Experimental Evaluation of Waste PET Bottles as a Sustainable Building Material

Abstract

Sustainable development and the preservation of the natural environment are two concepts that are becoming increasingly important in the construction sector, leading to a growing interest in the development of ecofriendly building solutions. In this regard, the use of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as a construction material is an interesting alternative that can help to reduce the environmental impact of the building activity at little or no cost, while providing a second life to a material that is one of the main sources of pollution. The present study analyses the mechanical behavior of PET bottles for their use as construction materials, carrying compression tests to assess the elastic properties of PET bottles filled with sand or plastic waste, both alone and embedded in a concrete matrix. In asecond part of the study, a finite-element method model of an existing water tank built with PET bottles in Tanzania is developed and tested. The results obtained show the suitability of the composite bottle-and-concrete samples as a sustainable construction technique.