Description
The development and applications of thermoset
polymeric composites, namely fibre reinforced plastics
(FRP), have shifted in the last decades more and more
into the mass market [1]. Despite of all advantages
associated to FRP based products, the increasing
production and consume also lead to an increasing
amount of FRP wastes, either end-of-lifecycle
products, or scrap and by-products generated by the
manufacturing process itself. Whereas thermoplastic
FRPs can be easily recycled, by remelting and
remoulding, recyclability of thermosetting FRPs
constitutes a more difficult task due to cross-linked
nature of resin matrix. To date, most of the thermoset
based FRP waste is being incinerated or landfilled,
leading to negative environmental impacts and
supplementary added costs to FRP producers and
suppliers. This actual framework is putting increasing
pressure on the industry to address the options
available for FRP waste management, being an
important driver for applied research undertaken cost
efficient recycling methods. [1-2]. In spite of this,
research on recycling solutions for thermoset
composites is still at an elementary stage. Thermal
and/or chemical recycling processes, with partial fibre
recovering, have been investigated mostly for carbon
fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) due to inherent value
of carbon fibre reinforcement; whereas for glass fibre
reinforced plastics (GFRP), mechanical recycling, by
means of milling and grinding processes, has been
considered a more viable recycling method [1-2].
Though, at the moment, few solutions in the reuse of
mechanically-recycled GFRP composites into valueadded
products are being explored.
Aiming filling this gap, in this study, a new waste
management solution for thermoset GFRP based
products was assessed. The mechanical recycling
approach, with reduction of GFRP waste to powdered
and fibrous materials was applied, and the potential
added value of obtained recyclates was experimentally
investigated as raw material for polyester based
mortars. The use of a cementless concrete as host
material for GFRP recyclates, instead of a
conventional Portland cement based concrete, presents
an important asset in avoiding the eventual
incompatibility problems arisen from alkalis silica
reaction between glass fibres and cementious binder
matrix. Additionally, due to hermetic nature of resin
binder, polymer based concretes present greater ability
for incorporating recycled waste products [3].
Under this scope, different GFRP waste admixed
polymer mortar (PM) formulations were analyzed
varying the size grading and content of GFRP powder
and fibre mix waste. Added value of potential
recycling solution was assessed by means of flexural
and compressive loading capacities of modified
mortars with regard to waste-free polymer mortars.
; Ribeiro, M. C. S. 
