RESEARCH PAPERS

A STUDY OF PAPERCRETE TOWARDS BUILDING SUSTAINABLE &

RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
By

SYED KAISER BUKHARI * MAQBOOL YOUSUF ** AYAZ MOHMOOD DAR ***

* Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, India.
**-*** Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, India.

ABSTRACT
The study is based on the tests carried out on Papercrete to know about its properties. The investigations show that the
Papercrete can be used as a very good supplement of wood as it has strengths comparable to wood. Papercrete is an
experimental material which replaces an amount of cement with paper in the normal concrete mix. The total weight,
cost and CO2 emissions during its production as compared to the normal concrete are considerably reduced. It has
been seen that Papercrete is a lightweight material which is 10 times lighter than the normal concrete with excellent
heat and acoustic insulation properties. Weight of 1 mix of Papercrete 60:20:20 was found to be as low as 2600 g in
comparison to 26000 g of concrete cube. It has been seen that Papercrete is very workable and can be formed into
different shapes such as blocks, panels and sheets with ease. The study has concluded that the dried Papercrete has a
rough surface which increases its surface area and provides a very strong bond from one block to the next. There are
significant challenges in constructing with Papercrete but also opportunities. Deep knowledge in material properties
and long term liability advances in processing and building aspects combined with future material technology can
bring Papercrete closer to standardization. This work is based on conducting different experimental tests on various
ratios of Papercrete in order to determine its behavior as a building material. The possibilities of its uses in construction
have also been determined from the study of these properties.
Keywords: Papercrete, Construction Materials, Green Concrete, Building Structures, Workable, Cost.

INTRODUCTION heavy metals from inking activities such as writing and

The present work enlists the potential uses of Papercrete &
studies its various properties to enhance its use in
construction industry. The objectives of the study were to
study the properties of Papercrete and to determine its
potential as a sustainable building material, to determine
the Ideal Papercrete Mix and to do comparative analysis of
Concrete, Wood & Papercrete. This paper shows the results
of laboratory work carried out on these by-products in order
to evaluate application performance. Paper sludge mainly
consists of cellulose fibre and inorganic materials. The
moisture content normally present in paper sludge may
vary from 60-75%. However, this value can be reduced to
as low as 35% by dewatering processes. The inorganic
components are mainly kaolinite and calcium carbonate,
which reflects surface coating agents during the original
paper making. In addition, paper sludge also contains
painting (J.S. Manuel., 2002). The strength of Papercrete
though less than concrete, it can replace concrete in
places where strength is not the prime consideration, for
example in, case of infill walls, boundary walls, medians on
roads, boundaries for flyovers as this will reduce the cost
considerably (Alden Smith, 2003). Increasing amount of
disposing paper sludge from industries has recently
attracted concern for an alternative environmentally
sustainable application (Mohammad Ismail, et al., 2009,
Fuller, et al., 2006). These days CO2 emission from
construction sites because of the cement use are a global
issue. On the other hand, people's desire to live eco-
environment is continuously increasing. Papercrete is a new
composite material using waste paper as a partial
replacement of Portland cement (E. Fernandez, et al.,
2002). By using the waste paper, Papercrete is not only

