How can broken glass be used in human life and the national economy? Do-it-yourself glass concrete manufacturing technologies Concrete filled with broken glass

The topic of waste disposal is very relevant today, and I want to pay attention to glass containers. Its share in urban dumps, as well as in spontaneous dumps in forests, is very significant. This is due to the elementary lack of awareness of the population about the benefits of adding broken glass to concrete solutions. It has been scientifically proven that the addition of broken glass significantly increases the strength of concrete.

So, it took us at least a thousand bottles to concrete the roof of the garage. Picked them up right on the street. If summer residents knew about the benefits of broken glass, then the percentage of bottles in trash cans would be significantly reduced.

The addition of broken glass creates a reliable waterproofing and prolongs the life of the concrete. But you need to take precautions when breaking bottles. You need to wear goggles and hit in a container, in a bucket for example. It is most convenient to grind glass between two bricks.

Please pay attention to this issue. You just need to inform the population, talk to them, explain the inadmissibility of throwing away, for example, batteries with food waste, and so on. It's all about good organization.

Tatiana Lanskaya

Northern summer resident:I have never heard of a roof being concreted in this way, but everything related to the foundation, steps, home-made garden tiles, etc. quite fair. So far, here is some prefabricated everyday experience:

1. "From personal experience, I know that any glass containers and even broken glass can be used in the manufacture of floors on the ground. For this, a special hole is dug with a depth of no more than 20 centimeters. Then it is covered with any glass. In this case, all broken glass acts as a filler ". The floor itself is laid on top of the glass. Do not forget that in this case, glass containers can become the most reliable protection against various living creatures, for example, from moles. Empty bottles can replace even the highest quality insulation. Previously, only empty bottles were used in the construction of country houses. Their laid in continuous layers under the floor. They were also used when laying out the concrete blind area. "

2. "The only acceptable and safe way to use broken glass in construction, I would call its use in the drainage layer under the foundations. That is, you can pour pre-crushed glass, along with sand and gravel, into a pillow for pouring the foundation. Why is it undesirable to use it as a filler in concrete solutions (instead of crushed stone)? Because glass, unlike crushed stone, is smooth, therefore, its adhesion to the cement-sand mixture will be insufficient. Thus, the resulting concrete will be weaker than that made on the basis of pure crushed stone. "

3. "It is possible to dispose of cullet, using for laying the foundation, using binders, in the form of a solution with the addition of 1 part of M400 cement, 2 portions of sand and one part of cullet. The bottles must be carefully broken so that their fragments, such as the neck, do not remain intact , which may not be filled with mortar, so reliable foundation strength will not be achieved. And from whole bottles, foaming each neck, you can build a fence. So, you should not throw away such an economical and environmentally friendly building material. "

4. “We also found a lot of glass containers in our dacha. When they put up a bathhouse, a neighbor advised to cover the underground under the bathhouse with empty glass bottles, having previously dug a hole in the form of a cone. Here, along the slopes of this cone, put the bottles with their necks down, simply drowning them in the ground. What gives such a device: firstly, water flows down and does not accumulate under the floor, as a result, the wooden floor is less prone to rotting, and secondly, the glass heats up when we heat the bathhouse and retains heat for a long time - the floors in the bathhouse become warmer" .

5. "Indeed, glass containers are often used in construction if there is one. If you have the desire and enough time and, most importantly, patience, then it can be mixed with screenings and poured into concrete. Most importantly, glass containers must first be crushed very well. The unground version for use in concrete is not a very good option.For grinding, as an option, you can use a concrete mixer necessarily filled with water so that glass fragments do not fly out of it when turning."

Forum site zelenopol.net

Concrete is the most popular building material. It has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. Its most important disadvantage is its low tensile strength. You can remove this feature with fiberglass. Its addition to the mortar makes the concrete structure stronger. Glass concrete is easy to make with your own hands, it is lighter, has very high properties.

Definition

Glass concrete differs from the usual high performance properties and advantages. Advantages of glass concrete:

• versatility of application - blocks, panels, sheets for cladding are made of glass concrete;
• lighter, main components: fine-grained cement, sand - equal proportions, fiberglass;
• high-strength - the material is resistant to stretching, compression, bending, impact resistance is fifteen times higher than that of a standard solution;
• A variety of additives positively affects the properties of the material.

Factory-made glass concrete is of a higher quality than hand-made.

Classification and characteristics

Glass concrete is classified according to its composition:

• composite concrete;
• composition with ;
• with glass fiber;
• with optical fiber;
• with broken glass;
• with glass acting as a binder.

