1

HOLLOW BLOCKS FROM PLASTIC

WASTES

An Investigatory Project Presented to the Faculty and Staff of SMU Grade School

during the Local Science Fair 2010

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Science & Health VI

Submitted to:

Mrs. Marina A. Alvarez, Science & Health VI teacher

Mrs. Myla Duenas, Math, ICT & Science Coordinator

Mrs. Ma. Reggie R. Taboy, Coordinator for Student Activities

Dr. Macrino A. Raymundo, Principal

Samuel Heinrich L. Soliven

Grade VI – St. Lorenzo

August 2010
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Table of Contents

Title Page . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter I. Background of the Study . . . . . 3

Rationale . . . . . . . . 3

Statement of the Problem . . . . . . 4

Statement of Hypotheses . . . . . . 5

Significance of the Study . . . . . . 5

Scope and Delimitation . . . . . . 6

Definition of Terms . . . . . . . 6

Chapter II. Review of Related Literature and Studies . . . 8

Related Literature . . . . . . . 8

Related Studies . . . . . . . 17

Chapter III. Materials and Methods . . . . . 22

Materials . . . . . . . . 22

Methods . . . . . . . . 22

Research Environment . . . . . . 24

Experimental Designs . . . . . . . 24

Data Gathering Instruments and Procedure . . . . 25

Data Analysis Procedure . . . . . . 25

Bibliography . . . . . . . . 27
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CHAPTER I

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Rationale

In the book of Genesis, God made a paradise that men must love and take care.

Clean and fresh air, clean and fresh water, plants of various types, animals of different

species abound this paradise. The Creation was promising.

But the sinful ways of men put this paradise into trouble. Advances in technology

polluted the water and the air. Many inventions ruined the natural stability of the Earth.

Different diseases infested the living system. Deaths were not simply natural occurrences

but were consequences of the destructive man-made activities.

Vis-a-vis the generation tempered with computer technology, nanotechnology,

and other advanced technologies is the continuous production of plastics. Plastics come

in various composition and structures. Some are simple plastics, others are complex

plastics. Most of these are non-biodegradable and pose danger to humans and their

environment.

Plastics for food wrapping abound. They are even scattered elsewhere. The

comfort that these plastics give to the consumers is temporary but the dangers they bring

are lifelong. Burning plastics poses great danger to living things. Plastics in rivers and

seas pose danger.

Sooner or later, everything we use and consume becomes waste, including all these nice

plastic items and plastic bags we use every day. Plastic consumption is rising and with it
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the amount of plastic ending up as waste. Managing plastic waste is a global problem

with increasing amounts of waste in developing countries as well as industrialised

nations.

There is a need for environmental sound solutions as environmental considerations gain

ground legislation changes all around the world. Sustainable development is at the top of

all agendas in the UN, EU and national governments. Better solutions for the rapidly

growing amounts of plastic waste are in demand. High prices of virgin materials will also

make recycling attractive.

Thus, it is important to advocate solid waste management. In the Philippines, the

Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 also known as Republic Act 9003 was enacted into

law. Solid wastes come in various forms. Plastics are the most dangerous of all.

Because of this, there is a need to employ the environmental principles of reduce,

reuse and recycle. It is therefore the aim of this investigatory project to recycle plastics

by using them as mixture components in making hollow blocks. In one way or the other,

this will support the environmental campaign of Saint Mary’s University and the

Municipality of Bayombong on SWM-CHSF (Solid Waste Management- Clean, Healthy,

Safe and Friendly)

Statement of the Problem

This investigatory project seeks to produce useful hollow blocks out plastic wastes.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following:

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1. What are the (a) compressive strengths and (b) mean unit weights of the hollow

blocks out of different percents of sand and plastic wastes at constant cement?

2. Is there a significant difference in the (a) compressive strengths and (b) mean unit

weights of the different hollow blocks?

3. Are the compressive strengths of the hollow blocks significantly equal to or higher

than the standards?

