SECTION C: ENGINEERING
The objective of this article is to evaluate two dosing methodologies to manufacture hollow blocks with shredded PET recycled material in compliance with the current NTE INEN 3066 standard. The evaluation was carried out by means of statistical and financial analysis to identify the most optimal mix design in terms of mechanical properties and manufacturing costs, respectively. The methodology consists of proportioning by weight, replacing 50 % of the fine material (gravel) with plastic material. The two mix designs used were ACI 211.2 (called mix 1) and a modification of this American standard adapted to the specific properties of the materials available in Ecuador (called mix 2). The strength was evaluated by subjecting a batch of 20 masonry blocks to simple compression with the aid of the universal machine; in addition, from the results obtained for each batch, the quality control was determined based on a statistical analysis of Gaussian bell distribution. The unit cost was analyzed empirically based on the existing yield during each of the block manufacturing phases. With the results obtained, a correlation was observed between the resistance to simple compression together with the yield and the unit production cost of the block; determining mix 2 as the most optimal by reaching an average resistance of 3.60 MPa with a lower yield of 0.014 and a lower cost per block of 0.57 cents. This shows that the second methodology is the best option to produce type C blocks complying with the criteria of the Ecuadorian standard NTE INEN 3066 but considering a higher production cost than the handmade block. Finally, the results obtained are not only valuable for the optimization of the block manufacturing process, but also suggest new sustainable solutions in construction, highlighting the importance of regulatory standards and economic viability.
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