Abstract:
A significant volume of waste latex and acrylic paint exists in New Zealand, with the rate of supply growing at a substantial rate. The paper specifically investigated the use of waste paint as a polymer admixture in concrete masonry blockfill. The objective of this study was to produce a blockfill mix capable of maintaining or improving the properties of the hardened material whilst increasing the efficiency of the construction process. Study into the fresh properties of blockfill focused upon workability, with specific attention given to investigating the change in rheological properties. Compressive strength, tensile strength, and seismic performance were studied to assess the hardened properties of the blockfill. It was established that waste latex and acrylic based paint was a suitable additive to concrete masonry blockfill, resulting in maintained strength and improved workability, providing a viable substitute to standard chemical admixtures currently used to achieve comparable results.