See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/304335969

A Review on the Properties of Concrete incorporated with Waste Glass as a

Substitute for Cement

Article · January 2015

CITATION READS

1 721

3 authors, including:

Adeola A. Adedeji
University of Ilorin
104 PUBLICATIONS   144 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Hydrogeology and geotechnical View project

Materials Engineering View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Adeola A. Adedeji on 23 June 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 WebsJournals Epistemics in Science, Engineering
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 and Technology
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji
Home - EpiSteme ISSN:2384-6844

A Review on the Properties of Concrete incorporated with Waste

Glass as a Substitute for Cement
K L Okeke1 and A. A. Adedeji2
1
M.Eng Student, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering &Technology
University of Ilorin, Nigeria. kevinlorenzo56@gmail.com
2.
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering &Technology,
University of Ilorin, Nigeria. aaadeji@unilorin.edu.ng; gaiadeji@gmail.com

Abstract
Researches have shown that it is possible to use recycled materials to replace some of
the traditional mixture components in concrete products and produce a more
sustainable building material. One common material that can be recycled and have the
possibility of use in concrete applications is waste glass. Waste glass is not really a
waste but a resource. Its use in the construction industry is gradually gaining some
ground. Waste glass has diverse application in the industry such as a building
materials, concrete ingredient and paving applications, in place of sand and other
natural resources. When used in construction applications, waste glass must be
pulverized to very fine particle size. Today many researches are ongoing into the use
of Portland cement replacements, using many waste materials like pulverized fly ash
(PFA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Like PFA and GGBS, waste
glass powder (GLP) is also used as a binder with partial replacement of cement which
take some part of reaction at the time of hydration, also it is act as a filler material.
The presence of silica in cement is the binding property for the concrete, the strength
of the concrete mainly depends upon the binding property of cement. In glass silica is
rich. Waste glass can be used as pozzolanic material in concrete production, and has
demonstrated significant influence in improving the mechanical and durability
properties of concrete as shown by the results of several researchers. Waste glass
undergoes beneficial pozzolanic reactions in the concrete and could replace up to 30%
of cement in some concrete mixes with satisfactory strength development. This paper
presents an overview of the works carried out on the use of waste glass powder as
partial replacement of cement concrete.
Keywords: Recycled material, waste glass, cement, concrete, concrete strength

1. Introduction

Sustainable construction has become an interest in the engineering community and

several standards have been developed to assess the environmental impact of new
construction projects. (Isler, 2012). Researches have shown that it is possible to use
recycled materials to replace some of the traditional mixture components in concrete
products and produce a more sustainable building material. One common material that
can be recycled and have the possibility of use in concrete applications is waste glass.
Glass is a transparent material produced by melting a mixture of materials such as
silica, soda ash, and CaCO3 at high temperature. Glass consists mainly of silica,
which is a natural raw substance like sand. Glass is a recyclable material with high

389
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

performance and unique aesthetic properties which make it suitable for wide-spread
use. One of its significant contributions is the construction field where waste glass has
been reused for concrete production in the form of aggregates and in the form of glass
powder as a partial substitute of cement. (Gautam, et al, 2012). When used in
construction applications, waste glass must be crushed and screened to produce an
appropriate design gradation. The aim of this work is to study the strength properties
of concrete when cement is partially replaced by pulverized waste glass and that this
paper should serve as a medium of awareness for stakeholders in Nigeria construction
industry to have look at its possible usage in small – medium scale construction
projects.

1.1 Application of Waste Glass

Glass can be reused in the construction industry for a number of applications (Tam &
Tam, 2007):
(i) Glass fibre: for material properties enhancement, glass is recycled in the
manufacture of glass fibre, which is used in thermal and acoustic insulations,
which can be mixed with strengthen cement, gypsum or resin products.
(ii) Filling material: United Kingdom practices recycled glass as a fine material for
cement replacement called “ConGlassCrete”, which is used for improving the
strength of concrete.
(iii)Tile: 100% replacement of recycled glass adopted in the United States. It has an
attractive reflective appearance on the surface after polishing.
(iv) Aggregate in road: crushed glass has been developed for use as an aggregate in
bituminous concrete pavement; popularly known as „glassphalt‟ and it had been
tested in USA
(v) Asphalt in road: old glass is required to crush into very fine material in replacing
asphalt. Taiwan practices replaced 15% recycled glass for asphalt used.