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reducing the amount of using cement, but also making
environmentally friendly building materials (H. Yun, et al.,
2007). In order to reduce non-renewable material
consumption as well as maintaining natural resource
concepts of recycling and sustainability were globally
introduced. Paper recycling and utilization of palm oil
wastes as a fuel source in palm oil mills for instance were
currently exercised (B. Ahmadi, and W. Al-Khaja, 2001).
Presence of kaolinite clay and heavy metals might also
contribute towards retarding cement hydration or acting as
deleterious materials, thereby hindering proper bond
between particles (T. Weerachart, et al., 2007). Modry
(2001) has carried out experimental works to develop
hollow concrete block containing Recycled Paper Waste
(RPW). The author found that the thermal conductivity of the
RPW concrete was 0.35 W/m/k which was similar to that of
concrete with expanded slate as aggregate, while results
of the sound insulation test were conforming to the
requirements of CSN ISO 717-2 for partition walls. This study
is based on conducting compressive strength test on
various ratios of Papercrete which will help in determination
of its behavior as a building material. This paper enlists the
potential uses & studies of its various properties to enhance
its use in construction industry.
1. Objectives of the Study
The various objectives of the study of Papercrete are as
under:
·To study the properties of Papercrete to determine its
potential as a sustainable building material.
·To determine the Ideal Papercrete Mix.
·To do comparative analysis of Concrete, Wood &
Papercrete.
2. Aim of the Study
The scope of this study can be summed up as below:
scope of Papercrete.
3. Methodology
The whole methodology was set for the various tests and
examinations of the Papercrete. The materials used are as
under:
·Cement: 43 Grade Khyber cement has been used
throughout the research work involving a cube and
slab casting.
·Sand: Zone-2 sand obtained from Ganderbal, District
of Jammu & Kashmir, India and has been used
throughout the research work.
·Paper: Trash paper has been collected from NIT
Srinagar premises which was then converted to a size-0
paper pulp using a pulping machine at a local paper-
mache manufacturer.
·Boric Acid: Spray of boric acid solution (200 mg in 5l
water) has been sprayed over the slab for
improvement in fire resistance.
·Lime: Lime plaster is done over the slab for water
proofing. Plaster composed of hydrated lime mixed
with sand in a ratio of 1:3 that is, 1 part lime mixed with 3
parts of sand, has been used.
The Compressive strength test of Papercrete Cubes has
been done for different proportions of Paper, Cement and
Sand as shown in Table 1.
The paper was added and mixed with cement and fine
aggregate until the paper was uniformly distributed
throughout the batch. After adding of water, mixing,
sampling and curing was followed by testing of cubes on
Compression Testing Machine (CTM) with the load being
gradually applied without shock and continuously at the
rate of 140kg/cm2/minute till the specimen fails. Minimum
Ratio of Mix
S No.
Paper:Cement:Sand
No. of Samples

·To prepare the samples of the locally available 1 50:40:10 3

materials. 2 50:30:20 3
3 50:20:30 3
·To determine the compressive strength of different
4 50:10:40 3
Papercrete mixes.
5 60:30:10 3
·To evaluate the pros & cons of Papercrete for use in 6 60:20:20 3

construction. 7 50:50 3

·To determine the areas of further research and future Table 1. Proportions of Various Cubes

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three specimens were tested at each selected age. If Ratio of Mix Average
No of Strength obtained after
S.No. ( Paper : Strength
strength of any specimen varies by more than 15 per cent Cement : Sand)
Samples 28 days (Tonnes)
(Tonnes)
of average strength, results of such specimen were Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

rejected. An average of three specimens of each mix gives 1 50:40:10 3 2.6 2.8 2.7 2.70
the crushing strength of Papercrete. 2 50:30:20 3 1.5 2.0 1.74 1.75
3 50:20:30 3 1.8 1.7 1.75 1.75
4. Results and Discussions
4 50:10:40 3 .5 .4 .44 .45
The strength of Papercrete though less than concrete, it 5 60:30:10 3 .5 .8 1.6 .65
can replace concrete in places where strength is not the 6 60:20:20 3 6.5 6.5 4 6.5
prime consideration, for example, in case of infill walls, 7 50:50 3 1.5 1.8 .65 1.65

boundary walls, medians on roads, boundaries for flyovers

Table 2. Strength of Various Papercrete Mixes
as this will reduce the cost considerably. The average
Average Compressive Strength
strength of each specimen after 28 days is tabulated in
Concrete Wood Papercrete
Table 2. The ratio of paper, cement and sand as 60:20:20 Strength Strength Ratio Strength
S
Grade Type
respectively has been found an ideal design mix with No. (N/mm2) (N/mm2) (P:C:S) (Tonnes)

