Performance of recycled waste glass sand as partial replacement of sand in concrete

Abstract The aim of this research is to utilize recycled waste glass effectively as a partial replacement for the sand in concrete. A series of tests were conducted to determine the properties of the constituents, fresh concrete, and hardened concrete including its durability characteristics to investigate the suitability of using recycled waste glass sand (RGS) in concrete. Concrete was produced by replacing natural river sand with 20%, 40% and 60% of recycled glass sand. In this study, mixed-colour soda lime glass, collected by Cairns Regional Council, Australia was used. The test results showed a significant improvement in the strength of concrete. RGS concrete also showed improved resistance to chloride ion penetration. Besides, RGS addition significantly reduced expansion caused by alkali-silica reaction. The experimental results ascertain that the addition of RGS can be a good substitute for natural sand, and therefore, can be effectively used in industrial applications.