4. Are the unit costs of different hollow blocks different?

Statement of Hypotheses

1. Is there no significant difference in the (a) compressive strengths and (b) mean unit

weights of the different hollow blocks?

2. Are the compressive strengths of the hollow blocks not significantly equal to or

higher than the standards?

Significance of the Study

This study will help the following:

Plastic Waste Collectors. Since plastic wastes are just thrown anywhere, these plastic

waste collectors can find a way to systematically collect them. The hollow blocks as

outputs from plastic wastes may inspire them to engage themselves in the business of

making hollow blocks from plastic wastes.

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Household workers. Knowing that plastic wastes could be used in making hollow

blocks, they can station waste sorters for plastic wastes. These wastes then can be sold to

plastic waste collectors.

Hollow Block Makers. They can make hollow blocks with plastic waste components

and be made available to those who advocate war on plastic wastes.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study was focused only on the making of hollow blocks by considering as

part of the mixture in making them through the use of plastic wastes from food wrappers.

The hollow blocks with plastic waste components will be made using the same process as

the commercial ones. Their compressive strengths and unit weights will be determined

and compare them with the commercial ones.

Definition of Terms

Compressive strength. This refers to the capacity of a material to withstand axially

directed pushing forces. It is the maximum stress that a material can sustain under crush

loading. When the limit of compressive strength is reached, materials are crushed.

Unit Weights. It refers to the average weight, in Newtons, of the hollow blocks

produced in this study.

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Unit Cost. It refers to the approximated expense in producing the hollow blocks

produced in this study.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature

Plastics

Plastics are made up of long chain molecules called polymers. Various types of

polymers can be made from hydrocarbons derived from coal, natural gas, oil and organic

oils which are transformed into materials with desirable properties. Plastics that can be

readily recycled are Thermoplastics which means they will soften when heated.

Thermosetting Plastics harden when heated, are often used in electrical applications and

are not suitable for recycling. Thermoplastics are light, durable, mouldable, hygienic and

economic, making them suitable for a wide variety of applications including food and

product packaging, car manufacturing, agriculture and housing products. Thermoplastics

can be repeatedly reformed into new products and are the focus of this technical brief.

Environmental concerns of plastics

Plastics have their impact on the environment through all stages of their existence from

manufacture, to utilization and disposal. Manufacturing requires significant quantities of

fossil fuels, a non-renewable resource. Burning of plastics releases smoke which

contaminates the environment. The smoke contains small particulates, hazardous

substances and green house gases.

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The disposal of plastics products also contributes significantly to their environmental

impact. Most plastics are not biodegradable and can persist in the environment for many

years. Plastics can cause blockage of drainage and sewage systems resulting in water

logging, flooding and spread of water born diseases.

With more and more plastics products, particularly packaging, being disposed of soon

after their purchase, the landfill space required by plastics waste is a growing concern.

Burning Plastic Wastes is Illegal

Burning and incineration mean the same. Generally, the former means open

burning and the latter is used to refer to combustion under claimed "controlled"

conditions of a furnace using state-of-art technology. With regard to burning of waste,

there should be immediate ban of burning of any material whether hazardous or non-

hazardous

There are different kinds of plastics with different results on burning. It could result in a

hydrocarbon, or cyanides, or PCB’s, or lots of other substances. It would be difficult to

know from a mixed waste as to what are the likely volatiles it would create. Notably,

volatiles released from plastics in house fires are a major cause of death. Waste burning

(incineration) releases dioxins. Compostable part of garbage assists in the production of

dioxin that requires organic matter, chlorine and reactive thermal environment. Dioxin

causes various cancers and a big health hazard. Exposure to dioxin causes skin rashes,

discoloration of skin, liver damage etc. Dioxin has also been responsible for
 10

psychological damage, reduced level of male sex hormone and cardiovascular

deterioration. http://toxicswatch.blogspot.com/2010/04/burning-plastic-wastes-is-

illegal.html

Recycling plastics

Recycling plastics has many benefits. It contributes to energy

savings and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It also saves

non-renewable sources like oil and gas. In addition to that, recycling

provides livelihood for millions of people and families in developing

countries, either in the form of formal employment or informal

economic activities. (Retrieved from

http://practicalaction.org/practicalanswers/product_info.php?

products=190)

Legal Foundations of Solid Waste Management

Republic Act No. 9003 otherwise known as Ecological Solid Waste Management

Act of 2000 is an act providing for an ecological solid waste management program,

creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, declaring certain acts

prohibited and providing penalties, appropriating funds therefore, and for other purposes.

