FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF REINFORCED POLYMER CONCRETE MADE WITH RECYCLED PLASTIC WASTE

The flexural behavior and strength prediction of steel-reinforced poly mer concrete (PC) using unsaturated polyester resins based on recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, plastic waste was evaluated in thi s study. Most of the beams were singly reinforced with steel bars in t he tensile zone. Few beams used double reinforcement with steel bars i n the tensile and compression zones. Test results show that very good flexural strength can be obtained with reinforced PC using unsaturated polyester resins based on recycled PET. The prediction of the ultimat e flexural strength of steel-reinforced PC beams was first investigate d by using the conventional ACI approach specifically developed for st eel-reinforced portland cement concrete. the results of this analysis determined that the ACI method yields conservative results when applie d to reinforced PC. An alternative method of predicting the ultimate f lexural strength of PC was therefore proposed by using multiple regres sion analysis on the experimental data.