A project on ‘Development of structural concrete using plastic waste as partial replacement for sand’, undertaken by the Goa Government Polytechnic, Mayem and University of Bath, United Kingdom was inaugurated at Polytechnic Institute, Mayem in north Goa on Tuesday.
The two-year research project is a joint venture between the Government of India and the British High Commission. The project envisages conducting research at the Government Polytechnic, Mayem under the technical guidance of Dr. John Orr, Dr Andrew Heath and Dr Mark Evernden from the Department of Agriculture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath, UK.
The Institute plans to train 40 engineering students during the course of the project in designing and producing structural concrete from plastic waster and how best to use it during construction. This will help to create an awareness of the low impact concrete among the industry and the public facilitating uptake of this technology for general construction, said Project Head Purnanand Savoikar on Monday.
The project aims at use of admixtures and other materials like microsilica to develop concrete mixes with more than 10 per cent plastic waste suitable un-reinforced work such as ground bearing slabs where high performance concrete is not required.
Inspired by need to tackle the menace of plastic waste, a pilot study was undertaken in the host institute (Government Polytechnic, Mayem) in 2012 to replace sand in concrete to the extent of 10 per cent with plastic, said Mr. Savoikar.
He recalled that the idea was mooted in 2010-2011 when, at the final year of Government Polytechnic, during a project substituted sand by using carry-bags pieces and yielded better results as use of sand was reduced by three per cent unlike pet bottles where sand reduction was 10-15 per cent.
Asked about the durability aspect of structures where plastic was used, Mr. Savoikar said that though it would last for minimum 10 years there is mechanism to check the strength of these structures within a month.
‘Society will benefit from use of openly dumped plastic waste in concrete, resulting in reducing waste and the problem it creates. Partnering with the University of Bath will augment the current research capabilities of our institute by utilising their expertise in conducting this research,’ said Mr. Savoikar.