maximum compressive strength as shown in Figure 1. The 1 M15 15 Poplar (against grain) 4.49 50:40:10 2.70
2 M20 20 Birch (against grain) 7.83 50:30:20 1.75
comparison of compressive strengths of concrete, wood
3 M25 25 Redwood (against grain) 2.66 50:20:30 1.75
and Papercrete is shows in Table 3. Redwood (with grain)
4 M30 30 28.96 50:10:40 .45
The weight of Papercrete cubes is found to be very less in 5 M35 35 Plywood 20.76 60:30:10 .65
6 M40 40 Birch (with grain) 61.25 60:20:20 6.5
comparison with concrete. Weight of 1 mix of Papercrete,
7 M45 45 Poplar (with grain) 43.26 50:50 1.65
i.e., 60:20:20 is found to be as low as 2600 g in comparison
to 26000 g concrete cube. This is the biggest advantage of Table 3. Comparison of Compressive Strengths of Concrete,
Wood & Papercrete
Papercrete, i.e., its lightweight. When compared with wood
as shown in Table 4, it is found to be lighter, though the considered this mix of 60:20:20 as the standard mix
difference is not significant, a drastic change lies between because it gave the maximum value of compressive
the two in terms of the cost as shown in Table 4. As wood is strength and was most lighter in weight.
very expensive these days and also in some areas good The cost of Papercrete is the lowest when compared with
quality wood required for construction is not available, so concrete, whereas in case of wood which is head to head
Papercrete can be very handy. Papercrete also serves the with Papercrete in terms of strength, but when compared in
means of performing green construction (as it can replace terms of cost, it's almost 30 times of that of a Papercrete
wood as a building material). In this work, the authors have cube. So clearly Papercrete is far better than wood in

Comparison of Weights Comparison of Costs

Papercrete Wood
Weight
Ratio Weight
S No. after 28 Type Material Dimensions Cost (INR)
(P:C:S) (kg)
days (kg)

1 50:40:10 4.4 Poplar 2.9 Concrete

150x150x150 Rs 300
2 50:30:20 4.1 Birch 2.2 M25 Grade

3 50:20:30 3.8 Redwood 3.1

Wood 150x150x150 Rs 30
4 50:10:40 3.5 Plywood 3.0

5 60:30:10 3.1 Deodar 2.8

6 60:20:20 2.6 Teak 2.6 Papercrete
(60:20:20) 150x150x150 Rs 9
7 50:50 5.3 - -

Table 4. Comparison of Weights & Costs of Papercrete, Concrete & Wood

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Figure 1. Strength of Mixes after 28 Days
various aspects. Also wood is attacked by insects while
Papercrete is not. Papercrete has an advantage over
conventional concrete in terms of its failure in compression.
Since it is quiet elastic, it has better shock absorbing
properties over its limited strength range. Figures 2 & 3
shows the modes of failure of Papercrete cube subject to
compressive loading in a CTM.
The study verily implies the advantages of Papercrete in
modern times. Raw materials of Papercrete are very
inexpensive and freely available while, its equipment is
relatively low-tech and inexpensive. It has high
compressive strength, lightweight and can be used to
make inexpensive roofing alternatives. Papercrete is very
Figure 2. Papercrete Block Subjected to Compression
Figure 3. Gradual Failure of Papercrete Block under Compression
30
workable and can be formed into different shapes such as
blocks, panels and sheets with ease. It does not catch fire
easily, but smolders for hours & has the appearance of a
standard concrete block. Its thermal and acoustic
performance is significantly higher than other products
currently on the global market & its blocks perform
favorably when fixings and renderings are applied. It can
be used as a sound proofing material & is sufficient for roof
loads in low-height buildings. When dry, a Papercrete wall
can be left exposed to the elements, can be painted,
rendered / have stucco applied to its face. Dried
Papercrete has a rough surface. This increases its surface
area and provides a very strong bond from one block to
the next. It has very high shear strength as a block. It
conforms to any mould - can be used in decorative
moulds as well as for blockwork. Papercrete could be used
for simple furnitures at homes provided that wire mesh is set
into the Papercrete for enhancing its strength.
Conclusion
The strength of Papercrete though less than concrete can
replace concrete in places where strength is not the prime
consideration, for example, in case of infill walls, boundary
walls, medians on roads, boundaries for flyovers as this will
reduce the cost considerably. Papercrete can also replace
some types of wood if directly decide on strength
parameters, but if others parameters like cost, insulation,
fire resistance, etc, are considered then Papercrete could
replace wood easily. Even cost of concrete is almost
double that of Papercrete but concrete is way ahead of
Papercrete in terms of strength so Papercrete can replace
concrete only in special cases where strength is not the
prime consideration. But it has several advantages over
wood. In cold places the use of Papercrete in buildings can
be beneficial due to its tendency to absorb sunlight and
then slow release of heat and hence keeping the building
warm in the process plus its insulation properties preventing
high heat losses. However, due to the moisty climate of this
place, the design life of Papercrete gets affected and
hence, provisions for such conditions are necessary. In an
earthquake, lighter is the building material; the lower is the
likelihood of building getting damaged so it can prove
better in higher seismic zones.
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References [5]. J.S. Manuel., (2002). “How Do Paper Houses Stack Up?”,
[1]. Alden Smith, (2003). “How to Build with Papercrete?” Do Journal of Environmental Health Perspective, Vol. 110, No.
it Yourself. 3, A 126.

