CAPSTONE PROJECT REPORT

(CE - 498)

USE OF WASTE POLYSTYRENE AS AGGREGATE

SUBSTITUENT IN CONCRETE

Submitted by

xyz

Under the Guidance of

Dr. abc
Associate Professor

Department of Civil Engineering

PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project work entitled Use of waste polystyrene as aggregate
substituent in concrete is an authentic record of my own work carried out at PEC University
of Technology, Chandigarh as requirements of Capstone Project for the award of degree of
B.E. (Civil Engineering) under the guidance of Dr. Geeta Arora.

Prabh Jodh Singh

Student I D: 12102005

Date: ___________________

Certified that the above statement made by the student is correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief.

Dr. Geeta Arora

Associate Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
PEC University of Technology

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I feel highly privileged to express my deep sense of gratitude to God Almighty for showering
His choicest blessings and His help throughout my period of training.

Its my proud privilege to express my sincere and whole hearted sense of gratitude and
indebtedness to my Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Geeta Arora, Associate Professor, Department
of Civil Engineering, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh.

I wish to convey my sincere gratitude to all the faculties of Civil Engineering Department
who have enlightened me during my studies. The facilities and co-operation received from
the technical staff of Civil Engineering Department is thankfully acknowledged. I express my
thanks to all those who helped me in one way or other.

No words can suffice my feelings of gratitude to my Parents whose blessing, immense

patience, support and understanding were the constant source of inspiration during tenure of
my study. All may not be mentioned but none is forgotten, words may be due, but thoughts
remain with me. Last, but not the least, I would like to thank the authors of various research
articles and books that were referred to.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 2

CHAPTER 1: Introduction 5-10

1.1 Polystyrene 5

1.2 Properties of Polystyrene 5-7

1.2.1 Physical Properties 5

1.2.2 Chemical Properties 6

1.2.3 Mechanical Properties 6

1.2.4 Thermal Properties 7

1.3 Polystyrene Waste 8

1.4 Concrete 8

1.5 Objective 9

1.6 Scope of Work 10

CHAPTER 2: Literature Review 11-15

2.1 Introduction 11

2.2 Workability and Absorption results of Concrete with Polystyrene Beads 11

2.3 Mechanical Properties of Concrete with Polystyrene beads 13

2.4 Expanded Polystyrene Beads utilisation in Concrete 14

CHAPTER 3: Materials and Methodology 16-23

3.1 Introduction 16

3.1.1 Cement 16

3.1.2 Fine Aggregates 18

3.1.3 Coarse Aggregates 19

3.1.4 Water 21

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 3.1.5 Polystyrene 23

3.2 Methodology 24-37

3.2.1 Mix Proportions and Material Calculations 24

3.2.2 Mixing and Compaction of Concrete 28

3.2.3 Measurement of Workability 32

3.2.4 Curing 33

3.2.5 Compression Testing of Concrete 34

3.2.6 Tensile Testing of Concrete 35

CHAPTER 4: Results and Discussions 38-45

4.1 Density 38

4.2 Slump Test 41

4.3 Compression Test 42

4.4 Split-Tensile Test 44

CHAPTER 5: Summary and Conclusions 46-47

5.1 Summary 46

5.2 Future Scope of Work 47

REFERENCES 48-49

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 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 POLYSTYRENE

Polystyrene (PS) is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene (Fig.
1.1). Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard, and
rather brittle. It is commonly known as thermocole. It is a type of plastic that is widely
being used in food containers and packaging. As a thermoplastic polymer, polystyrene is
in a solid (glassy) state at room temperature but flows if heated above about 100 C, its
glass transition temperature. It becomes rigid again when cooled. This temperature
behaviour is exploited for extrusion, and also for moulding and vacuum forming, since it
can be cast into moulds with fine detail. (Haynes 2011)

Fig. 1.1 Chemical Reaction showing polymerization of styrene to form polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a rigid and tough, closed-cell foam. It is usually white and
made of pre-expanded polystyrene beads. EPS is used for many applications e.g. trays,
plates, bowls and fish boxes. Other uses include moulded sheets for building insulation
and packing material for cushioning fragile items inside boxes. Thermal insulation
property of polystyrene derives from its low thermal conductivity of 0.033 W/ (mK) (for
foam having density 0.05 g/cm3). (Haynes 2011)

1.2 PROPERTIES OF POLYSTYRENE

1.2.1 Physical Properties

The physical properties of polystyrene are due to the presence of weak van der Waals
forces between the chains of polymer. On heating, the forces weaken further, and the
chains slide past one another. This is the reason polystyrene is highly elastic and softens

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 when heated beyond its glass transition temperature. Table 1.1 shows the physical
properties of General Purpose Polystyrene.
The density of polystyrene can vary from 10 kg/m3 to 50 kg/m3. (Deshpande 2013)
Unfilled polystyrene is amorphous, and has a glassy, sparkling appearance. It is also
known as crystal polystyrene.
An important property of extruded polystyrene is its buoyancy or ability to float in
water.
The viscosity of polystyrene, like all other non-Newtonian fluids, depends on the shear
rate. It is the ratio of the shear stress to shear rate.

