Eco Brick Paper 140314 Full PaperR2

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Experimental Characterisation of Polyethylene Terephthalate

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(PET) Bottle Eco-Bricks

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Jonathan Taaffe1, Seán O’Sullivan1, Muhammad Ekhlasur Rahman2 and Vikram

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Pakrashi1*

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of Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland

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Dynamical Systems and Risk Laboratory, Civil and Environmental Engineering, School

School of Engineering & Science, Curtin University Sarawak, Malaysia

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Corresponding Author: Dr. Vikram Pakrashi, Lecturer in Structural Engineering,

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Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland.

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Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Fax: [phone]

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Abstract

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This paper addresses the issue of recycling waste plastic by considering the feasibility of

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use of Eco-bricks for constructional purposes. The Eco-bricks are formed by packing

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plastic within Polyethylene Terephtalate (PET) bottles. Guidelines were provided for the

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construction of Eco-bricks. Experiments were carried out to characterise some of the

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properties of these bricks. Compression test, sound insulation assessment and light

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transmission were considered in this regard and compared with traditional construction

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materials and conditions. Possible applications of Eco-bricks were discussed. The paper

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presents the first attempt to characterise these bricks and the results encourage future use

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of them to a significantly wider extent and for various purposes.

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Keywords: Plastic waste, Compressive Test, Sound Insulation, Light Transmission, Eco-

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brick

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1. Introduction

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Waste management problems related to high production of plastic is an extremely

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important global challenge [1-4] and recycling or recovery [5] routes of plastic solid

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waste have been highlighted by a number of researchers [6]. The mineralisation rate

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from long-term biodegradation experiments of both Ultra-Violet (UV)-irradiated

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