The Effect of Incorporating High-Density Polyethylene on the Compressive Strength of Permeable Concrete

Overproduction and overconsumption of single-use plastics prompts a need for methods of recycling, as landfills are ineffective in sustainably repurposing plastic waste. So, reusing plastics to reinforce permeable concrete is suggested to increase its viability for urban settings to mitigate in-city flooding and percolating pollutive runoff. In this study, varying amounts of HDPE shreds were added to mixtures of concrete to test if they increased the mixture’s compressive strength. It was hypothesized that the increased addition of HDPE to permeable concrete will progressively increase its hardness because the HDPE will occupy closed voids created in the initial permeable concrete mixture. The rationale for this hypothesis is that the addition of HDPE to permeable concrete would increase its hardness because of its high flexural strength, which allows it to bear high tension. Compressive strengths were estimated using an empirical correlation between the rebound value of a Schmidt Hammer Test and the compressive strength of cubic specimens of concrete. Successive tests of the concrete revealed a total compressive failure of each mixture, which each mixture yielding a compressive strength less than 10 N/mm2, which is equivalent to 10.3 MPa, or 1500 PSI. The low compressive strength of each mixture was due to surface indentation resulting from the use of the Schmidt Hammer. This study aimed to create a structurally sound permeable concrete mix for general use. To integrate the cityscape with local water cycles, this study designed a strong and sustainable permeable concrete system to mitigate flooding and runoff.