Performance Evaluation of Polystyrene Walling Units

Abstract

The trend in building materials research is the search for alternatives and in Nigeria like other developing countries the use of plastics in modern construction is being widely adopted as in advanced countries. The adoption of polystyrene walling units/panels is fast gaining ground in Nigeria with a variety of approaches been seen around. This study thereby examines polystyrene walling units in comparison with the conventional sandcrete blocks with a view to ascertain its efficiency. A total of 18 numbers of polystyrene walling units were obtained from two different organizations in Abuja adopting different approaches of use (Polystyrene Specimen A (PSA) and Polystyrene Specimen B (PSB)), while nine (9) numbers sandcrete block units were gotten from a factory in Minna. The samples were cut/prepared to required sizes and then subjected to Laboratory tests to assess their performance level as regards compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and fire resistance. The results reflect that PSB has the highest compressive strength value of 3.33N/mm2, followed by the sandcrete block with a value of 0.62N/mm2 while the least compressive strength value is that of PSA giving 0.22N/mm2. The thermal conductivity test revealed both PSA and PSB having low values of 0.0047w/mk (for PSB) and 0.0056w/mk (for PSA) as against sandcrete block’s value of 0.079w/mk. The fire test further revealed PSA failing at a time of 24.5mins, and 808.5oC temperature while PSB failed at 15.5mins, a temperature of 743.4oC, the Sandcrete block (SHB) at 17.0mins, the temperature of 757.2oC as against timber which failed at a time of 4.5mins and a temperature of 561.0oC. The polystyrene walling units were found to have high resistance to fire; they are poor heat conductors and thereby fit well as alternative walling material. The use should be restricted to partition/curtain walls based on their low compressive strength.