Analysis Of The Effect Of Polypropylene Polymer (Crushed Plastic Waste) On Oven Dried Laterite Bricks

ABSTRACT

The sandcrete blocks have been a major material for the construction of structures in Nigeria. This material have provided a means of constructing walls and partition. However, the sandcrete blocks also have the disadvantage of cost and unavailability of materials such as granite, cement and other combining aggregates.

Laterite, a readily available material can be efficiently used to produce Laterite bricks which can be fired to improve it's mechanical and physical property. The incorporation of wastes such as polymer into the production of bricks can contribute to a more stable constructional material. The main advantage which is the reduction of non-biodegradable materials dominating dumpsites and landfills.

The main idea of this research is to focus on the possibility of creating laterite bricks with properties improved through the addition of waste plastic. Study was carried out on the effect of the plastic wastes on the compressive strength, flexural strength, loss of weight and shrinkage due to heating.

The results showed that properties such as compressive and flexural strength decreased upon increasing the polymer content but remained within the acceptable limits. Based on the results of this study, the use of waste plastic in bricks is recommended but to a limit of 5%.