Table 1.1 Physical Properties of General Purpose Polystyrene (Deshpande 2013)

PROPERTY VALUE
Specific Gravity 1.03 1.06 g/cm3
Apparent Density 0.60 0.65 g/cm3
Water Absorption 0.03 0.10 %

1.2.2 Chemical Properties

Polystyrene is chemically inert, and does not react with most substances. It dissolves in
some organic solvents. It is soluble in solvents that contain acetone, such as most aerosol
paint sprays and cyanoacrylate glues. The transformation of carbon-carbon double bonds
into less reactive single bonds in polystyrene is the main reason for its chemical stability.
Most of the chemical properties of polystyrene are as a result of the unique properties of
carbon. It is highly flammable and burns with an orange yellow flame, giving off carbon
particles or soot, as a characteristic of all aromatic hydrocarbons. Polystyrene, on complete
oxidation, produces only carbon dioxide and water vapour. (Deshpande 2013)

1.2.3 Mechanical Properties

The mechanical properties of a polymer include its strength, elongation, modulus, impact
strength, and toughness. Crystal forms of the polymer polystyrene have low impact
strength. Polystyrene polymers get degraded on exposure to sunlight, due to photo
oxidation, which affects its mechanical properties (Deshpande 2013). Mechanical
Properties are given in Table 1.2 below.

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 Table 1.2 Mechanical Properties of General Purpose Polystyrene (Deshpande 2013)

PROPERTY VALUE

Tensile Modulus/
3000 3600 MPa
Youngs Modulus
Tensile Strength 30 60 MPa
Tensile Elongation 1.0 - 5.0 %
Shear Modulus 1400 MPa
Flexural Strength 76 MPa
Flexural Modulus 3200 MPa

1.2.4 Thermal Properties

Thermal properties as shown in Table 2.3 are the properties exhibited by the substance
when it is subjected to heat. These include the heat distortion temperature, glass transition
temperature, thermal conductivity, etc. Polystyrene is a rigid, transparent thermoplastic,
which is present in solid or glassy state at normal temperature. But, when heated above its
glass transition temperature, it turns into liquid form that flows and can be easily used for
moulding and extrusion. It becomes solid again when it cools off. This property of
polystyrene is used for casting it into moulds with one detail. (Deshpande 2013)

Table 1.3 Thermal Properties of General Purpose Polystyrene (Deshpande 2013)

PROPERTY VALUE

Glass Transition Temperature 100 C

Specific Heat Capacity 1250 J/Kg-K
Thermal Conductivity 0.14 W/m-K
Thermal Expansion 120 m/m-K
Vicat Softening Temperature 100 C

1.3 POLYSTYRENE WASTE

Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, the scale of its production being
several billion kilograms per year. (Maul, et al. 2007) Polystyrene is very slow to
biodegrade and is therefore a focus of controversy among environmentalists. It is
increasingly abundant as a form of litter in the outdoor environment, particularly along

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 shores and waterways, especially in its foam form, and also in increasing numbers in the
Pacific Ocean. (Kwon, et al. 2014) Discarded polystyrene does not biodegrade for
hundreds of years and is resistant to photolysis. (Bandyopadhyay and Chandra Basak
2007)
Due to the low density of polystyrene foam, it is not economical to collect waste
polystyrene for recycling purposes. As a result it is normally thrown away as waste and
disposed off as solid waste without treatment. Polystyrene is numbered 6 on SPI Resin
Identification Code. SPI Resin Identification Code is a set of symbols placed on plastics to
identify the polymer type. It was developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in
1988 and is used internationally. The primary purpose of the codes is to allow efficient
separation of different polymer types for recycling. The symbols used in the code consist
of arrows that cycle clockwise to form a rounded triangle and enclosing the number.
In general, polystyrene is not accepted in curb side collection recycling programs, and is
not separated and recycled where it is accepted. Most polystyrene products are currently
not recycled due to the lack of incentive to invest in the compactors and logistical systems
required.
Considering the above mentioned disposal problem of Polystyrene waste and its related
environmental concerns, this project aims at utilising polystyrene waste as aggregate
substituent in concrete.

1.4 CONCRETE

Concrete is a composite man-made material which is the most widely used building
material in the construction industry. It consists of a rationally chosen mixture of binding
material such as lime or cement, well graded fine and coarse aggregates, water and
admixtures (to produce concrete with special properties). In a concrete mix, cement and
water form a paste or matrix which in addition to filling the voids of the fine aggregate,
coats the surface of fine and coarse aggregates and binds them together. The matrix is
usually 22-34% of the total volume. (Duggal 2008) The moulded concrete mix after
sufficient curing becomes hard like stone due to chemical action between the water and
binding material. A good quality concrete is essentially a homogeneous mixture of cement,
coarse and fine aggregates and water which consolidates into a hard mass due to chemical
action between the cement and water. Each of the four constituents has a specific function.

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 The coarser aggregate acts as a filler. The fine aggregate fills up the voids between the
cement paste and the coarse aggregate. The cement in conjunction with water acts as a
binder. The mobility of the mixture is aided by the cement paste and fine aggregates.

Aggregates form the body of the concrete, reduce the shrinkage and affect economy. They
occupy 70-80 per cent of the volume and have considerable influence on the properties of
the concrete (Duggal 2008). Aggregates retained on 4.75 mm BIS sieve are identified as
coarse aggregates. They are obtained by natural disintegration or by artificial crushing of
rocks. The maximum size of aggregate can be 80 mm. The size is governed by the
thickness of section, spacing of reinforcement, clear cover, mixing, handling and placing
methods.

1.5 OBJECTIVE

Project aims to use polystyrene waste as coarse aggregate substituent in M-20 Nominal
Mix Concrete. The concrete specimens prepared by 0% (Control Group), 10%, 15% and
20% volumetric aggregate substitution were tested for assessment and comparison of their
workability, compressive strength and tensile strength.

