Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) Biomass as Substitute for Expanded Polystyrene in Bonded Leveling Compounds

Biomass for non-food applications is considered as a substitute for petro-based materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS). This research analyzes physical properties of an EPS containing commercial bonded leveling compound (BLC) which was substituted with cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) biomass. Cup plant is a high-yielding biomass plant with several ecological benefits that is yet mainly used for biogas production. Furthermore, the high amount of parenchyma in senescent biomass with its EPS-like structure could be a possible substitute for petrochemical foams in lightweight aggregates. The natural variation in parenchyma content of several European cup plant accessions is promising, regarding the development of cultivars with suitable biomass properties for the proposed material use. Two binders with different proportions of cup plant and EPS were used to produce samples of BLC for thermal conductivity and compression strength tests. The compression strength of 0.92 N mm−2 and a thermal conductivity of 84 mW m−1 K−1 were analyzed and comparable to the commercial BLC. The thermal conductivity within the tested borders appears nearly independent of the biomass content. With increasing cup plant content, the shape characteristics of the lightweight aggregate mix changes towards more elongated aggregates. The mechanical strength and thermal conductivity are highly sensitive to the water demand of the biomass. Direct partial substitution of EPS by cup plant appears feasible and could be a part of the decarbonization of the construction sector.

Developing climate-responsive passive strategies for residential envelopes in the warm humid climate of South India

PurposeEnergy codes for residential buildings in India prescribe design guidelines for each climate zone. However, these guidelines are broad and similar for different cities under the same zone overlooking climatic variations due to altitude, location and other geographical factors.Design/methodology/approachTo develop strategies addressing the city-specific requirements, a stepwise simulation approach was used. Integrated Environmental Solutions–Virtual Environment (IES-VE) was used to create a prototype of a singly detached residence. The applicability of strategies is studied during the day and night times. Optimum orientation, the thickness of insulation, Window–Wall Ratio, the impact of cross-ventilation and shading depth are determined for two cities – Tiruchirappalli and Coimbatore under the warm-humid climate zone of India.FindingsResults indicate that optimum insulation thickness and WWR vary between both cities during daytime and night time. In Tiruchirappalli, roof and wall insulation using polyurethane board (100 mm) and foam concrete (25 mm) offers a maximum reduction of 2.2°C indoors. Foam concrete (25 mm) insulation for roof and expanded polystyrene (25 mm) for walls reduce a maximum of 2.6°C during daytime in Coimbatore. Further, night ventilation with 20% WWR allows an average decrease of 0.5–0.6°C in triply exposed spaces facing the South. The use of a 2'0" depth shading device shows a maximum reduction of 0.1–0.3°C.Originality/valueThe contribution of this work lies in developing city-specific inputs presenting the advantage of easy replicability for other cities in the Indian context.

A Recycling Alternative for Expanded Polystyrene Residues Using Natural Esters

The objective of this research is to provide a new recycling method for one of the most consumed plastics today, since it is used for the manufacture of a wide variety of industrial products, which leads to an environmental problem caused by incorrect handling and final disposal.The dissolution of expanded polystyrene waste (WEP) was evaluated by using natural esters for its post treatment and recovery. The use of omega-3 as a natural solvent creates an opportunity to take advantage of natural biomass, since it can be obtained from the residues from the fishing activity, this being an economic advantage for obtaining raw material and also friendly with the environment.For the development of this research, expanded polystyrene containers were used, as well as omega-3 and glyceryl tributyrate as natural solvents and ethyl butyrate as synthetic solvent, methanol and isopropanol for recovery and cleaning of the polystyrene. The characterization of the recovered material was carried out with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The experimental data obtained indicated that the use of these esters is a good alternative for the recycling of expanded polystyrene.

Lightweight concrete as covers on floating house platforms made from expanded polystyrene system (EPS) material

Floating houses can be utilized in coastal areas as they are equipped with platforms made from expanded polystyrene system (styrofoam) and lightweight concrete covers. A lightweight concrete cover on a floating house platform made from styrofoam can improve the feasibility of housing in terms of strength, comfort and cleanliness. This research aims to obtain mixture that meet the weight and compressive strength requirements of lightweight concrete and produce them as covers on floating houses platform. The compositions of lightweight concrete materials in this research use volume ratios of 1 Pc: 2 Sand: 3 Styrofoam, 1 Pc: 1.5 Sand: 2.5 Styrofoam and 1 Pc: 1.25 Sand: 2.75 Styrofoam. The research results show that the concrete made with styrofoam qualifies as lightweight concrete with average volume weight of concrete produced between 1000-1300 kg/m3. The lightest concrete weight (1097.88 kg/m3) could be obtained from variations of mixture of 1 Pc: 1.25 Sand: 2.75 Styrofoam, The highest concrete compressive strength results were obtained from the mixture of 1 Pc: 2 Sand: 3 Styrofoam (119.26 kg/cm2). The variations of concrete mixture of 1 Pc: 2 Sand: 3 Styrofoam can be considered as lightweight concrete (≤ 1900 kg/m3).

Experimental Study on Light Weight Concrete Block with Double Core and Double Mesh Using Granulated Corn COB

A light weight concrete block using granulated corncob as an aggregate is investigated in this research work. Considering corn cob after removing the corn is said to be agricultural waste. Finding practical uses of this waste for manufacturing concrete block may preserve the environment and also allow green technologies. These concrete blocks are studied in terms of compressive strength, water absorption; density and unit weight were experimentally studied. The results obtained are submitted which shows that corn cob blocks have sufficient material properties for non-structural application in building for construction of partition walls. This is the alternative for blocks in expanded clay, expanded polystyrene, particles of cork, coconut coir etc. In this research a clay brick is compared as a reference block or control block. Nine specimen blocks were prepared in a size of 400mm x 200mm x 100mm and cured for 7 days, 14 days and 28 days and subjected to compressive strength test, water absorption test and density. The results are compared with conventional clay bricks. Corn cob blocks offered a good strength, low density and less water absorption. Keywords: Agricultural waste, compressive strength, durability, granulated corn

Effects of temperature and thermal cycles on the mechanical properties of expanded polystyrene foam

Understanding the effects of high temperature and thermal cycles on the mechanical properties of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is critical for its use in sandwich panels. This paper presents an experimental investigation of these effects in typical environmental conditions that exist in construction applications. A total of 117 small specimens were cut from metal-faced sandwich panels with EPS core and were exposed to different numbers of thermal cycles and/or sustained high temperatures. The specimens were then loaded under compression, tension, and four-point bending for evaluating the degradation of the mechanical properties of the foam. The thermal cycles reflect typical surface temperature during daily summer conditions, with a period of 24 h each and with a temperature varying between 24°C to 80°C. The results show that the modulus of elasticity of EPS foam in compression reduced by about 38% after exposure to thermal cycles for 45 days, whereas the tensile and shear moduli reduced by about 5.7% and 13.8%, respectively. Exposure to sustained high temperature after thermal cycles led to larger degradation of the elastic and shear moduli in the range of 38%–50%. These degradations can lead to early failures in applications that rely on the EPS foam as a structural component like in insulating sandwich panels.