Impact of Waste Glass and Pet Plastic on Thermal Properties of Concrete

The present work contributes to the study of the thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, volumetric heat capacity, thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity) of a composite concrete material (PET, glass). Cement and sand were replaced, respectively, by 5% of glass, and different proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) of PET plastic. Thermophysical properties were determined using a CT meter at an ambient temperature of 25°C. The results demonstrated that as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic powder is added, thermal conductivity and heat capacity decreased. The percentage reductions are 29.27% and 19.04%, respectively. The similar phenomenon was observed for thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity. Consequently, the addition of 5% waste glass and 25% PET plastic powder can significantly affect the thermophysical properties of ordinary concrete. This composite material delivers good thermal insulation performance.