Glass-reinforced concrete is similar in its characteristics to reinforced concrete. Instead of metal rods, composite concrete is reinforced with fiberglass. The main advantages of composite reinforcement:

• resistance to moisture for a long time;
• low weight fiberglass rods;
• affordable cost;
• fiberglass material can be rolled up in coils of 300 m long, this ensures easy transportation;
• provides high thermal insulation.

The strength of the composite bar is 2.5 times greater than that of steel at break. Due to this feature, fiberglass rod is needed thinner. and the creation of a reinforcing belt from glass fiber is easier and faster due to its following features:

• a light weight;
• secure fixation with plastic clamps;
• does not freeze in winter, facilitating construction work at low temperatures.

Composite concrete is less susceptible to aggressive environments. Unlike glass-composite reinforcement, reinforced concrete, subject to corrosion, can cause a break in the structure from the inside, completely collapse.

The thickness of the composite concrete can be less without affecting the quality of the structure. The weight of the structure becomes less, the strength remains at a high level. Glass concrete reinforcement does not require additional protection, like conventional metal reinforcement. The foundation can also be made not reinforced, thanks to light reinforcement.

Concrete with the addition of liquid glass

Liquid glass is a silicate-based component that makes the material durable, resistant to water and high temperatures. For construction in marshy places, liquid glass is used as an antiseptic. Used for hydraulic structures, foundations, when laying stoves, fireplaces, boilers - for bonding.

Methods of using liquid glass (sodium silicate):

• Fiberglass is diluted with the required proportion of water to the desired consistency. 0.5 l of liquid glass is introduced into 5 l of mixed concrete solution. Water for sodium silicate dilution is not taken into account. The concrete structure acquires a disadvantage: it becomes more fragile, cracks.
• The concrete surface is primed with sodium silicate, then covered with a layer of a mixture of concrete with liquid glass. This is a good way to protect the structure from moisture. The main condition is to perform a primer, plaster within a day after pouring the solution for a strong adhesion of the layers.

Concrete mix with sodium silicate hardens quickly - within five minutes. For high-quality work, glass is diluted with water, made in small portions.

The composition of glass fiber reinforced concrete includes alkali-resistant glass fiber. It is a versatile building material. Without it, the production of monolithic blocks, sheet material is not complete. The composition may include additives: acrylic polymers, quick-hardening cement, dyes. Advantages of fiberglass concrete:

• resistance to water;
• strength;
• ease;
• high decorative qualities.

The composition of the material includes: fine-grained initial concrete mortar (filler sand - no more than 50%), fiberglass. Differs in high strength characteristics in bending, stretching, compression, impact.

Chemical resistance, resistance to frost is also at a high level. Filling the solution with fiberglass is a laborious process that requires uniform distribution. Add it to the dry mix. The mixture becomes stiff, less plastic. In a large layer, vibrocompaction is required. Sheet material is produced by spraying.

Fiberglass concrete

The composition of glass-optical concrete (Litracon) includes: concrete matrix, glass long fiber, specially oriented (including optical). Litracon blocks have glass fittings. The material is transparent and has glass fittings. At home, it is used as a decorative building material. In an industrial building, its thickness can reach 10 m. The cost of glass-optical concrete is high, experts are looking for an opportunity to make the material cheaper.

Glass to order is an indispensable material in the production of dishes, building materials, furniture and interior items. However, glass has one big drawback - it is very fragile and crumbles easily. Large and small fragments have sharp edges that are easy to cut. Once inside the human body, glass fragments can cause bleeding, and glass dust that settles in the lungs remains there forever and leads to serious illness. Due to the great danger to human health, the disposal of glass fragments has certain difficulties.

Glass practically does not decompose in natural conditions, since the main component in its manufacture is sand.

What can be done with broken glass, and how can it be properly disposed of or recycled without causing damage to the environment?

If the volumes of broken glass are small and you have creative potential, you can use fragments to decorate the interior. Shards of flat glass are suitable for making stained glass windows. For their coloring, you can use stained glass paints or colored adhesive film. From small fragments, you can make a mosaic and decorate a vase or flower pot with them. At the same time, one must not forget about safety precautions when working with glass.

The use of broken glass to decorate the garden in the form of mosaic borders is not recommended, as the glass may eventually crumble from the bonding base and fall into the ground. Some also advise burying glass shards around the perimeter of the garden area or using it as filler when building a house foundation, as this is an effective way to control moles and rats. But these ways of using broken glass also carry a serious potential threat to humans.

The best way to use broken glass in construction is to crush it and add it to the cement mortar. Glass fragments for grinding can be loaded into a concrete mixer by adding water, sand and gravel. This method of processing cullet makes it possible to produce small glass chips with rounded edges, which will serve as excellent thermal insulation during the construction of the foundation, and also increase the strength of concrete. Processed glass chips can be an alternative to sand and gravel.

