An Experimental Investigation into the Performance of Concrete and Mortar with Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate by Printed Circuit Board (PCB) E-Waste
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Results and Discussion
2.1. Composition of Pulverized PCB
2.2. Fresh Concrete Test (Slump Cone Test)
2.3. Mechanical Properties
2.3.1. Compressive Strength
2.3.2. Split Tensile Strength
2.3.3. Flexural Strength
2.3.4. Impact Strength
2.3.5. Bond Strength (Pull-Out Test)
2.3.6. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) Test
2.4. Durability Properties
2.4.1. Sulfate Attack Resistance
2.4.2. Water Absorption Test
2.5. Functional Properties
2.5.1. Acoustic Properties
2.5.2. Thermal Conductivity
2.5.3. Elevated Temperature Response
2.6. Microstructural Studies
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Materials
3.2. Methods
4. Conclusions
- ➢
- Mechanical properties showed a noticeable improvement with increasing E-waste content up to 25 wt% for cement mortar and 20 wt% for concrete. When 25 wt% of PCB was used as replacement for fine aggregate, the mortar’s compressive and tensile strengths improved by 5.8%, while the strength of concrete samples increased by 3.1% for 20 wt% replacement, compared to the control mix. These enhancements are attributed to better matrix densification and the pozzolanic-like behavior of E-waste particles.
- ➢
- The durability properties were improved, especially the water absorption behavior. Compared to the control mixes, the modified mixes showed a 1.7% decrease in water absorption. This meant they were less likely to let water in and were able to endure in moisture-prone conditions.
- ➢
- However, excessive replacement beyond the optimal level led to inferior performance due to inadequate cement hydration. The dehydrated cement and broken C-S-H gel structures indicated this observation. These mixes exhibited higher permeability and lower strength characteristics due to the presence of a large number of pores and tiny cracks.
- ➢
- Functional properties such as acoustic and thermal insulation also showed improvements in the modified mixes. The improvement is primarily due to the low conductivity of PCB materials, as well as the increased porosity and heterogeneous internal structure introduced by the E-waste. These small pores in the material structure reduce the conduction of heat and sound vibrations, thereby elevating thermal and sound insulation. The thermal stability of PCB-incorporated concrete was found to match that of the control samples up to 400 °C, as ascertained from TGA.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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S. No | Sample ID | Impact Strength of Cement Mortar (J) | Sample ID | Impact Strength of Concrete (J) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | CEW0 | 1161 ± 0.30 | MEW0 | 387 ± 0.26 |
2 | CEW20 | 1609 ± 0.24 | MEW25 | 488 ± 0.44 |
3 | CEW25 | 835 ± 0.47 | MEW35 | 326 ± 0.38 |
Properties | Cement | Coarse Aggregate | Fine Aggregate | PCB (E-Waste) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Specific gravity | 3.15 | 2.72 | 2.41 | 1.37 |
Fineness modulus | - | 4.8 | 2.58 | 2.63 |
Size (mm) | <0.09 | 20 | <4.75 | <4.75 |
Water absorption (%) | - | 0.3 | 1.1 | <0.2 |
Fineness (%) | 1.55 | - | - | - |
Shape | - | Angular | Angular | Angular/flat |
Specimen | Cement (kg/m3) | Fine Aggregate (kg/m3) | Coarse Aggregate (kg/m3) | Water to Cement Ratio |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cement mortar (1:3 Ratio) | 479 | 1596 | - | 0.5 |
Concrete (M25) | 425 | 689 | 1055 | 0.45 |
Sample ID | Quantity of Ingredients (kg/m3) | w/c Ratio | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Cement | Fine Aggregate | E-Waste | ||
MEW0 | 479 | 1596 | 0 | 0.5 |
MEW05 | 479 | 1516 | 80 | 0.5 |
MEW10 | 479 | 1436 | 160 | 0.5 |
MEW15 | 479 | 1357 | 239 | 0.5 |
MEW20 | 479 | 1277 | 319 | 0.5 |
MEW25 | 479 | 1197 | 399 | 0.5 |
MEW30 | 479 | 1117 | 479 | 0.5 |
MEW35 | 479 | 1037 | 559 | 0.5 |
Sample ID | Quantity of Ingredients (kg/m3) | w/c Ratio | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cement | Fine Aggregate | E-Waste | Coarse Aggregate | ||
CEW0 | 425 | 689 | 0 | 1055 | 0.45 |
CEW05 | 425 | 654 | 35 | 1055 | 0.45 |
CEW10 | 425 | 619 | 70 | 1055 | 0.45 |
CEW15 | 425 | 584 | 105 | 1055 | 0.45 |
CEW20 | 425 | 549 | 140 | 1055 | 0.45 |
CEW25 | 425 | 514 | 175 | 1055 | 0.45 |
CEW30 | 425 | 479 | 210 | 1055 | 0.45 |
Test Details | Cement Mortar Specimen | Concrete Specimen |
---|---|---|
Compressive strength | 70.6 × 70.6 × 70.6 mm | 100 × 100 × 100 mm |
Flexural strength | 40 × 40 × 160 mm | 100 × 100 × 500 mm |
Split tensile strength | 50 × 100 mm | 100 × 200 mm |
Impact strength | 50 × 100 mm | 50 × 100 mm |
Sound absorption | 50 × 10 mm | - |
Sulfate attack | - | 100 × 100 × 100 mm |
Ultrasonic pulse velocity | - | 100 × 100 × 100 mm |
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Krishnan, S.; Bhagavatula, S.G.K.; Karingamanna, J.; Madhavan, M.K. An Experimental Investigation into the Performance of Concrete and Mortar with Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate by Printed Circuit Board (PCB) E-Waste. Recycling 2025, 10, 138. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10040138
Krishnan S, Bhagavatula SGK, Karingamanna J, Madhavan MK. An Experimental Investigation into the Performance of Concrete and Mortar with Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate by Printed Circuit Board (PCB) E-Waste. Recycling. 2025; 10(4):138. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10040138
Chicago/Turabian StyleKrishnan, Srinivasan, Sai Gopal Krishna Bhagavatula, Jayanarayanan Karingamanna, and Mini K. Madhavan. 2025. "An Experimental Investigation into the Performance of Concrete and Mortar with Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate by Printed Circuit Board (PCB) E-Waste" Recycling 10, no. 4: 138. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10040138
APA StyleKrishnan, S., Bhagavatula, S. G. K., Karingamanna, J., & Madhavan, M. K. (2025). An Experimental Investigation into the Performance of Concrete and Mortar with Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate by Printed Circuit Board (PCB) E-Waste. Recycling, 10(4), 138. https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling10040138