polypropylene fibres from COVID-19 single-use face masks to improve the mechanical properties of concrete

Abstract

With the ongoing global pandemic due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), specifically single-use surgical masks, have been on a sharp incline. Currently, many countries are experiencing second and third waves of COVID-19 and as such have resorted to making face masks a mandatory requirement. The repercussions of this have resulted in millions of single-use face masks being discharged into the environment, washing up on beaches, floating beneath oceans and ending up in vulnerable places. The global pandemic has not only affected the economy and health of the world’s population but now is seriously threatening the natural environment. The main plastic in single-use face masks is polypropylene which in landfill can take approximately 25 years to break down. This paper explores an innovative way to use pandemic waste in concrete construction with the main focus on single-use face masks. Single-use masks have been cut-up by first removing the ear loops and inner nose wire to size and spread throughout five different mix designs to explore the possible benefits and uses within concrete. The masks were introduced by volume at 0% (control), 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25% with testing focusing on compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and ultrasonic pulse velocity to test the overall quality of the concrete. The introduction of the single-use face masks led to an increase in the strength properties of the concrete samples, as well as an increase in the overall quality of the concrete. However, beyond 0.20%, the trend of increasing strength began to decrease.

Influence of Fiber Addition on the Properties of High-Performance Concrete

“…Another tendency showed in some cases of the normal strength concretes where the higher dosage increased compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. Kilmartin-Lynch et al [62] tested a concrete mix with a compressive strength of 50.34 MPa and reached higher values for the dosage of recycled polypropylene fibers. The increase of higher fiber dosage can be noted because the fibers became more densely spaced, which therefore increased compressive strength.…”

Review of the valorization options for the proper disposal of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…The researchers prepared sustainable bricks utilizing 52% mask waste, 45% paper waste, and 3% binder, which could be used as a replacement for masonry bricks ( Adlakha, 2020 ). The addition of 0.2% by volume of shredded face mask waste can improve strength properties of concrete ( Kilmartin-Lynch et al, 2021 ).…”

Valorisation of face mask waste in mortar

“…To deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of the countries in the world have imposed the use of face masks [ 1 ]. Thus, through the use of face masks by the population, the spread of the pandemic has been controlled, but in return, several environmental problems have been caused.…”

“…Kilmartin-Lynch et al [ 1 ] conducted a preliminary study of the utilisation of single-use face masks to improve the mechanical properties of concrete. In their work, single-use face masks were cut and five different percentages ranging from 0 to 0.25% of the total volume were considered for introduction into concrete.…”