1.2 Comparative properties of glass and cement

The typical chemical composition and physical properties of cement and glass are
shown in Table 1, while in Table 2 the average chemical constituent of cement and
glass results by 4 different researchers are shown
Table 1. Typical composition of OPC
Chemical Weight (%)
C3S 55
C2S 18
C3A 10
C4AF 8
CSH2 6
Source: Gautam et al (2012)
According to Kumarappan (2013), the present of silica in cement is the binding
property for the concrete, the strength of the concrete mainly depends upon the
binding property of cement. In glass silica is rich. When glass is used in concrete it
increases the binding strength and strength of concrete increased also.

390
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Table 2 Average chemical constituent of cement and glass results by researchers

Chemical Cement Kumarappan Turgut and Nassar and Takata et al

Constituent (%) (2013) Yahlizade Soroushian (2004)
(2009) (2011)
Glass (%)
Lime 62 08 11.13 9.2 10.6
Silica 22 72.50 70.22 73.5 70.5
Alumina 05 01.60 1.64 0.4 2.25
Calcium 04 - - - -
Sulphate
Iron oxide 03 0.36 0.52 0.2 1.076
Magnesia 02 4.18 - 3.3 -
Sulphur 01 - - - -
Alkalis 01 - - -
Sodium - 13.1 15.29 13.2 12.74
Oxide
Potassium - 0.26 - 0.1 1.15
Oxide
Sulphur - 0.18 - - 0.2
Oxide

2. Alkaline- Silica Reaction

A pozzolanic reaction occurs when a siliceous or aluminous material get in touch with
calcium hydroxide in the presence of humidity to form compounds exhibiting
cementitious properties. (Alireza et al. 2010). In the use of alternate concrete
constituent materials, some harmful reactions may occur such as alkali-silica reactions
(ASR). The ASR occurs when the alkalis (Na2O and K2O) originating from the
cement with silica originating from aggregates/ recycled materials mix together. As
the product of this reaction, a gel of alkali-silicate is formed which expands over a
longer period of time, damaging the concrete. This gel binds water and can expand to
about twice its initial volume. This reaction only takes place if the amount of Na2O
and K2O is high enough and when water is present. (Van-Lieshout et al, 2010).
Different properties of materials used in concrete have an effect on the ASR
reactivity. In the case of glass this comes to its particle size and chemical
composition. Besides the composition, also the particle size plays a role in the
reactivity of the glass. It is found that larger particles have the long-term reactivity
(deterioration capacity) higher than smaller particles. In general, the ASR is a very
slow reaction. When reactive fine materials (e.g. glass powder) are added, a large
reactive surface is available. The larger the area, the faster the reaction takes place and
completes (particles smaller than 1 mm are recommended). If enough fine material
(sufficient surface area) is available, the ASR can be finished before the hardening of
concrete finishes. This means that the long-term expansion due to the ASR can be
prevented. (Van-Lieshout et al, 2010).

391
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Source: Kumarappan (2013)

Figure 1 Pulverized glass powder

Source: Shekhawat and Aggarwal (2014)

Figure 2 Partially substituted cement with glass powder

392
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

3. Strength Properties of Waste Glass Concrete

3.1 Workability (slump test)
Workability is the property of freshly mixed concrete that determines the ease with
which it can be properly mixed, placed, consolidated and finished without
segregation. The workability of fresh concrete is measured by means of the
conventional slump test. Chikhalikar and Tande, (2012), in their study showed that at
20% replacement of cement with waste glass powder will result in higher strengths
and gives better workability to concrete. According to Adarsh et al. (2014), the slump
of fresh concrete increased with the increase in waste glass content. Waste glass
particles absorbed less water as compared to sand and hence improving the
workability of concrete admixture.
Gunalaan and Seri (2013), in their test showed in table 3.3 the average slump
value of the control mix gave a value of 33mm compare to concrete mix with waste
glass powder of 10% ,15% and 20% which had slump value of 60mm, 63mm and
70mm respectively.. Therefore the value of slump increases when the percentage of
waste glass powder increased as shown in Figure 3. Hence, by using waste glass
powder in concrete a higher workable concrete can be achieved.
Malik et al (2013) showed in table 3.4 that at 10%, 20% and 30% replacement
level the slump value for the fresh concrete are 29mm, 34mm, and 40mm
respectively. In comparison with the control sample whose slump test gave a value of
25mm, it can be seen (in Figure 4) that concrete mix with fine glass powder content
gave a higher workability.
Kumarappan (2013), in his study showed that the slump value for concrete with
varying amount of glass powder as partial replacement of cement exhibited a
systematic increase. The slump ranged from around 40mm for the reference mix (i.e.
0% glass powder) to up to 160mm at 40% glass powder.

