Investigation of Concrete Pavement Abrasion Resistance in Agro-Industrial Facilities Using Polystyrene Waste

Abstract

Concrete floor pavements in agro-industrial facilities operate under combined abrasion, impact, moisture and organic environmental exposure, which accelerates degradation of the surface layer and increases dust formation. The study evaluates the use of polystyrene waste dissolved in toluene as a polymer impregnation for strengthening concrete pavement surfaces. Concrete specimens of class C25/30 were produced using Portland cement PC I-500, quartz sand and crushed stone aggregate with a fraction of 5–10 mm; the water–cement ratio was 0.42–0.45. After 28 days of curing at +20 ± 2 °C and 95% relative humidity, control specimens and specimens treated with polystyrene impregnation were compared by abrasion, water absorption, open porosity and surface condition. The polymer solution penetrated into the capillary-porous structure of concrete to a depth of 1–3 mm and formed a denser hydrophobic surface layer. The abrasion index decreased from 0.8–0.9 g/cm² for untreated concrete to 0.3–0.5 g/cm² for treated specimens. Water absorption decreased from 12–14% to 8–10%, while open porosity decreased from 18–20% to 14–15%. The results indicate that secondary polystyrene can be used as a low-cost strengthening impregnation for concrete floors, improving wear resistance, reducing dust formation and extending service life under agro-industrial operating conditions.