In the Declaration of Policies, it hereby declared the policy of the State to adopt a

systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program which shall:

(a) Ensure the protection of the public health and environment;

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(b) Utilize environmentally-sound methods that maximize the utilization of

valuable resources and encourage resource conservation and recovery;

(c) Set guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and volume reduction
through source reduction and waste minimization measures, including
composting, recycling, re-use, recovery, green charcoal process, and others,
before collection, treatment and disposal in appropriate and environmentally
sound solid waste management facilities in accordance with ecologically
sustainable development principles;

(d) Ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and
disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of the best
environmental practice in ecological waste management excluding incineration;

(e) Promote national research and development programs for improved solid
waste management and resource conservation techniques, more effective
institutional arrangement and indigenous and improved methods of waste
reduction, collection, separation and recovery;

(f) Encourage greater private sector participation in solid waste management;

(g) Retain primary enforcement and responsibility of solid waste management

with local government units while establishing a cooperative effort among the
national government, other local government units, non- government
organizations, and the private sector;

(h) Encourage cooperation and self-regulation among waste generators through

the application of market-based instruments;

(i) Institutionalize public participation in the development and implementation of

national and local integrated, comprehensive, and ecological waste management
programs; and

(j) Strength the integration of ecological solid waste management and resource
conservation and recovery topics into the academic curricula of formal and non-
formal education in order to promote environmental awareness and action
among the citizenry.
(Retrieved from http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9003.htm)

Causes of climate change

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The earth's climate is dynamic and always changing through a natural cycle. What

the world is more worried about is that the changes that are occurring today have been

speeded up because of man's activities. These changes are being studied by scientists all

over the world who are finding evidence from tree rings, pollen samples, ice cores, and

sea sediments. The causes of climate change can be divided into two categories - those

that are due to natural causes and those that are created by man.

Natural causes

There are a number of natural factors responsible for climate change. Some of the

more prominent ones are continental drift, volcanoes, ocean currents, the earth's tilt, and

comets and meteorites. Let's look at them in a little detail.

Continental drift

You may have noticed something peculiar about South America and Africa on a

map of the world - don't they seem to fit into each other like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle?

About 200 million years ago they were joined together! Scientists believe that

back then, the earth was not as we see it today, but the continents were all part of one

large landmass. Proof of this comes from the similarity between plant and animal fossils

and broad belts of rocks found on the eastern coastline of South America and western

coastline of Africa, which are now widely separated by the Atlantic Ocean. The

discovery of fossils of tropical plants (in the form of coal deposits) in Antarctica has led

to the conclusion that this frozen land at some time in the past, must have been situated
 13

closer to the equator, where the climate was tropical, with swamps and plenty of lush

vegetation.

The continents that we are familiar with today were formed when the landmass

began gradually drifting apart, millions of years back. This drift also had an impact on the

climate because it changed the physical features of the landmass, their position and the

position of water bodies. The separation of the landmasses changed the flow of ocean

currents and winds, which affected the climate. This drift of the continents continues

even today; the Himalayan range is rising by about 1 mm (millimeter) every year because

the Indian land mass is moving towards the Asian land mass, slowly but steadily.