The same method of processing broken glass in a concrete mixer is also suitable for obtaining the so-called sea glass. In its natural form, this glass is found on sea coasts. It has good decorative properties and smooth edges on the entire surface. This allows the wide use of "sea glass" for the manufacture of jewelry and mosaics of any type.

If the volumes of cullet are large (usually in construction and in the production of window structures), then it is best to hand over the glass fragments to cullet dealers. Firms that buy up broken glass then resell it to glass factories.

Custom glass can be 100% recycled, saving natural resources. Recycled glass can replace up to 95% of raw materials in the glass industry. Each ton of recycled glass allows you to save a little less than a ton of natural materials used in its manufacture. Energy costs in the production of raw glass are reduced by 2–3% for every 10% cullet in the material's recipe. At the same time, recycled glass is a much cheaper raw material than natural components. Thus, glass recycling is a very environmentally friendly process.

Another option for using broken glass in large volumes is the manufacture of glass tiles. Glass fragments are crushed in a crusher, mixed with dyes and polyester resin, then poured into special molds of various sizes and textures. When pouring glass, a vacuum is created to eliminate air bubbles in the finished tile. The resulting facing tiles can be used for finishing kitchens, bathrooms and even exterior facades of houses. This glass tile manufacturing technology is a good idea for small and medium-sized businesses, since the cost of raw materials and equipment is low, and the cost of its imported counterparts is quite high.

If you apply the creativity of each person, then broken glass is an indispensable material in all kinds of folk art products, ranging from building materials, where broken glass can be added to concrete for greater strength, they can also be added to all kinds of panels, cinder concrete, and can also be used when decorating facades, with all kinds of decorative and applied products, because broken glass powder in combination with glue or various varnishes with the addition of color can be a good stained glass material, and if you also heat it up, you will get all kinds of lamps interspersed glass and plastics.

Also, broken glass to order can be used to develop the psychophysiological capabilities of a person, for example, small broken glass can be consumed to train walking barefoot. And you can also use them in the beds so that the grass does not grow, falling asleep the territory.

Conclusion: broken glass is by and large the sand from which this glass is made, so where sand is used, broken glass can also be used.

In contact with

Concrete has been widely used in construction for many years due to its resistance to deformation and durability, but the material also has some disadvantages, the most important of which is low tensile strength. Most often, this problem is solved by metal reinforcement, but in our time more progressive solutions have appeared. You can make glass concrete with your own hands, while the material properties will be at the highest level while reducing the weight of the structure.

In the photo - the use of fiberglass allows you to give even thin concrete elements unsurpassed strength

Main types of materials

We note right away that the concept of glass concrete means a whole range of variations, we will not consider all of them, we will only get acquainted with those that are most often used and with which you can work independently. Each type has its own characteristics, which determine certain properties of the material.

composite concrete

The second name of this option is glass-reinforced concrete. It is very similar to conventional reinforced concrete options, but glass concrete technology involves the use of fiberglass rods instead of metal reinforcement.

To explain all the advantages of composite reinforcement, let's compare it with conventional metal reinforcement:

Such reinforcement is superior to metal in all respects, which is why it is very widely used in modern construction.

Another important advantage is that composite rods are 2.5 times more tensile, which makes it possible to use smaller diameter products without losing the strength characteristics of the structure.

Work on creating a reinforcing belt of this type is much easier and faster due to a number of reasons:

• Light weight material.
• Ease of connection - with the help of plastic clamps that securely fix each node.
• In winter, metal is very cold, while fiberglass does not freeze through.

Laying a composite armored belt is much easier than using metal

Important!
It is worth remembering that the strength properties of fiberglass are much higher, so smaller diameter reinforcement can be used without loss of strength.

glass filled concrete

Such glass concrete has a number of differences, the main of which is the use of fiberglass as a filler, which determines the high performance properties of the material.

Glass fiber resistant to alkalis and other adverse effects

The main advantages of this option are the following:

• Versatility: both panels and blocks or light and strong cladding sheets can be produced in this way. The scope of application is very wide.
• Ease: the composition includes fine-grained concrete mixed with sand in a ratio of 50/50 and chopped glass fiber.
• Strength fiber-reinforced concrete: in compression it is twice as stable as simple concrete, in tension and bending it is 4 times stronger, and the impact resistance is 15 times higher.
• With the help of various additives: plasticizers, dyes, water repellents - the properties of concrete can change significantly.

But it is worth noting that the manufacture of such material is a rather complicated process, and high quality and reliability can only be achieved in the factory.

