Report in CMT Plastic

Pabellosa, Zairel Ceazar

Prohibido, Nicka Diosa
Salvosa, Angelica

PLASTIC

Plastic is a synthetic material made from a wide range of organic polymers such as
polyethylene, PVC, nylon, etc., that can be molded into shape while soft, and then set into a
rigid or slightly elastic form.

Uses of Plastic in Construction

Flooring
Plastic materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene are used to make
flooring less prone to wear and tear. It also decreases the sound pollution level and can be
cleaned easily.

Roofing
To protect the outer surface of the roof from damage, two layers of different plastic
materials are required. The upper part is made of colored thermoplastic olefin or vinyl while the
lower part consists of polyurethane foam which consumes less energy and keeps the interior of
a house cooler.
Insulation
Polyurethane spray plastic materials is frequently used for insulation when constructing
green or low energy buildings. Rigid polyurethane foam is known for its high thermal resistance
which promotes temperature consistency. Polyurethane foam is also popular because it is
lightweight, chemical resistant, and flame retardant. Due to its closed cell nature,
polyurethane insulation performs as an air barrier, resulting in significant energy savings.

Wall
A structural insulated panel (SIP) is a sandwich of expanded polystyrene amidst two slim
layers of oriented strand board. This type of pre-fab, composite wall board can be transferred
to the work place easily for a particular task and provide good support to columns and other
associated essentials during renovation.

Pipes
Commonly made up of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), CPVC, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
(ABS) or polyethylene, plastic pipes are flexible and very light in weight, making them easy to
install. All of these plastic materials are also highly chemical and water resistant, making them
suitable for many extreme environments.

Windows
Polycarbonate is used to manufacture building windows. This plastic material is strong,
clear and very light in weight. Polycarbonate windows are considered more burglar-proof than
regular glass windows. Two plastics materials, vinyl and fiberglass, are used commonly in the
production of window frames. Fiberglass is extremely strong while vinyl is quite durable and
also inexpensive.

Doors
Some construction projects use doors made from a stiff polyurethane foam core with a
fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) coating. The sandwich structure of these doors makes them
incredibly strong.
2 types of Plastic
1. Thermoplastic
2. Thermosetting

Thermoplastic
Thermoplastics variety softens by heat and hardens when cooled down. It can be used
by remolding as many times as required. They can be recycled.
It allows plastic deformation when it is heated. They are brittle and glossy, soluble in
certain solvents, swell in the presence of certain solvents, and has Good resistance to creep.
Some products made from thermoplastic materials are used for electronic applications.
They protect against electrostatic discharge and radio frequency interference.

Examples of Thermoplastics:
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethylene (PE), Polyethylene
terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polypropylene
(PP), Polystyrene (PS), Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), Injection Molding

Thermosetting
Thermosetting plastics cant be reused .This variety requires a great pressure and
momentary heat during molding which hardens on cooling.
This type of plastic passes originally through thermo-plastic stage. When they are
heated in temperature range of 127 C to 177 C, they set permanently and further application of
heat does not alter their form or soften them.

Examples of Thermosets
Epoxide (EP), Phenol formaldehyde (PF), Polyurethane (PUR), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE),
unsaturated polyester resins (UP)
Properties of Plastics as a Construction Material

Appearance of Plastics
In the market there are so many types of models of plastics are available such as
transparent, colored etc. suitable pigments are added in the process of manufacturing of plastic
material to get these different properties. So, these will give good appearance to the structure
and makes it attractive.

Chemical Resistance of Plastics

Plastics offer great resistance against chemicals and solvents. Chemical composition of
plastics during manufacturing will decide the degree of chemical resistance. Most of the plastics
available in the market offer great corrosion resistance. So, corrosive metals are replaced by
plastic in the case of water carrying pipes, etc.

Dimensional Stability
Thermo-plastic types of plastics can be easily reshaped and reused. But in the case of
thermo-setting type plastics, it is not possible to reshape or remold the material.

Ductility of Plastics
Ductile nature of plastic is very low. When tensile stress are acting on plastic member
they may fail without any prior indication.

Durability of Plastics
Plastics with sufficient surface hardness are having good durability. Sometimes, plastics
may affected by termites and rodents especially in the case of thermo-plastic types, however it
is not a serious problem because of no nutrition values in plastic.
Electric Insulation
Plastics are good electric insulators. So they are used as linings for electric cables and for
electronics tools.

Finishing
Any type of finishing treatment van be given to the plastics. Mass production of plastic
particles with uniformity of surface finish is done by having technical control during
manufacturing.

Fire Resistance
The resistance to temperature or fire for varieties of plastics considerably varies
depending upon the structure. Plastics made of cellulose acetate are burnt slowly. PVC made
plastics do not catch fire easily. Plastics made of phenol formaldehyde and urea formaldehyde
are fire proof materials.

Fixing
Fixing of plastic materials is so easy. We can bolt, drill or glued to fix plastic material
position.

Humidity
The plastics made up of cellulosic materials are affected by the presence of moisture.
The plastics made of poly vinyl chloride (PVC pipes) offers great resistance against moisture.