Volcanoes

When a volcano erupts it throws out large volumes of sulphur dioxide (SO2),

water vapour, dust, and ash into the atmosphere. Although the volcanic activity may last

only a few days, yet the large volumes of gases and ash can influence climatic patterns

for years. Millions of tonnes of sulphur dioxide gas can reach the upper levels of the

atmosphere (called the stratosphere) from a major eruption. The gases and dust particles

partially block the incoming rays of the sun, leading to cooling. Sulphur dioxide

combines with water to form tiny droplets of sulphuric acid. These droplets are so small

that many of them can stay aloft for several years. They are efficient reflectors of

sunlight, and screen the ground from some of the energy that it would ordinarily receive

from the sun. Winds in the upper levels of the atmopshere, called the stratosphere, carry

the aerosols rapidly around the globe in either an easterly or westerly direction.

Movement of aerosols north and south is always much slower. This should give you
 14

some idea of the ways by which cooling can be brought about for a few years after a

major volcanic eruption.

Mount Pinatubo, in the Philippine islands erupted in April 1991 emitting thousands of

tons of gases into the atmosphere. Volcanic eruptions of this magnitude can reduce the

amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface, lowering temperatures in the lower

levels of the atmosphere (called the troposphere), and changing atmospheric circulation

patterns. The extent to which this occurs is an ongoing debate.

Another striking example was in the year 1816, often referred to as "the year

without a summer." Significant weather-related disruptions occurred in New England and

in Western Europe with killing summer frosts in the United States and Canada. These

strange phenomena were attributed to a major eruption of the Tambora volcano in

Indonesia, in 1815.

The earth's tilt

The earth makes one full orbit around the sun each year. It is tilted at an angle of

23.5° to the perpendicular plane of its orbital path. For one half of the year when it is

summer, the northern hemisphere tilts towards the sun. In the other half when it is winter,

the earth is tilted away from the sun. If there was no tilt we would not have experienced

seasons. Changes in the tilt of the earth can affect the severity of the seasons - more tilt

means warmer summers and colder winters; less tilt means cooler summers and milder

winters.
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The Earth's orbit is somewhat elliptical, which means that the distance between

the earth and the Sun varies over the course of a year. We usually think of the earth's axis

as being fixed, after all, it always seems to point toward Polaris (also known as the Pole

Star and the North Star). Actually, it is not quite constant: the axis does move, at the rate

of a little more than a half-degree each century. So Polaris has not always been, and will

not always be, the star pointing to the North. When the pyramids were built, around 2500

BC, the pole was near the star Thuban (Alpha Draconis). This gradual change in the

direction of the earth's axis, called precession is responsible for changes in the climate.

Ocean currents

The oceans are a major component of the climate system. They cover about 71%

of the Earth and absorb about twice as much of the sun's radiation as the atmosphere or

the land surface. Ocean currents move vast amounts of heat across the planet - roughly

the same amount as the atmosphere does. But the oceans are surrounded by land masses,

so heat transport through the water is through channels.

Human causes

The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century saw the large-scale use of fossil

fuels for industrial activities. These industries created jobs and over the years, people

moved from rural areas to the cities. This trend is continuing even today. More and more

land that was covered with vegetation has been cleared to make way for houses. Natural

resources are being used extensively for construction, industries, transport, and

consumption. Consumerism (our increasing want for material things) has increased by
 16

leaps and bounds, creating mountains of waste. Also, our population has increased to an

incredible extent.

All this has contributed to a rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Fossil fuels such

as oil, coal and natural gas supply most of the energy needed to run vehicles, generate

electricity for industries, households, etc. The energy sector is responsible for about ¾ of

the carbon dioxide emissions, 1/5 of the methane emissions and a large quantity of

nitrous oxide. It also produces nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) which

are not greenhouse gases but do have an influence on the chemical cycles in the

atmosphere that produce or destroy greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases and their sources

Carbon dioxide is undoubtedly, the most important greenhouse gas in the

atmosphere. Changes in land use pattern, deforestation, land clearing, agriculture, and

other activities have all led to a rise in the emission of carbon dioxide.

Methane is another important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. About ¼ of all

methane emissions are said to come from domesticated animals such as dairy cows,

goats, pigs, buffaloes, camels, horses, and sheep. These animals produce methane during

the cud-chewing process. Methane is also released from rice or paddy fields that are

flooded during the sowing and maturing periods. When soil is covered with water it

becomes anaerobic or lacking in oxygen. Under such conditions, methane-producing

bacteria and other organisms decompose organic matter in the soil to form methane.