1.6 SCOPE OF WORK

The experimental study for determining the suitability and utilisation of waste polystyrene
as coarse aggregate substituent in M-20 Nominal Mix Concrete was carried out as follows:
1. Six cubes and two cylinders were prepared for each substitution by making 0%
(Control Group), 10%, 15% and 20% volumetric replacement of aggregates with
waste Polystyrene.
2. Various tests that were carried out to identify the properties of these concrete
specimens are-
i. Determination of Workability of freshly prepared concrete using Slump Test
ii. Determination of Compressive strength at 14 and 28 days using Compression Test
iii. Determination of Tensile strength at 28 days using Split Tensile Test

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 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 INTRODUCTION

A literature survey found limited number of research results with regard to polystyrene
concrete made from either virgin or recycled Polystyrene. (Ravindrarajah and Tuck 1983)
investigated the compressive strength, tensile strength, static modulus of elasticity,
ultrasonic pulse velocity, drying shrinkage and chemical resistance of BST polystyrene
concrete with densities of 1300 kg/m3 and 1400 kg/m3. They also investigated the inclusion
of silica fume in the mixes. (Ravindrarajah and Tuck 1983) Also, another earlier study of
concrete made with polystyrene beads as aggregate was carried out by Park and Chisholm.
Three different densities were investigated and at each density, mixes both with and
without fly ash were examined. It was found that polystyrene concrete is very prone to
segregation. It has a low compressive strength and a relatively high drying shrinkage for
the densities investigated. Thermal conductivity testing showed that the lighter is the
concrete, the lower is the thermal conductivity. Adding fly ash to the mixes decreased the
water demand, and hence the density and shrinkage, but it also caused a significant
compressive strength reduction. (Park and Chisholm 1999) Some of the more recent
studies conducted in this field are described in the following sections.

2.2 Workability and Absorption results of Concrete with Polystyrene Beads

Hind M. Ewadh & Noorezlin A. Basri used polystyrene beads from solid waste as
aggregate replacement material in concrete at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100 % with gravel and
sand of the same cement content and water cement ratio. They carried out slump test and
absorption test in comparison to the control concrete. The results showed that the
absorption of concrete with different ratios of polystyrene in comparison to the control
mixture reduced up to 82.05 % for 100% replacement of polystyrene. The workability of
the concrete mixtures was found to have increased with the increase in Polystyrene bead
percentage (Table 2.1 & 2.2). No segregation was observed in any concrete mixes.
(Ewadh and Basri 2012)

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Table 2.1 Description of measured slump in Mix Concrete (Sand Replacement
Proportions)

Source: (Ewadh and Basri 2012)

Table 2.2 Description of measured slump in Mix Concrete (Gravel Replacement

Proportions)

Source: (Ewadh and Basri 2012)

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2.3 Mechanical Properties of Concrete with Polystyrene beads

Zaheer Kuhail and Samir Shihada studied the factors which affect the compressive
strength of concrete consisting virgin polystyrene beads. These factors included
water/cement ratio, cement content, curing time, maturity, compaction, fire, and
admixtures. They gave following conclusions after carrying out the research work:

1. The recommended way in preparing polystyrene concrete mixes is to mix the

virgin polystyrene beads with the aggregate for about two minutes, after that, both
cement and water are added, and mixed for about five minutes in order to get a
homogenous mix.
2. Compaction of polystyrene-concrete is to be about 50% of conventional concrete,
to prevent segregation.
3. The recommended curing period is 14 days.
4. The compressive strength of polystyrene-concrete is much lower than normal
concrete due to the weak bond between the polystyrene beads and the cement
paste, and weakness of the beads themselves.
5. The effect of fire on compressive strength of polystyrene concrete is almost same
as for conventional concrete as reflected in Table 2.3. This effect was measured by
the deterioration factor, which is the ratio of the deteriorated compressive strength
to the compressive strength to the compressive strength of concrete not subjected
to fire.

Table 2.3 Compressive Strength deterioration factor due to fire

Source: (Kuhail and Shihada 2003)

6. When using the PLASTMIX42 admixture the 7-day strength is increased, while
the 28-day is decreased.
7. The tensile strength of polystyrene-concrete, represented by its modulus of
rupture, increases as the cement content or amount of aggregates is increased. It

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 ranges from 5.75% to 7.5% of its compressive strength, compared with 8% to
15% in conventional concrete.
8. The following proportions (Table 2.4) are recommended for producing
homogeneous mixes with compressive strengths ranging from 17 to 25 MPa and
densities ranging from 1650 to 1830 kg/m3.

Table 2.4 Recommended Mix proportions

Quantity Range
Cement Content 440-550 kg/m3
W/C Ratio 0.40-0.55
Aggregate Content 500-1000 kg/m3
Polystyrene 20-40 % m3/ m3

Source: (Kuhail and Shihada 2003)

2.4 Expanded Polystyrene Beads utilisation in Concrete

Thomas Tamut, et al studied the properties, such as compressive strength and tensile
strength of concrete containing virgin Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) beads. EPS beads were
used as partial replacement to coarse aggregates. The ingredients of concrete were
Expanded Polystyrene beads in the form of spheres, (used for filling bean bags), River
sand as fine aggregate, crushed granite stones as coarse aggregate, 43 grade Ordinary
Portland Cement and water. The mix proportions for M30 conventional concrete mix was
arrived as per IS: 10262-2009. Six levels of replacement of aggregate were considered,
i.e., 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30%.

The following conclusions were drawn from the study:

1. All the EPS concrete without any special bonding agent show good workability
and could easily be compacted and finished.
2. Increase in the EPS beads content in concrete mixes reduces the compressive and
tensile strength of concrete. The variation of compressive strength with EPS beads is
shown in Fig. 2.1.

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Fig. 2.1 Compressive strength variation percentage of EPS variation (Tamut, et al. 2014)

3. Workability increases with increase in EPS beads content as shown in Table 2.5
below.

Table 2.5 Variation in slump with EPS (%).

