Τhe Effectiveness of Recycled Glass Powder in Improving the Properties of Fibrous Mortar

Sustainability has become one of the most important topics at present, being applied in all aspects of life, including the production of sustainable building materials by integrating various wastes into different forms, such as fibers or powder, to enhance the properties of concrete or mortar. In this work, three types of waste were used: glass waste as powder and a partial substitute for cement, eggshells having served as a partial substitute for cement, and finally, soft drink cans were cut and utilized as fibers. A 15% glass powder was utilized with varying percentages of fiber. Fiber improves tensile strength and reduces concrete spalling; however, the fibers derived from waste have limited bond strength with the mortar. The use of pozzolanic materials (glass powder) has enhanced bond strength, thereby improving multiple properties of concrete. Aluminum fibers were added in amounts of 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%. The lowest compressive strength was observed in the mixture containing 1% fiber, without any cement replacement with pozzolanic materials. The best results were achieved with the mixture containing 0.5% fiber and 15% glass powder, particularly in terms of flexibility and impact resistance.