Nearly 90% of the paddy-growing area in the world is found in Asia, as rice is the staple
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food there. China and India, between them, have 80-90% of the world's rice-growing

areas.

Methane is also emitted from landfills and other waste dumps. If the waste is put into an

incinerator or burnt in the open, carbon dioxide is emitted. Methane is also emitted during

the process of oil drilling, coal mining and also from leaking gas pipelines (due to

accidents and poor maintenance of sites).

A large amount of nitrous oxide emission has been attributed to fertilizer application.

This in turn depends on the type of fertilizer that is used, how and when it is used and the

methods of tilling that are followed. Contributions are also made by leguminous plants,

such as beans and pulses that add nitrogen to the soil.

(Retrieved from http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/climate/causes.htm)

Related Studies on Hollow Blocks

The following were borrowed from the research of Rosario (2010):

Hollow Blocks out of Wood Waste and Agricultural Waste

A new type of hollow blocks can be fabricated out of wood waste, agricultural waste and soil

mixed with minimum amount of cement. As far as strength and durability are concerned, results

of test showed that this type of blocks is comparable to some of the commercial or traditional

concrete hollow blocks. Although considered strictly non-load bearing, it is very satisfactory for

low cost housing. Its compressive strength ranges from 197 to 386 pounds per square inch (psi).

First step is to gather agri-wood waste such as sawdust, coconut trunk particles, sugar cane

bagasse or ordinary soil. The latter has to be pulverized and sifted using a 1/4 inch wire mesh.
 18

Abaca waste, left after extracting fiber from the stalk, as well as coconut coir dust, the residue

from processing coconut husk in coirflex plants, can also be used. Rice hull works too, but

additional soil is needed when mixing this with the cement. This simple technology, developed

by the Forest Product Research and Industries development Commission, makes use of a

minimum amount of cement to make a stronger hallow block. Using the cubic foot measuring

box, mix together one box of cement and three boxes of agriwaste, or the equivalent proportions.

With the materials form a hill with a crater on the top. Pour water slowly, then, thoroughly mix

them with shovel until the paste is formed. The mixture must be neither too dry or too wet such

that they would stay packed when molded and when not spread out when removed from the mold.

( Hollow Blocks from Farmwastes, posted June 26, 2008 http://www.agripinoy.net/hollow-

blocks-from-farm-wastes.html)

Hollow Blocks out of Burned Rice Hull

This study was made to know the effect of mixing burned rice hull in making

Concrete Hollow Block (CHB) and to compare its compressive strength with the standard

CHB. The study showed that the CHB with burned rice hull passed the allowable

compressive strength of standard CHB so that burned rice hull could be used as a

material to reduce the amount of cement in making CHB for low cost housing projects.

Burned Rice Hull Mixed Concrete Hollow Block( Tayaban, Ian B. Dugyon, Dexter B;

SMU-PEAR, Journal of Engineering & Architecture, Vol. 1, February, 2004)

Conventional Hollow Concrete using Bagasse

Conventional hollow concrete masonry units (CMU) use sand as aggregate. There

is a growing interest in utilizing alternative aggregate like bagasse, the fibrous residue
 19

generated when the juice has been extracted from sugarcane, amounting to about 7

million tons per annum as a potential use for recycled materials since large quantities are

left unused or burnt. This paper explores the possibility of utilizing bagasse as an

alternative aggregate for hollow CMU by replacing a fraction of sand with bagasse. In the

research, seven different proportions were designed with ten samples each tested on the

7th day. The first proportion, without bagasse, is 1 part cement and 12 parts aggregates.