Fiber concrete sheets have a peculiar structure and can even be used as a final finish.

Concrete with the addition of liquid glass

This option cannot be called glass concrete in its pure form, however, it is worth considering it, since liquid glass is used in production. This silicate-based component gives the material high moisture resistance properties and increases resistance to high temperatures.

In addition, liquid glass has pronounced antiseptic properties, due to which it is often added during construction in swampy areas, where dampness has a particularly strong effect on structures.

Liquid glass gives concrete the highest properties of resistance to both moisture and high temperatures.

Instructions for the preparation of concrete is as follows:

• First, concrete of the desired grade is prepared, while you should not make it too liquid.
• Next, liquid glass is diluted with water in the proportion indicated in the instructions on the package.
• The finished solution is added to concrete in a ratio of 1:10, after which it is necessary to mix the composition thoroughly before use.

Important!
Water that is added to liquid glass is not taken into account when preparing concrete, as it goes to maintain a chemical reaction that makes the surface resistant to moisture.

It is important to mix the solution thoroughly, then the entire surface will be protected from moisture.

Sometimes a simpler method is used: impregnation of the surface with a solution of liquid glass. But in order to achieve the best protection, it is better to apply another layer of mortar with liquid glass for concrete on top, especially since it hardens quickly enough, so the time for the work will not increase.

Everyone knows that cutting reinforced concrete with diamond wheels, as well as diamond drilling holes in concrete, are fraught with many difficulties. But the use of fiberglass elements also simplifies these difficult jobs: the material lends itself much better, and crowns and discs wear out less quickly.

Fiberglass concrete is much easier to drill

To understand the issue even better, watch the video in this article, which clearly shows some of the nuances under consideration. In general, it is safe to say that the future belongs to fiberglass elements, and glass concrete will be used more and more every year.

Glass concrete is a very flexible, resilient and high-strength material, which, while remaining concrete, is nevertheless unusually light, since it lacks both coarse aggregate and metal reinforcement. In a previous publication, we talked about what types of glass concrete are known today, i.e. on the classification of glass concrete. Today's publication is devoted to the analysis of the characteristics and properties of various types of glass concrete.

composite concrete

In other words, composite concrete is glass-reinforced concrete. In fact, this is an analogue of reinforced concrete, the technological difference is only in the replacement of a metal reinforcing bar with a fiberglass (composite) one. However, this type of concrete, precisely because of the replacement of reinforcement, differs in a number of properties:

Low weight of reinforcement, because fiberglass reinforcement is 5 times lighter than steel reinforcement of equal diameter;

Fiberglass and basalt rebar are produced in the form of a bundle, rolled into coils of 100 m each (coil weight from 7 to 10 kg), the diameter of the coil is about a meter, which allows it to be transported in the trunk of a passenger car. Thus, fiberglass reinforcement is convenient to transport, unlike a metal bar, which is very heavy and requires long trucks;

Fiberglass and basalt reinforcement is 2.5-3 times stronger in tension than steel of the same diameter. This allows you to replace steel reinforcement with fiberglass with a smaller diameter without loss of strength. This is called equal strength replacement;

Fiberglass and basalt fittings have 100 times less thermal conductivity than metal and therefore are not a cold bridge (thermal conductivity of glass fittings is 0.48 W/sq.m, and thermal conductivity of traditional fittings is 56 W/sq.m);

Glass-composite reinforcement is not subject to corrosion and is resistant to aggressive environments (although it is desirable to avoid strongly alkaline environments). This means that it does not change its diameter, even if it is in a humid environment. And metal reinforcement, as you know, with poor waterproofing of concrete, can corrode until it is completely destroyed. At the same time, corroded metal reinforcement due to oxides increases in volume (almost 10 times) and is itself capable of breaking a concrete block.

As a result, it is possible to safely reduce the thickness of the concrete cover of glass-reinforced blocks. After all, the large thickness of the protective layer was due to the need to protect the steel reinforcement from moisture impregnating the top layer of concrete, and thereby prevent possible corrosion. Reducing the thickness of the protective layer, together with the low weight of the reinforcement itself, leads to a significant reduction in the weight of the structure without reducing its strength. And this gives a significant reduction in the price of a glass concrete structure and a reduction in the weight of the entire building, reducing the load on the foundation. In addition, glass-reinforced concrete is stronger, warmer and cheaper.

Concrete with the addition of liquid glass

Liquid silicate sodium (rarely potash) glass is added to concrete to increase resistance to moisture and high temperatures and has antiseptic properties, so it is recommended to use it when pouring foundations on swampy soils and in hydraulic structures (wells, waterfalls, pools), and to increase heat resistance - when installing fireplaces, boilers and sauna stoves. In fact, here, glass acts as a binder.

