PSI - Issue 68

ScienceDirect Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2025) 000–000 Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2025) 000–000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect

www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

Procedia Structural Integrity 68 (2025) 184–189

European Conference on Fracture 2024 Novel extruded polystyrene lightweight thermoinsulating cement mortar: Experimental investigation of the mechanical behaviour Zoi S. Metaxa a, *, Violetta K. Kytinou b,c , Vasileios D. Prokopiou a,b , Adamantis G. Zapris c , Eleni Apostolidou d and Nikolaos D. Alexopoulos b* a Democritus University of Thrace, School of Chemistry, Hephaestus Advanced Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Kavala, 65404, Greece b University of the Aegean, Department of Financial Engineering, Research Unit of Advanced Materials, 41 Kountouriοtou str, 82132, Chios, Greece c Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Civil Engineering, Laboratory of Reinforced Concrete and Seismic Design of Structures, Xanthi, 67100, Greece d Democritus University of Thrace, School of Chemistry, Alternative Energy Resources Laboratory, St. Luke, Kavala, 65404, Greece Abstract The construction sector is a significant contributor to global waste, primarily due to the extensive use of non-renewable resources and the accumulation of non-biodegradable waste such as Extruded Polystyrene (XPS). The present article investigates the exploitation of XPS waste as a lightweight aggregate in cement-based mortars, with a focus on mechanical and thermal insulation properties. XPS was incorporated in varying concentrations (from 0 % to 100 % by volume), replacing standard sand to assess its impact on mortar composites. The results indicate that, while increasing XPS content leads to a reduction in flexural strength, the material remains viable for structural applications. Moreover, the exploitation of XPS significantly enhances the thermal insulation properties, making it a suitable candidate for energy-efficient construction. These findings highlight the potential of XPS-modified mortars in reducing the environmental footprint of the construction industry while providing functional benefits for lightweight and thermally efficient building materials. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers Keywords: Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) waste; lightweight mortar; thermal insulation; flexural strength; energy efficiency European Conference on Fracture 2024 Novel extruded polystyrene lightweight thermoinsulating cement mortar: Experimental investigation of the mechanical behaviour Zoi S. Metaxa a, *, Violetta K. Kytinou b,c , Vasileios D. Prokopiou a,b , Adamantis G. Zapris c , Eleni Apostolidou d and Nikolaos D. Alexopoulos b* a Democritus University of Thrace, School of Chemistry, Hephaestus Advanced Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Kavala, 65404, Greece b University of the Aegean, Department of Financial Engineering, Research Unit of Advanced Materials, 41 Kountouriοtou str, 82132, Chios, Greece c Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Civil Engineering, Laboratory of Reinforced Concrete and Seismic Design of Structures, Xanthi, 67100, Greece d Democritus University of Thrace, School of Chemistry, Alternative Energy Resources Laboratory, St. Luke, Kavala, 65404, Greece Abstract The construction sector is a significant contributor to global waste, primarily due to the extensive use of non-renewable resources and the accumulation of non-biodegradable waste such as Extruded Polystyrene (XPS). The present article investigates the exploitation of XPS waste as a lightweight aggregate in cement-based mortars, with a focus on mechanical and thermal insulation properties. XPS was incorporated in varying concentrations (from 0 % to 100 % by volume), replacing standard sand to assess its impact on mortar composites. The results indicate that, while increasing XPS content leads to a reduction in flexural strength, the material remains viable for structural applications. Moreover, the exploitation of XPS significantly enhances the thermal insulation properties, making it a suitable candidate for energy-efficient construction. These findings highlight the potential of XPS-modified mortars in reducing the environmental footprint of the construction industry while providing functional benefits for lightweight and thermally efficient building materials. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers Keywords: Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) waste; lightweight mortar; thermal insulation; flexural strength; energy efficiency © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +302271035464; fax: +302271035484. E-mail address: nalexop@aegean.gr, zmetaxa@chem.duth.gr * Corresponding author. Tel.: +302271035464; fax: +302271035484. E-mail address: nalexop@aegean.gr, zmetaxa@chem.duth.gr

2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers 2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers

2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2025.06.040