[2]. B. Ahmadi and W. Al-Khaja, (2001). “Utilization of paper [6]. H. Yun, et al, (2007). “Mechinical properties of
waste sludge in the building construction industry”. Resour. Papercrete containing waste paper”. 18th International
Conserv. Recy. Vol. 32, pp. 105-113. Conference of Composite Materials.

[3]. E. Fernandez, C.R. Lamason and T. Delgado, (2002).
“Alternative construction material from a recycling paper
th
mill sludge”. Proceedings of the 4 National and Regional S
& T Fora & Competition in Industry and Energy Research
Development”, Philippines Council for Industry and Energy
Research (PCIERD) and Development, pp. 82.
[4]. Fuller, B., Fafitis, A., and Santamaria, J., (2006).
“Structural Properties of a New Material Made of Waste
Paper”. Building Integration Solutions: ASCE Publication,
pp. 1-16.
[7]. Mohammad Ismail, et al, (2009). “Fabrication of bricks
from paper sludge and palm oil fuel ash”. Asia Paspic
Structural Engineering Concrete, Vol. 1, No.2.
[8]. S. Modry, (2001). “Use of Waste Paper as a Constituent
of Concrete”. Proceedings of the International Symposium
on Recovery and Recycling of Paper (UK), pp. 77-80.
[9]. T. Weerachart, S. Tirasit, J. Chai, K. Kraiwood and S.
Anek, (2007). “Use of waste ash from palm oil industry in
concrete”. Waste Manage, Vol. 27, pp. 81-88.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. Kaiser Bukhari is currently working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at National Institute of
Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He teaches Building Materials, Geology and Mineralogy, Engineering
Geology, Engineering Seismology, Tunnelling and Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling Technology to undergraduate students. Dr.
Bukhari holds Ph.D. degree on “Hard Rock Analysis” from University of Jammu, Jammu. He has more than sixteen years of
teaching experience in the Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Srinagar, besides, having a number
of research publications mostly on Earthquake Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering to his credit.

Maqbool Yousuf is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in the Department of Civil Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Srinagar,
Jammu and Kashmir, India. He received his Msc in Applied Geology from Kashmir University and M. Tech Exploration
Geosciences from Pondicherry University and also qualified CSIR-NET 2014.

Ayaz Mohmood Dar is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in the Department of Civil Engineering at National Institute of Technology
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He received his MSc in Applied Geology from Kashmir University and M. Tech Exploration
Geosciences from Pondicherry University. Besides that he has various published works related to the Geological Studies and Civil
Engineering Works.

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