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Mechanical, acoustic, and thermal assessment of mortar embedded with polycarbonate particles obtained from end-of-life roofing sheets

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The study investigates natural hydraulic lime mortar specimens in which polycarbonate particles obtained from milling end-of-life roofing sheets are used as a partial replacement of natural sand. Since polycarbonate incorporation hinders the mixture workability, comparison with the control is carried out at different levels of water reducer addition so that the same workability is achieved for all mixtures. Besides, to rule out the role of grading in the comparison, polycarbonate particles are replaced by natural sand that has been sieved to match the grading curve of plastic particles. Two types of polycarbonate waste are considered, which differ by the environmental exposure conditions during the service of the roofing sheets from which they were milled, indoor and outdoor, respectively. Specimens are assessed in terms of mechanical, thermal, and acoustic performance. It is found that plastic addition offers significant mechanical enhancement, both in flexure and in compression, in terms of ultimate strength, that increases by 20% (30%) at low (high) dosage, in terms of dissipated energy, that multiplies by 3 to 4 times over control, and in terms of failure mode, that transitions from brittle to ductile. Such outcomes appear consistently and are little sensitive to the polycarbonate type and to the water reducer amount. Specimen density is also reduced, which entails an improvement in terms of thermal conductivity, while acoustic absorbance increases for particularmixtures. Overall, results show promising potential for polycarbonate waste incorporation in mortar matrices, with significant benefits in the direction of waste reduction and reuse.

Source: Construction and Building Materials

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2026.146908

Authors: Tian Li, Maria Giulia Proietti, Andrea Nobili, Elisa Moretti

Institutions: University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, University of Perugia

Language: English

Topic: Materials Engineering and Processing

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,540