Production of Green Fibred Concrete; a New Solution to Reduce Environmental Pollution Caused by Cigarette Butts

Abstract

Today, the accumulation of discarded cigarette butts in the environment, particularly along coasts and near seas, not only poses environmental challenges but also threatens the ecological balance of rivers and aquatic life. Exploring the feasibility of using cellulose acetate fibers from cigarette butts as reinforcements in the production of silica fume concrete has resolved this environmental issue. The inclusion of these hazardous materials has simultaneously improved the mechanical properties of the concrete. In this study, cellulose acetate fibers obtained from cigarette butt filters were added to silica fume concrete in 10 different volume ratios. The compressive strength, Brazilian tensile strength, and flexural tensile strength of these concretes were investigated in 10 mixing designs. The findings indicate that adding 0.2% by volume of fibers to silica fume concrete yields the highest compressive and tensile strengths among the designs. This results in a significant increase of 16% and 34% in the concrete's compressive strength and a 70% and 38% increase in Brazilian tensile strength at 7 and 28 days, respectively, compared to the state without cellulose acetate fibers. The addition of these fiber ratios also increases the flexural tensile stress capacity by 56%. Furthermore, the beam specimens subjected to testing exhibit a 287% higher vertical deformation tolerance compared to the state without fibers. Additionally, the energy absorption capacity of the concrete beam increases considerably.