Source: (Tamut, et al. 2014)

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3.2 METHODOLOGY

3.2.1 Mix Proportions and Material Calculations

Depending upon the characteristic strength (N/mm2) of concrete cubes (150 mm side) at
28 days, concrete is classified as given below as per IS 456:2000.

It is further classified as low strength concrete (< 20 N mm2/), medium strength concrete
(2040 N/ mm2) and high strength concrete (>40 N/ mm2).

Mix proportions: The mix proportions are selected in such a way so as to ensure the
workability of the fresh concrete and when concrete is hardened, it has the required
strength, durability and surface finish.

According to IS 456:2000, the determination of the proportions of cement, aggregates and

water to attain the required strengths can be made by any of the following methods:

a) By designing the concrete mix; such concrete shall be called 'Design mix concrete', or

b) By adopting nominal concrete mix: such concrete shall be called 'Nominal mix
concrete

In this project M-20 Nominal mix concrete was prepared for carrying out polystyrene
aggregate utilisation studies. According to IS 456:2000, Nominal mix concrete may be
used for concrete of M 20 or lower. The proportions of materials for nominal mix concrete
shall be in accordance with the following table (Table 3.4) as given in IS 456:2000.

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 Table 3.4 Proportions for Nominal Mix Concrete (IS 456 2000)

Total Quantity of
Dry Aggregates by
Mass per 50 kg of
Proportion of Fine Quantity of Water
Cement, to be
Aggregate to Coarse per 50 Kg of
Grade of Concrete Taken as the Sum of
Aggregate (by Cement,
the Individual
Mass) (Maximum)
Masses of Fine and
Coarse Aggregates,
kg, (Maximum)

M5 800 60

M 7.5 625 Generally 1:2 but 42

subject to upper
M 10 480 34
limit of 1:1.5 and a
M 15 330 lower limit of 1:2.5 32

M 20 250 30

For good quality concrete a proper and accurate quantity of all the ingredients should be
used. The aggregates, cement and water should be measured with an accuracy of 3 per
cent of batch quantity and the admixtures by 5 per cent of the batch quantity (Duggal
2008). There are two prevalent methods of batching materials, the volume batching and
the weigh batching. The factors affecting the choice of batching method are the size of job,
required production rate, and required standards of batching performance. For all
important works weigh batching is used. Different types of weigh batchers are used. For
smaller works manual batching is done. All the operations of weighing and batching of the
ingredients are done manually. The weighing may also be done by ordinary platform
weighing machines. For large size works weigh bucket equipments are used.

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Weigh batching using ordinary platform weighing machine was done throughout the
project to prepare Nominal Mix concrete. The calculations done for weigh proportioning
are mentioned below:

Nominal Mix Proportioning for M20 Concrete 1:1.5:3 (Duggal 2008)

Assuming, Shrinkage factor of concrete = 1.57

Density of Cement = 1440 kg/m3
Density of Fine Aggregates = 1500 kg/m3
Density of Coarse Aggregates= 1600 kg/m3

Now, Sum of Mix Proportions = 1+1.5+3 = 5.5

For 1 m3 of Concrete,
Volume of Cement required = 11.571/ 5.5
Volume of Cement required = 0.285 m3
Weight of Cement required = 0.285 m3 1440 kg/m3
Weight of Cement required = 410.4 kg
Volume of Sand required = 11.571.5/5.5
Volume of Sand required = 0.428 m3
Weight of Sand required = 0.428 m3 1500 kg/m3
Weight of Sand required = 642 kg
Volume of Coarse Aggregates required = 11.573/5.5
Volume of Coarse Aggregates required = 0.856 m3
Weight of Coarse Aggregates required = 0.856 m3 1600 kg/m3
Weight of Coarse Aggregates required = 1369.6 kg
Volume of 1 Cube (150mm side) = 0.00337 m3
Volume of 1 Cylinder (150mm diameter & 300mm height) = (0.15/2)2 0.3
Volume of 1 Cylinder = 0.00530 m3
Therefore, for casting of 1 cube,
Weight of Cement required = 410.4 kg 0.00337
Weight of Cement required = 1.38 kg
Weight of Sand required = 642 kg 0.00337
Weight of Sand required = 2.16 kg
Weight of Coarse Aggregates required = 1369.6 kg 0.00337
Weight of Coarse Aggregates required = 4.61 kg

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Similarly, for casting of 1 cylinder,
Weight of Cement required = 410.4 kg 0.00530
Weight of Cement required = 2.17 kg
Weight of Sand required = 642 kg 0.00530
Weight of Sand required = 3.40 kg
Weight of Coarse Aggregates required = 1369.6 kg 0.00530
Weight of Coarse Aggregates required = 7.26 kg

Water-to-Cement ratio of 0.50 was adopted for all the concrete mixes.
Thus, For casting of 1 cube, weight of water required = 0.69 kg
For casting of 1 cylinder, weight of water required = 1.08 kg

Checks on proportions adopted for M20 nominal mix concrete as given in Table 3.4.
642 kg +1369.6 kg
Total Quantity of Dry Aggregates by Mass per kg of Cement = 410.4 kg

Total Quantity of Dry Aggregates by Mass per kg of Cement = 4.9 kg

Total Quantity of Dry Aggregates by Mass per 50 kg of Cement = 4.9 kg 50
Total Quantity of Dry Aggregates by Mass per 50 kg of Cement = 245 kg (< 250 kg)
Hence, Total Quantity of Dry Aggregates by Mass (Maximum) per 50 kg of Cement
conforms to IS 456:2000.
Proportion of Fine Aggregate to Coarse Aggregate (by mass) = 642 kg/1369.6 kg
Proportion of Fine Aggregate to Coarse Aggregate (by mass) = 0.47 (0.4 < 0.47 < 0.67)
Hence, Proportion of Fine Aggregate to Coarse Aggregate (by mass) conforms to
IS 456:2000.
Quantity of Water per 50 Kg of Cement = 25 kg (< 30)
Hence, Quantity of Water per 50 Kg of Cement (Maximum) conforms to IS 456:2000.

