composite / Aggregate-Based / Cementitious Binder

Recycled glass aggregate concrete panel (50mm, 75mm, 100mm decorative panels)

Decorative precast concrete panels using recycled glass fines as partial sand replacement (up to 10% by mass demonstrated in Australian research). Use requires ATS 3050/AS 2758.1 compliance and ASR mitigation strategies such as supplementary cementitious materials.

Atlas code
COM-AGG-CEM-003
compositeaggregate-basedrecycled-glasssustainablefire-resistantacousticaustralian-made
Recycled glass aggregate concrete panel (50mm, 75mm, 100mm decorative panels)
At-a-glance signals

Decorative precast concrete panels using recycled glass fines as partial sand replacement (up to 10% by mass demonstrated in Australian research). Use requires ATS 3050/AS 2758.1 compliance and ASR mitigation strategies such as supplementary cementitious materials.

Overview
Executive summary

Recycled glass aggregate concrete panels are decorative precast panels that use recycled crushed glass as a partial fine-aggregate replacement in the concrete mix. Austroads ATS 3050 defines minimum requirements for recycled crushed glass used as a partial fine aggregate replacement in concrete. In Victoria, a Sustainability Victoria?funded research project demonstrated that unwashed recycled glass fines of up to 10% by mass can replace sand in concrete and meet AS 2758.1, leading to updates in VicRoads Section 703 for general concrete paving.

Best when…
  • Demonstrated feasibility of unwashed glass fines at up to 10% by mass sand replacement in Australian research
  • Austroads ATS 3050 provides a specification pathway for recycled crushed glass in concrete
  • Supports diversion of glass fines from landfill
Top advantages
  1. 01 Demonstrated feasibility of unwashed glass fines at up to 10% by mass sand replacement in Australian research
  2. 02 Austroads ATS 3050 provides a specification pathway for recycled crushed glass in concrete
  3. 03 Supports diversion of glass fines from landfill
Top limitations
  1. 01 ASR risk requires mitigation via supplementary cementitious materials (e.g., fly ash, GGBS, or glass powder)
  2. 02 Performance depends on mix design, grading, and quality control to meet ATS 3050 / AS 2758.1
  3. 03 Availability depends on suppliers meeting ATS 3050 requirements
Technical
Physical ·9
Density
2100-2350 kg/m³ kg/m³
Specific gravity
Varies Aggregate SG depends on glass source and grading; confirm with supplier.
Porosity
10-18% %
Water absorption
3-7% (24-hour immersion, ASTM C642) %
Hardness
5-7 Mohs scale
UV resistance
Excellent - no significant degradation
Chemical resistance
Good to excellent acid resistance
pH tolerance
4-12 pH range
Surface roughness
2-8 μm Ra (finish dependent) µm
Mechanical ·7
Tensile strength
2.5-4.2 MPa MPa
Compressive strength
25-35 MPa at 28 days (15-25% glass content) MPa
Flexural strength
3.5-6.5 MPa (up to 8.4 MPa with glass fibers) MPa
Shear strength
3.0-4.5 MPa MPa
Poisson's ratio
0.18-0.22
Impact resistance
15-25% improvement over standard concrete
Creep resistance
0.3-0.5 × 10⁻⁶/MPa (long-term)
Sustainability & Health
Embodied carbon & energy ·7
Embodied carbon
200-280 kg CO₂-e/m³
Carbon footprint
15-55 kg CO₂-e/m² (thickness dependent)
Embodied energy
8-12 MJ/kg MJ/kg
Water footprint
5-15 L/m² L/kg
Recycled content
Up to 10% by mass (sand replacement) Sustainability Victoria project and UoM research demonstrated 10% unwashed glass fines replacement meeting AS 2758.1.
Renewable content
0% %
Circular score
8/10 (high recyclability, recycled content)
Compliance & Fire
Fire performance ·6
Combustibility class
Non-combustible (concrete matrix) Non-combustible per AS 1530.1 — concrete matrix is an inorganic cementitious product. Recycled glass aggregate does not affect the non-combustibility classification of the concrete panel.
Fire resistance level
60/60/60 to 180/180/180 FRL (thickness dependent)
Ignition temp
>750°C °C
Flame spread index
0-5
Smoke dev. index
0-3
Heat release rate
<3 kW/m²
Cost & Lifecycle
Capex & lead time ·6
Material cost (range)
$230-360/m² (supply only, thickness dependent)
Material cost (per unit)
$275-420/m² (installed)
Lead time
4-8 weeks standard, 8-12 weeks custom
Lifecycle cost
$375-670/m² (50-year analysis)
Annual maintenance
$2-5/m²
Market availability
Good in major centers, limited rural
Service life & durability ·3
Expected lifespan
50-100 years
Maintenance interval
Annual inspection, 10-15 years joint renewal
Warranty period
1-5 years defects, 6-10 years structural
Layer D

Where it's used

Decorative facade panels
Feature wall cladding
Exposed aggregate finishes
Polished concrete surfaces
Precast architectural elements
Sound barrier walls
Fire-rated wall systems
Sustainable building facades
Public art installations
Infrastructure applications
Commercial building cladding
Residential feature walls
COM-AGG-CEM-003 · Materials Atlas · CLAD Atlas data is reference-only. Verify against manufacturer specifications and current standards before specifying.