Glass Bottle Earth Brick for Structural Wall

Abstract

Brazil has a low percentage of recycled container glass due to multiple factors, such as inadequate waste collection and recycling infrastructure, low public awareness about recycling's significance, and insufficient laws to promote it. In addition, the country faces high levels of homelessness and inadequate housing. As a result, an increasing number of builders are exploring repurposing glass bottles as a construction material for walls, occasionally incorporating them into traditional earthen building techniques. Therefore, this paper investigates the potential of prefabricated earthcrete bricks that integrate glass container bottles for the construction of structural load-bearing walls for affordable housing in Brazil while at the same time reducing pollution, enhancing aesthetics, and promoting environmental friendliness. Initially, the mechanical behaviour of the container glass bottles in earth bricks is investigated through FEM modelling. Subsequently, prototypes are made and tested in the laboratory, revealing a compressive strength between 8.21 and 11.40 MPa. From these findings, it is concluded that reusing glass bottles for the construction of structural walls capable of supporting small-scale structures could be feasible.