Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams Containing Pet Waste Particles as Sand Replacement

This paper examined the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer waste effect that using as a partial replacement for fine aggregate on the R.C beams structural behavior. Six replacement percentages by weight were used in this study: 5 %, 7.5 %, 10 %, 12.5 %, 15 %, and 20 %. Seven concrete beam specimens with dimensions of 150 × 300 × 2300 mm were tested, in which one specimen for each PET replacement percentage was added to the reference specimen. four-point load setting were used to test all specimens via failure load, maximum deflection, energy absorption, stiffness, ductility index, flexural strain, first crack load, and crack pattern. Results showed that raising of PET percentage in the concrete beams leads to an increase in failure load, maximum deflection, ductility index, strain, and energy absorption compared with the reference beam in the ranges 0 – 4 %, 23.2 – 93.7 %, 12.13 – 93 %, 432 – 1139 %, and 51.8 – 275.4 %, whereas its causes a decrease in initial stiffness and secant stiffness in the ranges 5.8 – 38.44 % and 19.2 – 46.4 %. Moreover, crack investigations revealed that the load at which the first crack forms raise when the PET waste content increases.