Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions
Conference Track: Engineering
Education
Keywords:
Undergraduate Research Experience, Recycling, Concrete, Polymers
Contact Title: Dr.
Contact First Name: Felipe J.
Contact Last Name: Acosta
University:
University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
Web:
Position:
Associate Professor
Country:
Email:
facosta@uprm.edu
Fax:
787-833-8260
Abstract Title:
Abstract:
Starting in 2000, undergraduate students at the School of
Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez are involved in
projects guided by the authors studying the feasibility of substituting
part of the aggregates in concrete mixes by recycled polymers and rubber
crumbs. These students have
the opportunity to received training in research solving simple but
practical problems such as to reuse the tremendous amount of wasted
material in Puerto Rico. These
experiences motivate the students to pursue graduate degrees and develop
in them necessary skills. Most
of these students are participating in two programs, they are the Puerto
Rico Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and the SLOAN
Foundation, and both of them look for an increase the participation of
underrepresented groups in all science fields.
Several of these students graduated and are currently enrolled in
graduate programs.
The projects
are divided in two mayor groups: Polymers
and tire rubber crumbs. The
projects investigating the use of polymers used both thermoplastics and
thermosetting such as PVC, polycarbonate, paper phenolic, and acrylic.
The projects investigating the tire rubber used tire particles in
concrete mixes and in concrete blocks.
The recycled products were substituted from 0% up to 30% by weight
of the fine, coarse or total weight of aggregates. Reduction in strength is observed in all mixes at the ages of
7, 14, and 28 days. Particular
materials such as polycarbonate reduced the strength by 38% with only a 5%
substitution while recycled tire rubber had 50% strength reduction with
14% substitution.
Mailing Address:
University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
General Engineering Department
PO Box 9041
Mayaguez, PR 00681-9041
Phone:
Authors:
Jeannette Santos,
jsantos@ece.uprm.edu, Associate Professor
Felipe J. Acosta,
facosta@uprm.edu, Associate Professor, (P)
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