Plastic and Concrete Construction Products: A Comparative Review of Material Performance, Cost, Sustainability, and Market Substitution Pathways

Guangtao Zhang; Jiahang Ni; Junlong Zou; Bo Chen; Guangkai Zhang

doi:10.62177/jaet.v3i2.1280

Authors

Guangtao Zhang Zhejiang Normal University
Jiahang Ni Zhejiang Normal University
Junlong Zou Zhejiang Normal University
Bo Chen Zhejiang Normal University
Guangkai Zhang The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62177/jaet.v3i2.1280

Keywords:

Plastic Products, Concrete Products, Construction Materials, Comparative Review, Life-Cycle Cost, Sustainability, Market Substitution

Abstract

This review examines how plastic and concrete construction products compete, coexist, and increasingly hybridize under contemporary pressures of cost control, installation efficiency, service-life performance, and low-carbon transition. Reorganized from a broader bachelor thesis, the paper focuses on product categories in which substitution is already visible or commercially plausible, including drainage pipes, grass block pavers, modular road concepts, and recycled-plastic composite systems. The analysis is structured around five dimensions: intrinsic material characteristics, processing and installation routes, cost structure, application scenario, and sustainability performance. Plastics show clear advantages in low density, corrosion resistance, standardized factory processing, and reduced logistics burden, which supports their expansion in lightweight and modular applications. Concrete retains decisive strengths in compressive capacity, rigidity, fire resistance, and long-term reliability under heavy loading. The review argues that market change does not follow a simple replacement model. Instead, it proceeds through scenario-based substitution, selective coexistence, hybrid integration, and circular upgrading. For construction decision-makers, the central implication is that material choice should be based on service-fit and life-cycle value rather than on nominal material price alone.

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