Experimental Investigation on Paver Block with Waste Plastic Chips and Sugarcane Bagasse Ash

¹ Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi - 642003, Tamil Nadu, India
² Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, GMR Institute of Technology, Rajam - 532127, Andhra Pradesh, India
³ Dean, Faculty of Allied Health and Applied Sciences, Coal City University, Enugu, Nigeria

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

India is the top producer of sugarcane in the world, making sugarcane bagasse 91 million tonnes annually from more than 500 sugar mills. Besides, the country is grappling with plastic waste management as it produces 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste every year out of which only 30% is recycled. Therefore, solving these problems requires a new, eco-friendly approach that can efficiently use both agricultural and plastic wastes. This research is about the possibility of producing eco-friendly paver blocks by using sugarcane bagasse ash and waste plastic chips as partial substitutes for natural materials. We experimented with various percentages of bagasse ash and plastic chips to evaluate the main mechanical properties such as compressive strength and water absorption. The experimental results indicate that a mix containing 15% SBA and 5% waste plastic chips attained compressive strength values comparable to conventional paver blocks, with acceptable water absorption characteristics. Based on experimental outcomes, the developed paver blocks are suitable for footpaths and low-load paving applications, contributing to sustainable construction and effective waste utilization.