As all the checks confirmed that proportion of materials calculated for weigh batching
conformed to IS 456:2000 guidelines, therefore, the above calculated quantities of
materials were adopted to prepare M20 Nominal Mix.

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3.2.2 Mixing and Compaction of Concrete

Mixing: The objective of mixing is to make the concrete mass homogeneous and uniform
in colour and consistency. All the aggregate particles should have a coat of cement paste
and all the ingredients of the concrete should blend into a uniform mass. The mixing is
done either by hand or by machine called mixer. As per IS 516:1959, The concrete shall
be mixed by hand in such a manner as to avoid loss of water or other materials. Each batch
of concrete shall be of such a size so as to leave about 10 percent excess after moulding
the desired number of test specimens. The concrete batch shall be mixed on a watertight,
non-absorbent platform with a shovel, trowel or similar suitable implement, using the
following procedure:
a) The cement and fine aggregate shall be mixed dry until the mixture is thoroughly
blended and is uniform in colour.
b) The coarse aggregate shall then be added and mixed with the cement and fine aggregate
until the coarse aggregate is uniformly distributed throughout the batch, and
c) The water shall then be added and the entire batch mixed until the concrete appears to
be homogeneous and has the desired consistency.

Hand mixing was done to prepare concrete mixes for casting cubes and cylinders as it is
preferred for small jobs. Hand mixing was done over an impervious floor. Measured
quantities of coarse aggregate and fine aggregate were spread over the floor in alternate
layers. Then cement was spread over it and the ingredients were mixed dry with shovel
until uniformity in colour was achieved (Fig. 3.4). This mix was spread out in thickness of
around 200 mm and water was sprinkled. The mix was kept on turning over till a uniform
colour was achieved.
In case of mixes containing Polystyrene aggregate as substituents, required quantity of
Polystyrene aggregates for each percentage of substituion was obtained first. This was
done by using a cylinderical container having equal weight by percentage of the coarse
aggregates to be substituted. The height of container was measured upto the point of filling
of weighed coarse aggregates. Subsequently equal volume of polystyrene aggregates
coresponding to the measured height was used in preparing the mix. While mixing
Polystyrene aggregates, a layer of coarse aggregates was first spread and then alternate
layers of polystyrene aggregates and fine agggregates were spread to thoroughly mix
Polystyrene in fresh concrete as shown in Fig. 3.4.

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Compaction: After concrete is placed at the desired location, the next step in the process
of concrete production is its compaction. Compaction consolidates fresh concrete within
the moulds around embedded parts and reinforcement steel. Considerable quantity of air is
entrapped in concrete during its production and there is possible partial segregation also.
Both of these adversely affect the quality of concrete. Compaction of the concrete is the
process to get rid of the entrapped air and voids, elimination of segregation occurred and
to form a homogeneous dense mass. It has been found that 5 per cent voids in hardened
concrete reduce the strength by over 30 per cent and 10 per cent voids reduce the strength
by over 50 per cent. Therefore, the density and consequently the strength and durability of
concrete largely depend upon the degree of compaction. For maximum strength driest
possible concrete should be compacted 100 per cent. (Duggal 2008)
The voids increase the permeability of concrete. Loss of impermeability creates easy
passage of moisture, oxygen, chlorides, and other aggressive chemicals into the concrete.
This causes rusting of steel and spalling (disintegration) of concrete i.e., loss of durability.
Easy entry of sulphates from the environment causes expansive reaction with the
tricalcium aluminate present in cement. This causes disintegration of concrete and loss of
durability. Voids also reduce the contact between embedded steel and concrete. This results
in loss of bond strength of reinforced concrete member and thus the member loses
strength. Voids such as honeycombs and blowholes on the exposed surface produce visual
blemish. Compaction is achieved by imparting external work over the concrete to
overcome the internal friction between the particles forming the concrete, between
concrete and reinforcement and between concrete and forms and by reducing the air voids
to a minimum.
As per IS 516:1959, the test specimens were made as soon as practicable after mixing, and
in such a way as to produce full compaction of the concrete with neither segregation nor
excessive laitance. The concrete was filled into the mould in layers approximately 5 cm
deep. In placing each scoopful of concrete, the scoop was moved around the top edge of
the mould as the concrete slid from it, in order to ensure a symmetrical distribution of the
concrete within the mould. Each layer was compacted by hand using tamping bar
(Fig.3.5). The tamping bar used in compaction was a steel bar of 16 mm diameter, 0.6 m
long and bullet pointed at the lower end. The strokes were made to penetrate into the
underlying layer and the bottom layer was rodded throughout its depth. Where voids were
left by the tamping bar, the sides of the mould were tapped to close the voids. The strokes

