Flexural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams Containing Polyvinyl Waste Powder (PWP) as Replacement of Cement

Abstract

The flexural performance of reinforced concrete beam specimens with polyvinyl waste powder (PWP) as partial replacement of cement is reported in this paper. Cement was replaced with PWP up to 50% by weight at intervals of 10%. The flexural parameters investigated were: the failure patterns, load-deflection characteristics, stiffness, and ultimate moments. The reinforced beam specimens used were 150 x 150 x 1000 mm, and tests were done at the curing age of 28 days. The results showed that: (i) the failure pattern is a combination of flexure and diagonal tension shear failure, (ii) the deflection characteristics of beam specimens improved progressively as the level of cement replacement with polyvinyl waste increased, (iii) reduction in the stiffness of the beam specimens as the percent cement replacement with polyvinyl wastes increased, and (iv) ultimate moments of beam specimens increased with percent replacement of cement with polyvinyl waste up to 20% level.