The addition of mineral fibres waste does not affect the functionality of mortars.• The porous structure of admixed fibres mortars is similar to that of the reference.• Waste mineral fibres are an alternative to current commercial reinforcements.• Mortars reinforced with mineral fibres waste minimize environmental impact. a b s t r a c tMineral wool is currently the most used insulation in the European Union, and quantities of this waste have increased alarmingly in the last decade, making it essential to recycle or reuse the material, which is not current practice. This study aims to verify the feasibility of compounds of a cement base with additives of insulating mineral fibre residues recovered from the recycling of construction and demolition waste (CDW). For this purpose, experiments were designed to classify the physical-chemical behaviour of architectural mineral wool waste, and that of mortars incorporating them to determine their porosity due to the effects of these fibres on the properties of the compounds. The results obtained show that both the structure and chemical composition as well as the microstructure of the reinforced mortars are viable, and that they would therefore be a sustainable alternative to the current mortars of composite materials.

No abstract

Waste mineral fibres are an alternative to current commercial reinforcements.• Mortars reinforced with mineral fibers waste minimize environmental impact.• There is a good connection between the cementitious matrix and the residues.• It is possible to replace large amount of the volume of sand used by mineral fiber waste.

Compounds are made of gypsum and plastic cable waste as aggregates.• Water absorption and retention capacity are lower in compounds with plastic waste.• Plastic cable waste addition decreases the total pore volume maintaining the size.• Plastic cable waste in gypsum matrices decreases the use of natural resources.• Compounds with plastic cable waste minimise environmental impacts in construction.

Caracterización físicoquímica y aplicaciones de yeso con adición de residuo plástico de cables mediante criterios de economía circular ÍNDICE 3. JUSTIFICACIÓN DEL TRABAJO ………………………………………………………………………………………. 87 4. OBJETIVOS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 91 5. METODOLOGÍA …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 95 5.1 CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LA MATERIA PRIMA UTILIZADA (OB. 1) ……………………….. 99 5.1.1 Materiales utilizados ……………………………………………………………………………. 99 5.1.1.1 Yeso ……………………………………………………………………………………………... 99 5.1.1.2 Escayola ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 5.1.1.3 Agua …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5.1.1.4 Residuo plástico de cables …………………………………………………………….. 5.1.2 Fase I del plan experimental. Caracterización de la materia prima ……… 5.1.2.1 Ensayos físicos de la materia prima ………………………………………………. 5.1.2.1.1 Determinación de la densidad de empaquetamiento o de Bulk …………………………………………………………………………………………….... 5.1.2.1.2 Determinación de la densidad real o picnometría de Helio … 5.1.2.1.3 Determinación de la humedad de la materia prima …………… 5.1.2.1.4 Granulometría del residuo plástico de cables …………………….