Statistical Distributions of the Strength and Fracture Toughness of Recycled Polyethylene-Reinforced Laterite Composites

Abstract

This paper presents the results of combined experimental and theoretical studies of the statistical distributions of the strength and fracture toughness of recycled polyethylene-reinforced laterite composites for potential applications in building materials. The composites are produced with different volume percentages (0–30% v/v) and particle sizes (∼300±0.02, ∼600 ± 0.03, ∼900 ± 0.03, ∼1,200±0.02, ∼1,500±0.04, and 1,800±0.03 μm) of powdered polyethylene (PE) in a laterite matrix. The composites with ∼900±0.03 μm and 20-volume percentage of PE are shown to have the best combination of flexural-compressive strengths and fracture toughness. The statistical variations in the flexural-compressive strengths and fracture toughness are well characterized by the Weibull distributions.