20
 of the bar were distributed in a uniform manner over the cross-section of the mould. For
cubical specimens the concrete was subjected to 35 strokes per layer. For cylindrical
specimens, the number of strokes was 30 per layer. After filling the moulds completely
and compacting thrice by tamping bar, the filled moulds were kept on vibrator table
(Fig.3.5) for better compaction. The vibrations imparted to the fresh concrete reduce the
internal friction between the particles of concrete by setting the particles in motion and
thus produce a dense and compact mass. On vibration, the concrete mix gets fluidized and
the internal friction between the aggregate particles reduces, resulting in entrapped air to
rise to the surface. On losing entrapped air the concrete gets denser. Vibrations do not
affect the strength of concrete but concrete of higher strength and better quality can be
made with lesser water and given cement content. For full compaction, vibration is
considered to be sufficient when the air bubbles cease to appear and sufficient mortar
appears to close the surface interstices and facilitates easy finishing operation.Vibration
helps entrapped air to escape first from between the coarse aggregate particles and later
from the mortar.
3.2.3 Measurement of Workability
In fresh concrete concrete is in the plastic state, which can be moulded into any desired
shape. A workable concrete exhibits very little internal friction between the particles
forming the concrete and overcomes the frictional resistance offered by the internal
surface of formwork as well as that by the reinforcement contained in the concrete. The
consistency of a given concrete mix indicates degree of fluidity or mobility of the mix.
Slump test method specifies the procedure to be adopted, either in the laboratory or during
the progress of work in the field, for determining the consistency of concrete where the
nominal maximum size of the aggregate does not exceed 38 mm (IS 1199 1959).
As per IS 1199:1959, The mould used for the test specimen is shown in Fig. 3.6. The
internal dimensions of the mould are bottom diameter = 200 mm, top diameter = 100 mm,
and height = 300 mm. The internal surface of the mould was thoroughly cleaned and freed
from superfluous moisture and any set concrete before commencing the test. The mould
was then placed on a smooth, horizontal, rigid and non-absorbent surface, carefully
levelled metal plate. The mould was firmly held in place while it was being filled. The
mould was filled in with fresh concrete in four layers, each approximately one-quarter of
the height and tamped with twenty-five strokes of the rounded end of the tamping rod. The
strokes were distributed in a uniform manner over the cross-section and for the second and
subsequent layers these penetrated into the underlying layer. The bottom layer was tamped

21
 throughout its depth. After the top layer had been rodded, the concrete was struck off level
with a trowel so that the mould was exactly filled. The mould was then removed
immediately by raising it slowly and carefully in a vertical direction. This allowed the
concrete to subside and the slump was measured immediately by determining the
difference between the height of the mould and that of the highest point of the specimen
being tested. The slump measured wass recorded in terms of millimetres of subsidence of
the specimen.

3.2.4 Curing

Cement gains strength and hardness because of the chemical action between cement and
water. This chemical reaction requires moisture, favourable temperature and time, referred
to as the curing period. Curing of freshly placed concrete is very important for optimum
strength and durability. The major part of the strength in the initial period is contributed by
the clinker compound C3S and partly by C2S, and is completed in about three weeks. The
later strength contributed by C2S is gradual and takes long time. As such sufficient water
should be made available to concrete to allow it to gain full strength. The process of
keeping concrete damp for this purpose is known as curing. The object is to prevent the
loss of moisture from concrete due to evaporation or any other reason, supply additional
moisture or heat and moisture to accelerate the gain of strength.
As per IS 516:1959, the test specimens were stored on the site at a place free from
vibration for 24 hours 1 hour from the time of adding the water to the other ingredients.
After the period of 24 hours, they were marked for later identification, removed from the
moulds and stored in clean water at a temperature of 24 to 30C until they were
transported to the testing laboratory.

3.2.5 Compression Testing of Concrete

Compressive strength is the capacity of a material or structure to withstand loads tending

to reduce size. It can be measured by plotting applied force against deformation in a
testing machine.The most useful property of concrete is its compressive strength. As per
IS 516:1959, The compression testing machine can be of any reliable type, of sufficient
capacity for the tests and capable of applying the load at the rate of approximately 140
kg/sq-m/min. The permissible error shall not be greater than 2 percent of the maximum

22
load. The testing machine shall be equipped with two steel bearing platens with hardened
faces. One of the platens (preferably the one that normally will bear on the upper surface
of the specimen) shall be fitted with a ball seating in the form of a portion of a sphere, the
centre of which coincides with the central point of the face of the platen. The other
compression platen shall be plain rigid bearing block. The bearing faces of both platens
shall be at least as large as, and preferably larger than the nominal size of the specimen to
which the load is applied. The bearing surface of the platens. when new, shall not depart
from a plane by more than 0.01 mm at any point, and they shall be maintained with a
permissible variation limit of 0.02 mm. The movable portion of the spherically seated
compression platen shall be held on the spherical seat, but the design shall be such that the
bearing face can be rotated freely and tilted through small angles in any direction.
Compression Testing Machine used for testing the concrete mix cubes conformed to the
aforementioned specifications. Tests were done at the age of 14 days and 28 days. Three
specimens of each age and substitution group were tested as per the specifications given in
IS 516:1959. Specimens stored in water were tested immediately on removal from the
water and while they were still in the wet condition. Surface water and grit were wiped off
the specimens and any projecting fins were removed. The dimensions of the specimens to
the nearest 0.2 mm and their weight was noted before testing. The bearing surfaces of the
testing machine were wiped clean and any loose sand or other material was removed from
the surfaces of the specimen which were to be in contact with the compression platens.
Specimens were placed in the machine in such a manner that the load shall be applied to
opposite sides of the cubes as cast, that is not to the top and bottom (Fig.3.7). The axis of
the specimen was carefully ahgned with the centre of thrust of the spherically seated
platen. No packing was used between the faces of the test specimen and the steel platen of
the testing machine As the spherically seated block was brought to bear on the specimen,
the movable portion was rotated gently by hand so that uniform seating could be obtained.
The load was applied without shock and increased continuously at a rate of approximately
140 kg/sq-m/min until the resistance of the specimen to the increasing load broke down
and no greater load could be sustained. The maximum load applied to the specimen was
then recorded and the appearance of the concrete and any unusual features in the type of
failure were noted.