Source: Gunalaan and Seri (2013)

Figure 3 Slump Test result of fresh concrete with waste glass powder

393
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Slump Test
60

50
Slump value (mm)

40

30

20

10

0
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

% of cement replacement with glass powder

Source: Malik et al (2013)

Figure 4 Average Slump Test result of fresh concrete with waste glass powder

3.2 Compressive strength

Compressive strength of concrete is the value of uniaxial compressive stresses

reached when concrete fails completely. The compressive strength of concrete is
given in terms of the characteristic compressive strength of 150mm (or 100mm) sizes
cubes tested at 28days. The characteristic strength is defined as the strength of
concrete below which not more than 5% of the test results are expected to fail.
According to the investigation of Gautam et al (2012), their compressive test
result at 7days with 10% glass waste increased the compressive strength of concrete
by about 47.75% on average. And at 28days the compressive strength increase was
3.30% at the same 10% replacement level. At 20% replacement level the compression
strength at 7days was 13.64% and at 28 days 2.18%. Thus, the increase in
compressive strength at 7days was 11.32% whereas at 28days it decreased marginally
at 30% and 40% waste glass replacement level.
Adarsh et al. (2014), in their study showed that compressive strength tests carried
out at 7 and 28 days on cubes with up to 30% replacement level of waste glass gave
an increase in compressive strength value as compared with the control sample. While
concrete containing a higher percent content of waste glass (i.e. greater than 30%) had
a lower compressive strength. The maximum compressive strength measured was
25% more than that of a reference mix at 28 days corresponding to concrete mixture
containing 20% waste glass in the concrete mix. Table 3 shows that the compressive
strength for concrete mix with 40% waste glass content was found to be less than that
of reference mix.

394
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Table 3. Average Compressive Test of Concrete with waste glass powder

Test day Compressive Strength Compressive Strength of Waste Glass Concrete
of Normal Concrete (N/mm2)
2
(N/mm ) 10% 20% 30% 40%
7days 21.52 23.89 24.12 22.8 19.21
14days 25.26 23.89 30.07 26.98 22.47
28days 29.01 33.89 36.02 31.16 25.72
Source: Adarsh et al. (2014)

According to Turgut and Yahlizade (2009), the increases in the compressive

strength of the concrete blocks with fine glass replacement levels of 10%, 20% and
30% were 48%, 69% and 31% compressive strength as compared with the control
sample, respectively. Finely ground glass powder has been found to exhibit
pozzolanic characteristics and increase the strength of concrete. Ground glass powder
having a size finer than 38-μm or passing a #400 sieve exhibited pozzolanic behavior.
The mixture with the glass powder had a higher early and later strength. Vijayakumar
et al (2013) concluded that replacement of glass powder in cement by 20%, 30% and
40% increases the compressive strength by 19.6%, 25.3% and 33.7% respectively.
According to Chikhalikar and Tande, (2012), there was an increase of +4, +16 and +9
in compressive strength at 10%, 20% and 30% glass powder replacement level
respectively.
Pereira de Oliveira, et al (2010) study focused on the assessment of the
pozzolanic activity of green, amber and flint color waste glass of different particle
sizes(75μm – 150μm,45μm – 75μm and < 4μm) as a component of cementitious
materials used as filler or binder in mortar and concrete. Their conclusion was that at
30% of 45 - 75μm ground waste glasses size range could be incorporated as cement
replacement in mortar or concrete without any detrimental effects caused by the
expansivity provoked by the alkali silica reaction.

3.3 Flexural strength

Turgut and Yahlizade (2009) studied the flexural property of concrete with fine glass
replacement levels of 10%, 20% and 30%. From their findings, the increase in the
flexural strength of concrete blocks at the above stated replacement levels were 22%,
90% and 49% as compared with the control sample, respectively. The increase in the
flexural strength of the blocks are explained by pozzolanic reaction of fine glass.
Finely-ground glass has the appropriate chemical composition to react with alkalis in
cement, forming cementitious products, which are known as pozzolanic reactions. A
pozzolana is usually a siliceous (SiO2) material of very fine particle size. It does not
by itself act like cement, but with water it reacts with lime or slaked lime to form a
hydrated gel called tobermorite. The gel and others like it, bonds the mass together.
Glass has a high SiO2 content making it suitable for use as a pozzolanic material.
Vijayakumar et al (2013) investigated the flexural strength of concrete partially
replaced with glass powder and his test results showed that replacement of glass
powder in cement by 20%, 30% and 40% increases the flexural strength by 83.07%,
99.07% and 100% respectively. Chikhalikar and Tande, (2012), in their test result
revealed that at 10%, 20% and 30% glass powder there was an increase in the flexural
strength of the concrete specimen. Figure 5 shows that specimen with 20% fine glass
powder gave a higher flexural strength value as compared with the other specimen.

