Properties of architectural mortar prepared with recycled glass with different particle sizes

The recycling of glass waste as a source of aggregate for the production of concrete products has attracted increasing interest from the construction industry. However, the use of recycled glass in architectural mortar is still limited. This study attempts to develop a self-compacting based architectural mortar using white cement and 100% recycled blue glass as key ingredients. To improve the aesthetic qualities, a certain minimum quantity of glass cullets of larger particle size must be present. The influence of particle size of the recycled glass on the engineering properties of fresh and hardened architectural mortar is investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that it is feasible to utilize 100% recycled glass as the aggregate for the production of self-compacting based architectural mortar. These products have an average compressive strength of 40 MPa and flexural strength of 6 MPa at 28 days which are appropriate for some architectural and building applications. Also, the overall performances of all the architectural mortars prepared with different particle sizes of glass aggregates are comparable to those of control mortar mix prepared with river sand.

Research highlights
► Provide an effective solution of recycling waste of glass.
► It is feasible to include 100% recycled glass in self-compacting architectural mortars.
► These products have average compressive and flexural strengths of 40 MPa and 6 MPa at 28 days.
► Large size of glass culltes has enhanced the aesthetic value of architectural mortars.
► Properties of architectural mortars made with different particle sizes of glass were studied.