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Recycled Composite Cast Glass Panels made of C&D waste

Assessing the structural performance

Student:

Mentors:

Véronique van Minkelen

Faidra Oikonomopoulou

Marcel Bilow

More information:

This thesis addresses the research gap in sustainable architectural construction practices by effectively using C&D glass waste. This project aims to transition architectural glass from an open-loop to a closed-loop system, emphasizing circularity in line with EU regulations. The novelty of this project lies in manufacturing composite cast glass panels using different types of glass waste, reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

The methodology involved experimental design, mechanical testing, microscopic analysis, and optimization of beams with varying surface-bulk ratios and material compositions. Key findings show that composite beams with higher purity glass on the surface and lower purity glass in the bulk have a comparable structural performance with beams made entirely of higher purity glass. The optimal strength ratio is for 8 mm float glass on the surface with CSP pollutants in the bulk.

The main outcome demonstrates the feasibility of using recycled composite cast glass panels in architectural use, effectively reducing C&D waste and CO2 emissions while maintaining good structural performance. These recycled panels have the potential to significantly lessen environmental impact and integrate into existing building systems.

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