395
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Flexural Strength Test

8
Flexural Strength (MPa)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
% replacement of cement with waste glass powder

Source: Chikhalikar and Tande (2012)

Figure 5. Flexural strength of glass concrete

3.4 Tensile strength

Vijayakumar et al (2013) studied the tensile property of concrete with glass powder
partially replacing cement. The replacement of glass powder in cement by 40%
increased the split tensile strength by 4.4%. According to Turgut and Yahlizade
(2009), there is an increase in split tensile strength of about 28% using 10% glass
powder. This strength increased further to 47% with 20% replacement of cement with
glass powder. No significant increase was detected in the fine glass replacement level
of 30% as compared with the control sample. According to Chikhalikar and Tande
(2012), the tensile strength of concrete with glass powder at 10%, 20% and 30%
replacement level were +10, +22, and +1 respectively as shown in Table 4. At 40%
replacement level a decreased tensile strength value of -11.

Table 4. Average tensile strength test results of concrete with waste glass powder
% replacement of cement by Flexural Strength (MPa) % increase or decrease
glass powder in tensile strength
0% 6.10 -
10% 6.74 +10
20% 7.42 +22
30% 6.18 +1
40% 5.44 -11
Source: Chikhalikar and Tande (2012)

3.5 Alkalinity test

Vijayakumar et al (2013) after 28 days curing of their specimens carried out alkalinity
tests on the concrete samples. The test result showed that at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and
40% glass replacement level the pH value were 12.6, 12.7, 12.46, 12.67, and 12.98
respectively. From this result we see that the specimen are alkaline, hence are more
resistant to corrosion.

396
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

3.6 Water absorption

Water is essential to the cement hydration that gives concrete its mechanical strength.
The quantity of water needed for this hydration must be quantified correctly. Too
much water increases the concrete porosity, thus decreasing its mechanical
performance and durability. A shortage of water in the mix will lead to incomplete
cement hydration reactions and reduction of the fresh concrete‟s workability.
(Fernando et al, 2013). Most normal weight aggregate have absorption capacities in
the range of 1 to 2%. Abnormally high absorption capacities indicate high-porosity
aggregates, which may have potential durability problems. Generally concrete of low
water absorption will afford better protection to reinforcement within it. It had been
noticed by many researchers that glass by nature is an impermeable material, so it
could be assumed that the presence of glass particles in concrete can reduce the
permeability of the concrete mix. Mathematically, water absorption is expressed as:

% Water Absorption = (W2-W1)/W1 ×100 (1)

Where, W1 = Oven dry weight of cubes in grams, and W2 = after 24 hours wet weight
of cubes in grams. Malik et al (2013) studied the water absorption properties of glass
waste concrete. From their test results the percentage water absorption decreased with
increase in waste glass content. The lowest value of water absorption was found for
concrete mix with 40% waste glass content.
Adarsh et al. (2014), carried out water absorption test on concrete mixtures and
the percentage water absorption was measured. The percentage water absorption
decreased with an increase in waste glass content (see Figure .6). The lowest value of
water absorption was found for concrete mix with 40% waste glass content.

1.8
1.6
Water Absorption value

1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Control Mix 10% 20% 30% 40%

% of cement replacement with glass powder

Source: Adarsh et al. (2014)

Fig. 6 Average Water Absorption property of glass concrete

Shekhawat and Aggarwal (2014) in their study suggested that water absorption for the
100% cement concrete is more as shown in Fig. 7 and that containing 10% glass
replacement resulted in a lower absorption as compared to reference mix, while the
mixtures with higher glass contents were clearly more absorbent than the mix with
10% replacement but less than the reference mix.

397
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Water Absorption Value (%) 5

0
0% 10% 20% 30%
% of cement replacement with glass powder

Source: Shekhawat and Aggarwal (2014)

Figure 7 Average water absorption test result

4. Conclusion

In this research paper, it can be concluded that waste glass is not really a waste but a
resource. Its use in the construction industry is becoming prominent. Waste glass has
diverse applications in the industry such as a building material, concrete ingredient
and paving applications, a substitute for sand and other natural resources. But more
interestingly is its application as a pozzolanic and cementitious material. Having
reviewed several works of researchers, the following conclusions are made;
(i) Waste glass can be useful and beneficial in concrete production;
(ii) The use of waste glass powder as a partial substitute to cement between 10%-
30% percentage replacement level yields a concrete mix with a higher
compressive strength;;
(iii) Using waste glass not more than 30% replacement level of cement can also
improve the tensile strength of concrete;
(iv) Concrete made with waste glass powder exhibits a higher workability;
(v) The use of glass powder as a partial substitute to cement can result to economic
saving and a more profitable use of waste glass;
(vi) By incorporating waste glass into concrete production we can combat to a
considerable extent the issues of inappropriate disposal of wastes glass in our
environment; and
(vii) Waste glass powder can undergo beneficial pozzolanic reactions in the concrete
and could replace up to 30% of cement in some concrete mixes with satisfactory
strength development.