There are 2 ways to use liquid glass to improve the properties of concrete:

1. Glass, diluted with water to the desired proportion, closes the dry mixture. For 10 liters of finished waterproof concrete, 1 liter of liquid glass is introduced. The water used to dilute liquid glass is not taken into account and does not affect the volume of water required for concrete mixing, since it is completely spent on the chemical reactions of glass and concrete to form compounds that prevent the top layer of concrete from getting wet.

The addition of undiluted glass (or even its solution in the required dilution) to an already prepared mixture worsens the properties of concrete, leading to cracking and increased brittleness.

2. Application of liquid glass in the form of a primer (waterproofing) on ​​the surface of the finished concrete block. However, it is better to apply another layer of cement mixture containing liquid glass after such a primer. In this way, ordinary concrete products can also be protected from moisture (the main thing is to apply a primer and plaster layer no later than a day after pouring, or chip and pre-wet the surface, otherwise the adhesion of the layers will be weak).

The addition of liquid glass increases the curing rate of the finished concrete mixture (it hardens in 4-5 minutes), and the faster, the more concentrated the glass solution was. Therefore, such concrete is prepared in small portions, and the glass must be diluted with water.

Glass-filled concrete with fiber (glass fiber reinforced concrete)

Concrete reinforced with alkali-resistant fiberglass (fiber) is called glass fiber reinforced concrete. It consists of fine-grained concrete-matrix filled with sand (no more than 50%) and pieces of glass fiber (fiber). In terms of compressive strength, such concrete is twice as strong as usual, in terms of bending and tensile strength, on average, 4-5 times (up to 20 times), impact strength is 15 times higher.

Fiberglass concrete has high chemical resistance and frost resistance. However, filling concrete with fiber is a rather complicated process, since the fiber must be distributed evenly. Introduce it into the dry mixture. Filling with fiber increases the rigidity of the mixture, it is less plastic, compacts worse, and requires mandatory vibrocompaction in a large layer. Sheet materials are produced by spraying and spraying.

Fiberglass concrete

This material is also called Litracon, after the name that this material received from its inventor, the Hungarian architect Aron Losonci.

It is made on the basis of concrete-matrix and specially oriented long glass (including optical) fibers. The level of transparency and color reproduction of the material depends on the number and location of optical fibers. In this case, the thickness of the block can be increased, if necessary, up to ten meters - as much as the optical fiber allows, and it can, of course, be of any length. The material is still very expensive, about $ 1000 per square meter, however, developments are underway to reduce its cost.

Glass-filled concrete with cullet

This type of concrete allows you to save on filling materials, replacing sand and crushed stone with cullet and closed glass containers (tubes, ampoules, balls). Moreover, crushed stone can be replaced by glass by 20–100%, without loss of strength and with a significant reduction in the weight of the finished block. As a rule, this type of concrete is for industrial production: it is manufactured at enterprises and used in them, because it has high acid resistance and relatively low alkali resistance.

Glass concrete with glass as a binder

Glass is sorted, crushed and ground, and then sifted through screens, divided into fractions. Particles larger than 5 mm are used as coarse aggregate, less than 5 mm instead of sand, and finely ground powder as a binder. However, if it is possible to finely grind glass, this concrete can be made independently.

Glass powder, when mixed with water, by itself, does not show astringent properties, a catalyst is needed. In an alkaline environment (soda ash), cullet dissolves, forming silicic acids, which soon begin to turn into a gel. This gel binds aggregate fractions and after curing (at normal or elevated temperature, it depends on the properties of glass and filler), a durable and strong silicate conglomerate is obtained - acid-resistant glass concrete.

This type of glass concrete can also be made in the Tako2 concrete mixer. It is possible to produce concrete in a concrete mixer only on a silicate binder. First, dry components are mixed for 4-5 minutes (sand, crushed stone, ground filler and hardener (sodium silicate fluoride), then liquid glass with a modifying additive is poured into a rotating concrete mixer. The mixture is mixed for 3-5 minutes, until homogeneous. The viability of the mixture on this binder will be only 40-45 min Such concrete is not inferior in its properties to materials made from traditional binders, while surpassing them in biostability, thermal conductivity, acid resistance.This is important if the soils on which the foundation is laid have an acidic reaction.

Glass concrete is widely used and, due to its properties, is in great demand for the production of finishing panels, gratings, fences, walls, partitions, ceilings, decor, complex architectural or transparent roofs, pipes, noise barriers, cornices, tiles, cladding and many other products.