Abstract:
Concrete is the most widely employed construction material on the planet, however, its production
requires vast amounts of natural resources. The waste management of solar modules waste is an
emerging challenge. The problem of how to dispose of used solar modules is big and expanding.
Because recycling costs more than the economic worth of the materials recovered, a considerable
portion of this waste is not recycled. Moreover, the continuous consumption of aggregate in
concrete is depleting natural sand basins across the world. The focus of this research was to recycle
solar module waste by replacing fine aggregate with 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, 16%, and
20% replacement ratios. The modified concrete was tested for compressive strength at the age of
7, 28, 56, and 91 days, freeze-thaw resistance at 7, 14, 28, and 56 cycles, sulfuric acid, and
hydrochloric acid resistance, and chloride migration. The results were promising as both the
mechanical and durability properties were improved. The compressive strength improved at all
ages. However, at a later age, the rise in compressive strength was more evident. The compressive
strength of concrete modified with 20% solar module waste particles as fine aggregate was found
to be 41 MPa after 91 days, which is 16.3% higher than the control specimen at the same age. The
results of the tests revealed that when the solar module waste particles mixing ratio was increased,
the freezing and thawing resistance, acid attack resistance, and chloride ion penetration resistance
of the waste modified concrete were improved. The use of solar module waste particles as a
replacement of sand particles resulted in better packing and a smaller pore size. The reduction in
pore size and volume was verified by BET test. The use of solar module waste particles gives an
environmentally appropriate answer to the problems of its disposal. It also provides a viable raw
material source for the construction sector, so assisting in the conservation of natural aggregate
resources. As a result, the advantages of employing solar module waste as fine aggregate in
concrete have been proven.