For the six other proportions, quantity of the aggregates were replaced by bagasse

ranging from 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% to 12% of the total aggregate volume.( BAGASSE

AS AN ALTERNATIVE AGGREGATE IN HOLLOW CMU1VFE Banaag, ALC

Cañada, MO Meñes, KQ Saldivar, DS Lo;Symposium on Infrastructure Development

and the Environment 20067-8 December 2006, SEAMEO-INNOTECH UP, Diliman,)

Hollow Blocks out of Recycled Polystyrene Pellets

In the study of Felipe, et al (2010) on the “use of recycled polystyrene pellet for the

production of lightweight non-load bearing concrete hollow blocks”, they found the

following:

1. The average compressive strength of normal concrete hollow block is higher than

the average compressive strength of concrete hollow block mixed with different

proportions of styrofoam pellet.

2. The average compressive strength of concrete hollow block mixed with 25%

styrofoam pellet is lower than the average compressive strength of normal

 20

concrete hollow block. And also it gives a higher average value as compared to

concrete hollow block mixed with 50% styrofoam pellet.

3. The compressive strength of concrete hollow block mixed with 50% styrofoam

pellet gives the lowest average value as compared to the average compressive

strength of both the normal concrete hollow block and concrete hollow block

mixed with 25% styrofoam pellet.

4. In terms of time, weight and proportioning, the concrete hollow block mix

without styrofoam obtained the highest average weight when compared to the

concrete hollow block mixed with styrofoam in different curing age with different

styrofoam composition.

5. There is a significant difference between the weight of normal concrete hollow

block and the concrete hollow block with different proportions of styrofoam with

respect to the time of curing.

Building Blocks out of Chicken Feather (Rosario, 2010)

This study showed that CFM could be a possible component in the production of

building blocks by substituting a portion of the sand component from 10, 20 to 30% with

CFM, to produce a block which is lighter and cheaper but with strength comparable to the

regular blocks made out of pure cement and sand.

By virtue of the results presented in this research, the possibility of utilizing CFM

as an additional component to the production of building blocks was established. It may

be said that as much as 10, 20 to 30% of the aggregate volume may be substituted by

CFM and still attain a high compressive strength that meet the requirements of ASTM for
 21

non-load bearing purposes. At the same time, it has produced a building block that is

lighter and cheaper up to 30% because of the sand reduction and its replacement by CFM

which at present could be used for free. The compressive strengths of S2 (80-20%) which

is 5 Mpa and and S3 ( 90-10%) which is 5.66 Mpa could be used for load-bearing

purposes because it has exceeded the 4.83 Mpa, maximum ASTM standard.

If we compare this study with the simple technology, developed by the Forest

Product Research and Industries development Commission (FPRIDC), of hollow blocks

made from farm wastes and soil, the compressive strength derived from the resulting

products ranges from 197 Psi or 1.36 Mpa to 386 Psi or 2.66 Mpa and it was

recommended for non load bearing purposes for low cost housing.
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CHAPTER III

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Materials

• Aggregates
• Plastic wastes
• sand
• cement

Tools

• CHB Moulder
• Testing Machine
• Sieve #4
• Weighing scale
• Container
• Fan
• trowel
• shovel

Procedure

Collecting and Cutting Plastic Wastes into Strips

Visit the different waste bins in the school and even outside the school. Plastic

wastes in non-biodegradable receptacles are collected. They are washed and dried. Then

these dried plastic wastes are cut into strips.

Preparing the Aggregates

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Collect aggregates at the river bank of the Magat River along Salvacion,

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. Separate the coarse and fine aggregates using the

numbered sieves.

Preparing the Mixture of Cement, Sand and Strips/Bits of Plastic Wastes

The table below will serve as guide in preparing the mixture of cement, sand and

plastic waste strips.

Cement-Sand/Plastic Wastes Mixture

Mixtures Cement Sand Plastic Wastes
Mixture 1 1 25% 1.5 37.5 1.5 37.5%
Mixture 2 1 25% 2.0 50% 1 25%
Mixture 3 1 25% 2.5 62.5% .5 12.5%
CONTROL 1 25% 3 75% 0 0

The Control Mixture (1 part cement, 3 parts sand and 0 part plastic waste strip)

1. Mix the materials well with the aid of shovel.

2. Mix well to attain desired consistency.

3. Put in a “hollow block” shaped mold the mixture of cement and sand

4. Lay mold on its side on top of a level platform. Fill the mold completely and

scrape excess.