Maintenance
Maintaining of plastics are so simple. Because they do not need any surface finishing
coats or paints etc.
Melting Point
Generally plastics have very low melting point. Some plastics may melt at just 50 oC. So,
they cannot be used in the positions of high temperature. Thermosetting type of plastics are
having high melting point than thermoplastic type plastics. However, thermosetting types are
cannot used for recycling. To improve the heat resistance of the plastics, glass fiber
reinforcement is provided in its structure.

Optical Property
There are so many types of plastics. Some plastics are transparent which allows light in
its original direction and some are translucent nothing but semi-transparent which allows light
but changes light rays direction.

Recycling of Plastics
Disposal of plastics in the environment causes severe pollution. But it is not a serious
problem because of its recycling property. We can use plastic waste disposal conveniently to
produce drainage pipes, fencing, hand rails, carpets, benches etc.

Sound Absorption
By the saturation of phenolic resins we can produce acoustic boards. These acoustic
boards are sound absorbents and provide sound insulation. Generally for theatres, seminar
halls this type of acoustic ceilings are used.

Strength
Practically we can say that plastic is strong material but ideal section of plastic which is
useful for structural component is not designed yet. Generally by reinforcing fibrous material
into plastic improves its strength. If the strength to weight ratio of plastic is same as metals,
then also we cannot give preference to plastics because of various reasons like, heavy cost,
creep failure may occur, poor stiffness and sensitive against temperature.
Thermal Property
The thermal conductivity of plastics is very low and is similar to wood. So, foamed and
expanded plastics are used as thermal insulators.

Weather Resistance
Most of the plastics except some limited varieties are capable of resistance against
weathering. But, major problem is plastics when the plastics are exposed to sunlight, they are
seriously affected by ultra violet rays and gets brittle. To prevent this, plastics are incorporated
by fillers and pigments which helps to absorb or reflect the UV rays to surface.

Weight of Plastics
The Plastics have low specific gravity generally ranges from 1.3 to 1.4. So they are light
in weight and easily transportable to any place in a large quantity.

Advantages & Disadvantages of using plastic

Advantages
Plastics are strong yet lightweight. That makes them easy to transport and maneuver.
They are durable and has excellent weather ability.
They do not corrode.
Easy to install (has a snap-fit kind of jointing procedures).
Has limitless possibilities in design.
Disadvantages
May be degraded under the action direct sunlight which reduces their mechanical
strength.
Many plastics are flammable unless treated.
High-embodied energy contents.
Low modulus of elasticity making them unsuitable for load bearing applications
Thermoplastics are subject to creep and soften at moderate temperatures.
Thermal expansions for most plastic is high: adequate thermal movement has to be
allowed in detailing.

MANUFACTURING
Plastics are derived from organic products. The materials used in the production of
plastics are natural products such as cellulose, coal, natural gases, salt and, of course, crude oil.
Crude oil is a complex mixture of thousands of compounds. To become useful, it must
be processed.

The production of plastic begins with a distillation process in an oil refinery

The distillation process involves the separation of heavy crude oil into lighter groups
called fractions. Each fraction is a mixture of hydrocarbon chains (chemical compounds made
up of carbon and hydrogen), which differ in terms of the size and structure of their molecules.
One of these fractions, naphtha, is the crucial element for the production of plastics.
The two major processes used to produce plastics are called polymerization and
polycondensation, and they both require specific catalysts. In a polymerization reactor,
monomers like ethylene and propylene are linked together to form long polymers chains. Each
polymer has its own properties, structure and size depending on the various types of basic
monomers used.
Injection Molding
Lends itself to mass production of products ranging from cell phone stands to toys. The
injection molding process melts resin pellets inside the injection machine with a heated barrel.
An auger moves the plastic forward and ensures an even mix of melted plastic. The machine
then drives the melted plastic into a metal mold. The plastic fills the mold and results in a solid
plastic part or product. Most injection molding processes employ thermoplastics that you can
melt and cool multiple times, which limits material waste.

Extrusion Molding
Extrusion molding calls for a very similar process as injection molding. The machine still melts
the plastic. Rather than filling a mold with the plastic, the machine presses the melted plastic
through a die that gives the plastic a fixed shape. The extrusion molding process functions well
in the production of a wide range of products, including pipes, door frames and seals. The
extrusion process can employ either multiple-melt thermoplastics or thermoset plastics, which
only tolerate a single melting cycle.

Blow Molding
Several variations of the blow molding process exist. The essential process calls for the
production of a hollow, pre-shaped length of melted thermoplastic, known as a parison. A mold
closes around the parison. Air pressure forces the hollow plastic to expand into the mold shape,
leaving the interior of the object hollow. Variations on the blow molding process include
injection and extrusion blow molding as well as stretch blow

resources:

http://info.craftechind.com/blog/bid/380434/Use-of-Plastic-Materials-in-the-Construction-Industry

http://www.emachineshop.com/machine-shop/Properties-of-Plastic/page62.html

http://www.plasticseurope.org/what-is-plastic/how-plastic-is-made.aspx

http://www.slideshare.net/100003684686080/plastic-architecture-ppt?next_slideshow=1

http://theconstructor.org/building/plastics-properties-construction-material/12438/
http://theconstructor.org/building/application-plastics-civil-engineering-buildings/4636/
http://info.craftechind.com/blog/bid/380434/Use-of-Plastic-Materials-in-the-Construction-Industry