23
3.2.6 Tensile Testing of Concrete

Tensile Strength is the maximum stress that a material can withstand while being stretched
or pulled before failing or breaking. Some of the methods to estimate the tensile strength
of concrete are briquette test (direct method) and split tensile strength test (indirect
method). Direct methods may not reflect the correct tensile strength because of the
practical difficulties involved (e.g., application of uniaxial tensile load) in the test. This has
lead to the development of a number of indirect methods to determine tensile strength of
which splitting tests are most common. The test consists of applying a compressive force
to the concrete specimen in a way that the specimen fails due to induced tensile stresses in
the specimen. The test consists of applying compressive line loads along the opposite
generators of the concrete cylinder placed with its axis horizontal between the platens as
shown in Fig. 3.8. The cylinderical specimens had diameter of 150 mm and height of 300
mm. All the tests were carried out on compression testing machine conforming to IS
516:1989. Tests were carried out on all specimens after 28 days age of curing. The ages
were calculated from the time of the addition of water to the dry ingredients. Specimen
shall be tested immediately on removal from the water whilst they are still wet. Surface
water and grit shall be wiped off the specimens and any projecting fins removed from the
surfaces which are to be in contact with the packing strips (IS 5816 1999).

As per codal provisions of IS 5816:1999, the mass and dimensions of the specimen were
noted before testing. The sides of the specimen, lying in the plane of the pre-marked lines,
were measured near the ends and the middle of the specimen and the average taken to the
nearest 0.2 mm. The length of the specimen were taken to the nearest 0.2 mm by
averaging the two lengths measured in the plane containing the pre-marked lines. The
bearing surfaces of the testing machine and of the loading strips were wiped clean. The
test specimen was placed in the centring jig with packing strip carefully positioning along
the top and bottom of the plane of loading of the specimen (Fig.3.9). It was ensured that
the upper platen was parallel with the lower platen. The load was applied without shock
and increased continuously at a nominal rate within the range 1.2 N/(mm 2/min) to 2.4 N/
(mm2/min). The rate thus applied was maintained until failure (Fig. 3.10). The maximum
load applied was then recorded. The appearance of concrete and any unusual features in
the type of failure were also noted.

24
 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Slump test was carried out on fresh concrete prepared for all specimens. Density was
calculated by weighing all the cubical and cylnidrical specimens. While compressive strength
test was carried out on cubes, split-tensile strength was carried out on cylindrical specimens.
The observed results are described in the following sections.

4.1 DENSITY
All the specimens were weighed before carrying out various tests. Table 4.1 shows the
obseved mass and respective calculated densities of control group (0% substitution).
Specimen Number 1 to 6 are cubical specimens having volume 3375 cm 3 and Specimen
Number 7 and 8 are cylinderical Specimens having volume 5301.44 cm3.

Table 4.1 Mass and Density of Cubical and Cylinderical Specimens (0% Substitution)

Specimen Number Observed Mass (grams) Density (g/cm3)

1 8205 2.43

2 8110 2.40

3 8100 2.40

4 8200 2.43

5 8250 2.44

6 8180 2.42

7 13205 2.49

8 13135 2.47

Average density of control group = 2.44 g/cm3

Table 4.2 shows the obseved mass and respective densities of all the cubical and
cylinderical specimens of control group with 10% substitution:

25
Table 4.2 Mass and Density of Cubical and Cylinderical Specimens (10% Substitution)

Specimen Number Observed Mass (grams) Density (g/cm3)

1 7650 2.27

2 7705 2.28

3 7685 2.28

4 7640 2.26

5 7600 2.25

6 7630 2.26

7 12008 2.26

8 11985 2.26

Average density of group with 10% substitution = 2.26 g/cm 3

Table 4.3 illustrates the obseved mass and respective densities of all the cubical and
cylinderical specimens of control group with 15% substitution.

Table 4.3 Mass and Density of Cubical and Cylinderical Specimens (15% Substitution)

Specimen Number Observed Mass (grams) Density (g/cm3)

1 7440 2.20

2 7380 2.19

3 7355 2.18

4 7405 2.19

5 7430 2.20

Specimen Number Observed Mass (grams) Density (g/cm3)

6 7385 2.19

7 11620 2.19

8 11585 2.18

26
 Average density of group with 15% substitution = 2.19 g/cm 3

Table 4.4 shows the obseved mass and respective densities of all the cubical and
cylinderical specimens of control group with 20% substitution.

Table 4.4 Mass and Density of Cubical and Cylinderical Specimens (20% Substitution)

Specimen Number Observed Mass (grams) Density (g/cm3)

1 7150 2.12

2 7105 2.10

3 7210 2.14

4 7175 2.12

5 7130 2.11

6 7150 2.12

7 11240 2.12

8 11200 2.11

Average density of group with 20% substitution = 2.12 g/cm 3

Fig. 4.1 shows the variation of average density with % substiution of polystyrene
aggregates by volume.

27
 Fig. 4.1 Variation of Density with varying Polystyrene substitution

It is evident from Fig. 4.1 that with increasing percentage of substituion of polystyrene
aggregates, the density of concrete mix goes on decreasing. The percentage reduction in
density is 7.38%, 10.25%, 13.11% for mixes containing 10%, 15%, 20% Polystyrene
aggregate substituents respectively. This can be attributed to lighter weight of polystyrene
in comparison to coventional concrete aggregates.

4.2 SLUMP TEST

Slump was measured in milimetres as mentioned in previous section. The results are
tabulated as follows:

% Polystyrene Substitution Slump (mm)

0 42
10 44
15 45
20 48

Workability of the mixes was observed to increase with increase in percentage

replacement of coarse aggregate with polystyrene. This could be due to lesser water

28
 absorption by polystyrene aggregates, as a result of which more water is available for
workability.

