Mechanical properties of a mortar with melted plastic waste as the only binder: Influence of material composition and curing regime, and application in Bamako
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In recent years, serious environmental problems induced by plastic wastes have drawn considerable attention across the world and new initiatives have been adopted to recycle plastic wastes into construction materials. One of the promising initiatives is the use of plastic waste as the only binding phase to make concrete/mortar-like construction materials. However, how key engineering properties of concrete/mortar-like materials with melted plastic as the only binder change with material composition and curing conditions are not well known. This paper aims to investigate the effect of curing conditions and granular material size on the mechanical properties (compressive and splitting tensile strengths) of a mortar with melted plastic waste (high density polyethylene (HDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE)) as the only binder (MPB: mortar with melted plastic waste binder). Moreover, it presents a study conducted in the city of Bamako (Mali) to evaluate the use of MPB to make interlocking paving blocks for use on non-traffic areas in residential or municipal construction projects. Two curing conditions, namely, air dry at ambient temperature and water curing were used for this research. Moreover, the size of the granular materials (sand and gravel) was varied in order to assess its impact on the properties of the corresponding MPB sample formulations with given plastic content and HDPE/LDPE (H/L) ratio. Granular material size and curing conditions were found to have significa…
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Improvement attributed to increased packing density of mineral aggregates, leading to higher hardened density.
“This improvement was attributed to increased packing density of mineral aggregates, which led to higher hardened density in the samples.”
From Transforming Plastic Waste into Value: A Review of Management Strategies and Innovative Applications in Sustainable Construction (2025) · cites this paper as [119]
Introducing 30% granular material (2-4.75 mm) to sand matrix below 2 mm significantly enhanced compressive and splitting tensile strengths.
“Introducing 30% granular material (sand and gravel) within the 2–4.75 mm range to a sand matrix with grain sizes below 2 mm significantly enhanced compressive and splitting tensile strengths.”
From Transforming Plastic Waste into Value: A Review of Management Strategies and Innovative Applications in Sustainable Construction (2025) · cites this paper as [119]
Curing methods significantly influenced compressive and splitting tensile strengths.
“The results indicated that curing methods significantly influenced compressive and splitting tensile strengths.”
From Transforming Plastic Waste into Value: A Review of Management Strategies and Innovative Applications in Sustainable Construction (2025) · cites this paper as [119]
Samples cured in air at ambient temperature exhibited higher strength than those cured in water.
“Samples cured in air at ambient temperature exhibited higher strength than those cured in water, where strength decreased due to increased porosity and a coarser pore structure caused by the faster cooling rate during water curing.”
From Transforming Plastic Waste into Value: A Review of Management Strategies and Innovative Applications in Sustainable Construction (2025) · cites this paper as [119]
Cites
Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic waste
Ragaert, K., Delva, L., & Van Geem, K. (2017) · Waste Management · doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2017.07.044 · Cited by 3,276 · see citing works
Exploiting recycled plastic waste as an alternative binder for paving blocks production
Agyeman, S., Obeng-Ahenkora, N. K., Assiamah, S., & Twumasi, G. (2019) · Case Studies in Construction Materials · doi:10.1016/j.cscm.2019.e00246 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
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Haba, B., Djellali, S., Abdelouahed, Y., Boudjelida, S., Faleschini, F., & Carraro, M. (2025) · Polymers · doi:10.3390/polym17070881 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
- Authors
- Thiam, M., Fall, M., & Diarra, M. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs – Abderhamane Baba Touré (ML)
- Venue
- Case Studies in Construction Materials
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-12
- Volume
- 15
- Pages
- e00634
- ISSN
- 2214-5095 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3184897024
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5
- FWCI
- 2.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Case Studies in Construction Materials (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Materials Engineering and Processing
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Recycling and utilization of industrial and municipal waste in materials production
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Innovative concrete reinforcement materials
- Keywords
- plastic waste, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, plastic recycling, mortar, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, curing conditions, water curing, air drying, plastic waste management, Bamako
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