Smart waste management perspective of COVID-19 healthy personal protective materials in concrete for decorative landscape pavements and artificial rocks

Abstract

This paper presents a new method for determining the effect of healthy personal protective material (HPPM) stripes, such as surgical masks, protective suits, and overhead and foot covers, on the durability and physicomechanical characteristics of concrete for use in architectural forms. Because of the current global epidemic caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), the use of HPPM, such as surgical masks, protective suits, and overhead and foot covers, has increased considerably. COVID-19’s second and third waves are currently affecting various countries, necessitating the use of facemasks (FM). Consequently, millions of single FM have been discharged into the wild, washing up on beaches, floating beneath the seas, and ending up in hazardous locations. The effect of stripe fibers on the physicomechanical characteristics of concrete, such as the workability, Uniaxial Compressive Strength UCS, flexural strength, impact strength, spalling resistance, abrasion resistance, sorptivity, Water absorption Sw, porosity (ηe), water penetration, permeability, and economic and eco-friendly aspects, need to be determined. With a focus on HPPM, especially single-use facemasks, this study investigated an innovative way to incorporate pandemic waste into concrete structures. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction patterns were employed to analyze the microstructures and interfacial transition zones and to identify the elemental composition. The HPPM had a pore-blocking effect, which reduced the permeability and capillary porosity. Additionally, the best concentrations of HPPM, particularly of masks, were applied by volume at 0, 1, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5%. The use of mixed fibers from different HPPMs increased the strength and overall performance of concrete samples. The tendency of growing strength began to disappear at approximately 2%. The results of this investigation showed that the stripe content had no effect on the compressive strength. However, the stripe is critical for determining the flexural strength of concrete. The UCS increased steadily between 1 and 1.5% before falling marginally at 2.5%, which indicates that incorporating HPPM into concrete had a significant impact on the UCS of the mixture. The addition of HPPM to the mixtures considerably modified the failure mode of concrete from brittle to ductile. Water absorption in hardened concrete is reduced when HPPM stripes and fibers were added separately in low-volume fractions to the concrete mixture. The concrete containing 2% HPPM fibers had the lowest water absorption and porosity percentage. The HPPM fibers were found to act as bridges across cracks, enhancing the transfer capability of the matrices. From a technological and environmental standpoint, this study found that using HPPM fibers in the production of concrete is viable.

Physical and mechanical properties of fly ash‐based geopolymer with disposable medical mask reinforcement

“…Consequently, some attempts have been made to use DMMs as an additive or a substitute for aggregate in cement or concrete. The enhanced effect and various contributions of DMMs have been verified by many studies, 16,17,21–28 providing an effective and environmental‐friendly method to solve the challenge of treating waste DMMs.…”

Recycled Surgical Mask Waste as a Resource Material in Sustainable Geopolymer Bricks

“…Such findings clearly depict the influence of RSM fibers in resisting the forces in the bricks. According to a previous study [20], the addition of polypropylene fibers restricts crack growth and improves load-carrying capacity. Besides, PP fibers have shown a positive influence on the mechanical properties of geopolymer composites [41].…”

“…Similar to the problem of plastic waste, one of the preferred ways to handle the issues of surgical masks is to recycle them in construction materials, thus reducing their impact on the environment. To do so, recent research studies have investigated the use of surgical mask fibers in construction materials [18][19][20]. Kilmartin-Lynch et al [21] investigated the use of surgical mask fibers in concrete.…”