4.3 COMPRESSIVE TEST

The measured compressive strength of the specimen was calculated as shown in Table 4.5
by dividing the maxunum load applied to the specimen during the test by the cross-
sectional area calculated from the mean dimensions of the section.
Table 4.5 Compressive Strength Results

14-day Compressive Strength 28-day Compressive Strength %

%
Reductio
Polystyrene
Strength Mean Strength Strength Mean Strength n
2 2 2 2
(by volume) (N/mm ) (N/mm ) (N/mm ) (N/mm )
(28-day)

0 27.71 24.18

0 25.28 25.1 26.52 26.2 -

0 23.31 27.50

10 19.04 23.29

10 21.94 21.8 23.99 23.3 11.07

10 24.64 22.67

15 21.51 20.71

15 19.23 19.6 19.95 20.6 21.37

15 18.23 20.99

20 17.31 18.68

20 17.61 17.8 18.41 19.3 26.33

20 18.54 18.16

29
 Compressive strength variation with increase in polystyrene aggregate substitution is
shown in Fig. 4.2 below:

Fig. 4.2 Variation of Compressive Strength with increasing polystyreene aggregate

substitution

It can be seen from Table 4.5 and Fig. 4.2 that both 14-day and 28-day compressive
strength of the concrete mixes goes on decreasing subsequently with increasing volume of
polystyrene substitution. The consequent strength of mixes with 10%, 15% and 20%
substitution of polystyrene aggregates was 88.93%, 78.63%, 73.66% of the control
mix(0% substitution) strength. This decrease in compressive strength corresponds to
decrease in density of concrete mixes with polystyrene aggregate substitution as observed
in Fig. 4.1. Decrease in strength can be attributed to lower strength of polystyrene itself as
compared to conventional aggregates. The bonding of polystyrene with cement mortar
may be weak due to its smooth surface. This also contributes to lower strength of mixes
with polystyrene aggregate substituents. Also, more than 90% of the strength was gained
upto 14-day age of curing in all the prepared concrete mixes. Only a small gain of strength
was observed in all mixes in 28-day Compressive strength over 14-day Compressive
strength.

4.4 SPLIT TENSILE TEST

The measured splitting tensile strength of the specimen was calculated using the formula:

2P
Tensile Strength = ld

( N/mm2)
Where P = maximum load in Newtons applied to the specimen in Newtons,
l= length of the specimen (in mm), and
d = cross sectional dimension of the specimen (in mm).
The calculated results of Split Tensile strength are tabulated in Table 4.6 below :
Table 4.6 Split-Tensile Strength Results

30
 28 Day Tensile Strength
% Polystyrene % Reduction in
(by volume) Strength Mean Strength
Strength
(N/mm2) (N/mm2)

0 2.83
2.76 -
0 2.69

10 2.12
2.12 23.19
10 2.12

15 1.98
1.98 28.26
15 1.98

20 1.84
1.77 35.87
20 1.70

As reflected in Table 4.6 test results, reduction in Tensile strength is greater than reduction
in Compressive strength as aobserved in Table 4.5. This implies that Polystyrene aggregate
substituted concrete is weaker in Tensile Strength. This reduction in strength increases
with increase in percenatge of Polystyrene aggregate substitution. The failed specimens in
split-tensile test were studied. It was observed that there was uniform distribution of
Polystyrene aggregate throughout the mix matrix as visible in one of the failed specimens
shown in Fig. 4.3.

Fig. 4.3 Uniform distribution of Polystyrene in concete matrix in split specimen

31
32
 5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

5.1 SUMMARY
The project aimed at utilisation of waste polystyrene as coarse aggregate substituents in
Concrete. Density, compressive strength, workability and tensile strength results of
concrete mixes prepared with polystyrene aggregate substituents were compared with
Control group (0% substitution) of M-20 Nominal Mix concrete. Six cubes and two
cylinders were prepared for each substitution by making 0% (Control Group), 10%, 15%
and 20% volumetric replacement of aggregates with waste Polystyrene. The results and
observations are summarised as follows:
1. Workability of the concrete mixes increases with increase in Polystyrene aggregate
substituents.
2. Percentage reduction in density of concrete mixes increased with increase in percentage
of polystyrene aggregate substitution.
3. More than 90% of the compressive strength was gained upto 14-day age of curing in all
the prepared concrete mixes. Only a small gain of strength was observed in all mixes in
28-day compressive strength over 14-day compressive strength.
4. The compressive strength of the mixes decreased with increase in polystyrene
substitution. The consequent strength of mixes with 10%, 15% and 20% substitution of
polystyrene aggregates was 88.93%, 78.63%, 73.66% of the control mix strength
respectively
5. It was observed that reduction in compressive strength with increased polystyrene
substitution was more than fall in respective densities of the mixes.
6. There was general decrease in tensile strength with polystytrene aggregate substitution.
This percentage reduction in strength increases with increase in percenatge of polystyrene
aggregate substitution and is more than percentage reduction in compressive strength.

33
5.2 FUTURE SCOPE OF WORK

The scope for utilisation of polystyrene waste as aggregate substituent in concrete mix can
be further studied by adding required adhesives in cement mix for increased bonding
between polystyrene and cement mortar. The acoustics and thermal insulation benefits of
polystyrene in concrete can be studied to find better applications of mixes prepared using
polystyrene aggregates. The degree of compaction needed for achieving maximum
compressive strength of concrete using polystyrene aggregate can be studied for lesser
reduction in strength. Also affect of different plasticizers and puzzolona portland cement
on strength and workability of mix containing polystyrene aggregates need to be studied.
The bond between concrete containing polystyrene aggregate substituent and steel
reinforcement bars is needed to be studied for application in Reinforced Cement Concrete.

34
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