LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC WASTE AS PAVING TILES

A Project Study
Presented to the Faculty of the
College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Main Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

ALTOBAR, JOHN CARLO N.

ANGELES, ARON M.
ENTENA, JOHN MICHAEL B.
EVANGELISTA, JOHN ARVIN N.

October 1, 2019
 LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC WASTE AS PAVING TILES

INTRODUCTION

Developing countries (DCs) like Philippines typically have inadequate solid waste

management, with low waste collection rates, disposal primarily by dumping and limited

outlets for reusing potentially recyclable materials. However, waste materials in DCs

can provide livelihoods to a highly entrepreneurial informal sector. The management of

wastes, and particularly waste plastics, has become a high profile, environmental and

public health issue. Recycling infrastructure for these materials often does not exist in

DCs, and as a result, waste plastics have little or no value, resulting in uncontrolled

disposal. Dumping into waterways has severe adverse effects on local communities.

Waste plastics are not only unsightly, but they block urban drainage systems and

sewers, causing flash floods, as well as providing a fertile breeding ground for

mosquitos and other waterborne diseases.

Plastic waste has become so ubiquitous that it is now a serious threat to marine

ecosystems and biota. It has been estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric

tons of plastic waste was added to the oceans in 2010 (Jambeck et al., 2015). Oceans

are downstream from waterways, 60–80% of marine litter is plastic and poor waste

management in DCs is a major cause and contributor to plastics in the oceans

(Grantham Institute, 2016). Despite the low biodegradability of plastics and the

associated potential for long-term adverse environmental impacts, single-use

polyethylene plastics are very widely used throughout much of Philippines. Uncontrolled

and indiscriminate dumping of plastics into water bodies is very common in DCs
because there is often no local recycling infrastructure. It is estimated that 15–40% of

waste plastic is dumped into water bodies and this contributes to the estimated 5.25

trillion pieces of plastic debris currently in the oceans (Crawford and Quinn, 2017;

Sebille et al., 2016) and by turning these wastes into potentially valuable resources,

they also have the potential to contribute to solving the global waste crisis.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Polymers, or also known as plastics, are a major class of materials and possess

a very wide range of mechanical, physical, chemical, and optical properties. Unlike

metals, polymers generally are characterized by a lower density, strength, elastic

modulus, thermal and electrical conductivity, and cost. Also, by a higher strength-

toweight ratio, higher resistance to corrosion, higher thermal expansion, wider choice of

colors and transparencies; and by a greater ease of manufacture into complex shapes.

Hence, plastics are been used mostly in agriculture, appliances, clothing, construction

and numerous other fields which required their existence.

The most common polymer that has been used for industrial and commercial

products nowadays is Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE). LDPE is one of basic types

under Polyethylene (PE) polymer. It is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a thermoplastic

polymer; means that it can be melted to a liquid and remolded it to a solid state.

Due to the advantages of LDPE plastics, during the last decade their use has

increased greatly, both in areas of applications and in actual quantities employed.

However, improper and uncontrolled plastics production and consumption causes

wastes, which eventually causes loss to certain companies and also lead to pollution to

environment. In addition, because LDPE plastics are composed of organic compounds,

their main disadvantage is that their decay process takes a very long time. As it is

impossible to avoid plastic consumption, which parallel with the development of new

technology, realistic solution have to be searched for the problems arising from the

growing use of plastics, especially LDPE plastics. That is, recycling methods and ways

of evaluating these recycled materials must be found. Saying this, more recycling

programs are beginning to accept LDPE plastics. A very clean and safe plastic, LDPE is

found in household items like plastic wrap, grocery bags, frozen food containers and

squeezable bottles. Recycled LDPE is made into such items as garbage cans, paneling,

furniture, flooring and bubble wrap. But for the purpose of this research, the application

of this technology is an example of a community-driven waste management initiative

that has potential to impact on the global plastics waste crisis because it can transform

waste LDPE and other readily available types of plastics into a valuable local resource.

In this research, waste LDPE plastics have been melted as binder and mixed with sand

to form LDPE-bonded paving tiles.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. Alternative binder to be used in making paving tiles

2. Conserves resources and diverts plastics from landfills or unintended

destinations such as oceans

3. Reduce high rates of plastic pollution

4. Lower cost in making paving tiles

PIG BONES AS PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF FINE AGGREGATES IN MAKING
LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE

A Project Study
Presented to the Faculty of the
College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Main Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

ALTOBAR, JOHN CARLO N.

ANGELES, ARON M.
ENTENA, JOHN MICHAEL B.
EVANGELISTA, JOHN ARVIN N.

October 1, 2019
 PIG BONES AS PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF FINE AGGREGATES IN MAKING

LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE

INTRODUCTION

There are different kinds of waste materials generated from manufacturing

processes, service industries and municipal solid wastes. Environment awareness

triggers the development of ways to reduce the effects contributed of the generated

wastes. One of the major concerned of the world is called “Solid Waste

Management”.

The study is about using of waste product as a partial replacement of natural

sand. The waste material used, scrap bones (specifically pig bones), in the research

is predicted to be as comparable when replaced partially as fine aggregates in which

typically, sand is being consumed.

The development of new construction materials using pulverized pig bones is

important to both the construction and the environmental sustainability study.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

River sand is the main raw material used as fine aggregate in the production of

concrete.

As the natural sources of river sand are getting depleted gradually, it becomes

essential and more significant to find out substitute material in concrete.

At the same time the challenge for the civil engineers in the future is to

understand the project with the concept of sustainable development.

 Using waste materials can help in the preservation of natural resources and is

less harmful to the environment.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To develop a concrete with pulverized pig bones as a partial replacement for

fine aggregates that is as comparable to the conventional concrete in terms of

compressive strength.

2. To identify the physical properties of the materials used.

3. To determine the compressive strength of the mixed proportion of pulverized

pig bones.

4. To evaluate the workability of the concrete mixed with pulverized pig bones.
PINEAPPLE FIBRE, CORN HUSK, AND DOWNFEATHER AS HEAT RESISTIVE

BOARD

A Project Study
Presented to the Faculty of the
College of Engineering
Laguna State Polytechnic University
Main Campus
Santa Cruz, Laguna

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

ALTOBAR, JOHN CARLO N.

ANGELES, ARON M.
ENTENA, JOHN MICHAEL B.
EVANGELISTA, JOHN ARVIN N.

October 1, 2019
 PINEAPPLE FIBRE, CORN HUSK, AND DOWNFEATHER AS HEAT RESISTIVE

BOARD

INTRODUCTION

Buildings are large consumers of energy in all countries. In regions with harsh

climatic conditions, a substantial share of energy goes to heat and cool buildings.

This heating and air-conditioning load can be reduced through many means; notable

among them is the proper design and selection of building envelope and its

components.

The proper use of thermal insulation in buildings does not only contribute in

reducing the required air-conditioning system size but also in reducing the annual

energy cost.

Additionally, it helps in extending the periods of thermal comfort without

reliance on mechanical air-conditioning especially during inter-seasons periods. The

magnitude of energy savings as a result of using thermal insulation vary according to

the building type, the climatic conditions at which the building is located as well as

the type of the insulating material used.

The question now in the minds of many building owners is no longer should

insulation be used but rather which type, how, and how much.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This study concentrates on finding an alternative resource from locally

available agricultural residues (pineapple leaves, corn hush and downfeathers) to

produce thermal insulation construction materials in board form.