5. Place flat wood on top of the mold and invert it. Compress it like the first one and

scrape the top. If necessary add more mixture of cement and sand.

6. Remove the three sets of blocks from the mold. Remove the lock and push

carefully the molded block.

7. Let the block dry under the shades for a few hours to one day after removing from

the mold. In drying let it lie on longer sides so it will slide on the longer side.

8. Let it age for 7 days outside. Sprinkle water from time to time to prevent cracks.
 24

9. Gather the compressive strengths of the specimens on the 7th, 14th and 21st day.

The Treatment Mixtures

Follow steps 1 – 8 above by taking into consideration the parts of sand and plastic

waste strips as specified below.

Mixture 1 (1 part cement, 1.5 parts sand and 1.5 parts plastic waste strips)

Mixture 2 (1 part cement, 2.0 parts sand and 1 part plastic waste strips)

Mixture 3 (1 part cement, 2.5 parts sand and 0.5 part plastic waste strips)

Research Environment

This study took place in different environments. The making of hollow blocks

was done in Salvacion, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. Then, the determination of their

compressive strengths and unit weights were done in an Engineering Laboratory of

Saint Mary’s University.

Experimental Designs

Experimental Design1

IV: Mixture Types

DV: Compressive Strengths after 7days, 14 days and 21 days
Specimens Control Mixture1 Mixture2 Mixture3
(25-75-0) (25-62.5-12.5) (25-50-25) (25-37.5-37.5)
CHB1
CHB2
CHB3
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Experimental Design2

IV: Mixture Types

DV: Weights after 7 days, 14 days and 21 days
Control Mixture1 Mixture2 Mixture3
(25-75-0) (25-62.5-12.5) (25-50-25) (25-37.5-37.5)
CHB1
CHB2
CHB3

Experimental Design3

IV: Mixture Types

DV: Cost per Hollow Block
Control Mixture1 Mixture2 Mixture3
(25-75-0) (25-62.5-12.5) (25-50-25) (25-37.5-37.5)

Data Gathering Instruments and Procedure

On the 7th day, subject the blocks to a laboratory test making use of the Compression

Testing Machine

Do the same after 14 days and 21 days.

Data Analysis Procedure

The following statistics were used:

The means and standard deviations for the compressive strengths and unit weights of the

hollow blocks were computer. The compressive strengths were also compared against
 26

the standards using t-test. Furthermore, these properties were further compared

considering the curing periods of the hollow blocks.

The Compressive Strength Standards

According to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the

compressive strength requirement for non-load bearing blocks is 2.4 Mpa or 348.13 Psi to

4.83 Mpa or 700.61 Psi. On the other hand, the Forest Product Research and Industries

Development Commission (FPRIDC) in a product research entitled Hollow Blocks from

farm Wastes, has approved the blocks with a compressive strength of 197 Psi or 1.36

Mpa to 386 Psi or 2.66 Mpa, for non-load bearing purposes especially for low cost

housing as cited in the study of Rosario (2010).

 27

Bibliography

Felipe, J. M. , et. al (2010). Use of Recycled Polysterene Pellet for the Production of
Lightweight Non-load Bearing Concrete Hollow Blocks. Unpublished
Research, School of Engineering and Architecture, SMU Bayombong, Nueva
Vizcaya

Rosario, Wilnice Pica D (2010). Potential Use of Chicken Feather Materials (CFM)
as a Component for Building Blocks. Unpublished Research, Grade School,
SMU Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya

Soliven, Samuel R (2006). Science Research and Statistics. SMU Publishing House

Retrieved sites

http://toxicswatch.blogspot.com/2010/04/burning-plastic-wastes-is-illegal.html

http://practicalaction.org/practicalanswers/product_info.php?
products=190

http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9003.htm

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