Effect of waste glass powder on properties and microstructure of ultrahigh performance cement based materials

In this paper, the effect of waste glass powder on properties and microstructure of ultrahigh performance cement based materials was investigated in an attempt to provide an additional option for glass recycling and to reduce part cost of the cementing materials. Compressive strength of pastes and mortars with different waste glass powder content was tested, and their microstructure properties were analysed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Testing results show that the compressive strength rose initially with the increase in the waste glass amount, reached up to the peak at 20% replacement ratio and then decreased a little. The waste glass powder in ultrahigh performance cement based materials had exhibited pozzolanic reaction and filling effect, contributing substantially to strength increase. In addition, no alkali–silica reaction microcracking ring was found around the large glass powder particle due to the enough fineness of glass powder and the existence of silica fume.