References

Adarsh D., Sanjay S., Jain D. (2014), Study of properties of concrete when its fine
aggregate is replaced by glass powder, International Journal for Scientific
Research & Development, 2, 1-3.

398
Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Alireza N.G., Suraya A.R., Farah N.A.A., Mohamad A.M.S. (2010), Contribution of
rice husk ash to the properties of mortar and concrete, Journal of American
Science, 6, 1-9
Chikhalikar S.M., Tande S.N. (2012), An experimental investigation on characteristic
properties of fibre reinforced concrete containing waste glass powder as
pozzolana, Proceedings of 37th Conference on Our World in Concrete &
Structures Singapore, 2-11.
Fernando R., Luis E., Jorge B. (2013), A new method to determine the density and
water absorption of fine recycled aggregates, Technical Paper submitted to
University of Madrid, 1-3
Gautam S.P., Srivastava V., Agarwal V.C. (2012), Use of glass wastes as fine
aggregate in Concrete, Journal of Academia and Industrial Research (JAIR),
1(6), 1-3.
Gunalaan V., Seri G.K. (2013), Performance of using waste glass powder in concrete
as replacement of cement, American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER), 2,
1-7.
Isler J.W. (2012), Assessment of concrete masonry units containing aggregate
replacements of waste glass and rubber tire particles, thesis submitted to the
University of Colorado Denver, 11-18.
Kumarappan N. (2013), Partial Replacement Cement in Concrete Using Waste Glass,
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 2, 1-4
Malik M.I, Muzafar B., Sajad A., Tabish T., Umar C. (2013), Study of Concrete
Involving Use of Waste Glass as Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregates, IOSR
Journal of Engineering (IOSRJEN), Vol. 3, 1-6
Nassar Roz-Ud-Din, Soroushian P. (2011), Field Investigation of Concrete
incorporating milled Waste Glass, Journal of Solid Waste Technology and
Management, Vol. 37, 1-13
Pereira de Oliveira L.A., Castro Gomes J.P, Santos P. (2010), Optimization of
Pozzolanic reaction of Ground Waste Glass incorporated in Cement Mortars,
Technical Paper submitted to University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, 1-7
Sachin V.B., Shrivallabh S.C. (2014), Green Concrete by Utilization of Waste Glass
Powder & Industrial Waste Sand for Construction Industry, International Journal
of Advanced Technology in Engineering and Science, 2, 1-5
Shayan Ahmad (2002), Value-added Utilization of Waste Glass in Concrete,
proceedings of IABSE Symposium Melbourne, 1-3
Shekhawat S. B., Aggarwal Vanita C. (2014), Utilization of Waste Glass Powder in
Concrete, International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering
and Technology, 3, 1-5.
Takata R, Sato S., Nonaka T., Ogata H., Hattori K. (2004), Investigation on alkali-
silica reaction utilizing waste glass in concrete and suppression effect by natural
zeolite, 29th Conference on Our World In Concrete & Structures: 25 - 26 August
2004, Singapore.
Tam C.M., Tam-Vivian W.Y. (2007), A Review on the Viable Technology for
Construction Waste Recycling, Technical Paper submitted to City University of
Hong Kong, 10-13
Turgut P., Yahlizade E. S. (2009), Research into Concrete Blocks with Waste Glass,
International Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5, 1-7
Van Lieshout B., Spiesz P., Brouwers H.J.H., Application of waste glass in
translucent and photocatalytic concrete.

399
 Epistemics in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, No.1, 2015, 389-400 Okeke and Adedeji

Vijayakumar G., Govindarajulu D., Vishaliny H., (2013), Studies on Glass Powder as
Partial Replacement of Cement in Concrete Production, International Journal of
Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, 3, 1-5
Vitoldas V., Evaldas S., Harald Hilbig (2014), “The effect of glass powder on the
microstructure of ultra-high performance concrete”, Construction and Building
Materials, 68, 1-8

400

View publication stats