The recycling of waste materials has become an important topic worldwide. Wastes can be effectively used in concrete to improve its characteristics. This study aimed to research cement mortar’s physical properties, mechanical properties, and durability. In a cement mortar with a fixed water-to-binder ratio (W/B) of 0.5, waste polyethylene (PE) was added at sand volume ratios of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%. Cement was replaced with 0%, 10%, and 20% ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The results showed that the slump and flow of mortar tended to decline as the added amount of waste PE increased, but they also increased with the increased replaced amount of GGBFS. The setting time of mortar was shortened as the waste PE increased but delayed as the amount of GGBFS increased. In terms of mechanical properties, the compressive strength of mortar declined as the replaced amount of waste PE increased. Using the GGBFS to replace part of the cement can improve the later mortar strength. This study found that when the added waste PE was within 2% and the replacement amount of GGBFS was 10%, the goal of recycling waste was reached most effectively, while maintaining the concrete’s mechanical properties.
In this study, the fixed water/binder ratio is 0.40, four mineral admixtures: fly ash (FA), blast furnace slag (BFS), desulphurization slag (DLS), and glass LED powder (GLP), were added to lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC), replacing 10% or 30% of the cement content, to study their heat insulation efficiency and engineering performance and to compare the economic impact of mineral admixtures on LWAC. In terms of heat insulation, the thermal conductivity (K value) of the controlled sample was 0.484 kcal/(m.h. °C) and the addition of mineral admixtures changed the concrete unit weight and water absorption ratio, thus reducing the K value by 0.41% to 25.71% and improving the heat insulation. As the mineral admixture hydration products and chemical contents differed, the heat insulation of the LWAC varied as well. The study indicated that the heat insulation is the greatest in concrete with the addition of 30% FA, followed by concrete with the addition of 10% GLP. The addition of mineral admixtures is 30%, the resistivity is 72–455% of the control group, and the resistivity of FA and GLP is higher than the control group. The study is indicated that the proper addition of mineral powder material has an apparent effect on increasing heat insulation efficiency.