CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Introduction

Globalization and industrialization has been in constant move and with high hopes of providing

improvement in our world. As our world develops alongside technology, man continues to innovate

things, formulate concepts and introduce new ideas to provide convenience to the lives of humankind.

With this, the construction industry is also in its peak, building infrastructures that greatly contributes

to the developing civilization. Thus, the increasing demand for producing needed construction materials

arises. Yet, needed construction materials have also become undeniably expensive. In considering low-

standard construction materials, which are much cheaper, would be the infrastructure strength and

safety at risk. That is why many countries especially the Philippines have been facing tremendous

challenges in producing these construction materials with reasonable cost without sacrificing its quality.

Knowing that civilization is slowly satisfying its full range of control over the world, buildings

and other infrastructures are seeking for significant improvements. Such desire would not be possible

without construction building materials. One of which is concrete hollow blocks, which are primarily

used in the construction of walls. Load bearing walls are of great importance, non-load bearing walls

and partitions weighs profoundly significant. However, continuous problems are constantly arising.

Concrete hollow block usually defies its quality even before serving its purpose. Significant group of

individuals conducted numerous research and experiments regarding the use of raw materials that are

readily accessible and useful that would improve the quality of this material as well as its effectiveness

in the application to various structures. Plastic waste paved its way as the most sought after material to

study as an alternative or additional component.

Now, seeing that there is a large volume of plastic wastes evident in the environment, it poses

a massive issue in the disposal of these type of wastes. In the Philippines, solid waste management

remains a major challenge especially in the urban areas like Cebu City. Improper waste disposal,
inefficient waste collection and lack of disposal facilities are among the dominant concerns in the area’s

solid waste management. The wastes generated from various sources will continually lead to health

hazards and serious environmental impacts such as ground and surface water contamination, flooding,

air pollution and spread of diseases.

Tarpaulins are one of these wastes. Its common uses are to make temporary shelters, covering

for equipment, protection against water and leaks in constructions and many more. Oftentimes, it is a

printable material for banners in advertisements and for hassle-free decorations in events. Polyester

tarps, in particular, are (poly) urethane PU layer covered. PU coated polyester tarpaulins are waterproof

and offer shelter from the sun (Wonkee Donkee Tools, 2018). Polyurethane performs well for hardness,

tensile strength, compression strength, impact resistance, abrasion resistance and tear strength

(American Urethane, Inc., 2018). The discarded tarpaulins when exposed longer in the environment

will result to a serious threat to public health because of the cadmium it contain.

Contemplating both highly significant subject matters, the researchers decided to address the

issues by introducing remarkable application to lessen plastic wastes likewise enhance the concrete

hollow block’s quality. The study will focus on investigating the utilization of plastic waste specifically

used tarpaulins as fiber reinforcement for concrete hollow blocks. This research will identify if the

concrete hollow block reinforced with fibers will exhibit satisfactory strength for it to be commercially

acceptable and available. This will also determine if the additional component that is the fiber from

tarpaulins is appropriate to use in the production of concrete hollow block in the construction industry.

Statement of the Problem

The demand of construction materials to build infrastructure especially houses to satisfy the

needs of the ever-growing population is rapidly increasing. However, it seems like these materials

specifically concrete hollow blocks abdicate its quality to increase production by maximizing the

available resources and to gain more profit.

Furthermore, the increasing volume of solid waste in urban areas like Cebu City is alarming,

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thus, the researchers plan to carry out a study to address these issues. The researchers proposes to

investigate alternative methods to help lessen plastic garbage as well as to improve the quality of

concrete hollow blocks by using used tarpaulins as its fiber reinforcement.

Specifically, it aims to justify the research with the following questions:

1. Will the utilization of tarpaulins as fiber reinforcement in concrete hollow block lessen the

amount of waste produced in Cebu City?

2. Is the fiber-reinforced concrete hollow block using waste tarpaulin effective for the

application of non-load bearing vertical structures in the construction industry?

3. What are the compressive strength of the fiber – reinforced concrete hollow block with the

different design mixtures after 14 days curing period?

Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to investigate the use of waste tarpaulin as fiber

reinforcement in concrete hollow blocks. Specifically, this research attempts to achieve the following

objectives:

1. To determine the physical property of sand in terms of the following:

1.1 Sieve Analysis

1.2 Unit Weight Test

2. To determine the appropriate proportion of sand and fiber in making the fiber-reinforced

concrete hollow block as to the following:

2.1 100% Sand (No fiber reinforcement)

2.2 99% Sand + 1% Fiber

2.3 97% Sand + 3% Fiber

2.4 95% Sand + 5% Fiber

3. To conduct compressive strength test on various concrete hollow block samples after 14

days curing period

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 4. To compare the compressive strength between the fiber – reinforced concrete hollow block

and commercially available concrete hollow block

Conceptual Framework

Converting plastic waste specifically tarpaulins into a useful raw material in making a fiber –

reinforced concrete hollow block is the main concern of this study.

It is evident that the use of tarpaulins in the industry is in – demand nowadays and has provided

many advantages yet has incurred disposal problems, which poses environmental impacts and health

hazards when disposed improperly. Hence, this proposed study will serve as an applicable method to

deplete the amount of these wastes generated in areas like Cebu City. Furthermore, the proposed study

would likewise recommend considering the recycled waste as an alternative material for construction.

Figure 1.1 describes the conceptual framework of the study where various mix proportions leads to a

desirable outcome of concrete hollow block reinforced with fibers from waste tarpaulin.

Physical Property of River Sand. Sand is nearly always a constituent part of mortar and

concrete. The strength of the masonry is dependent to a considerable extent on the qualities of the sand,

and it is therefore important that the desirable and the defective qualities should be understood

(Bekman, 2018). Subjecting the specimen to laboratory testing to determine its physical properties

would lead the researcher to know if the specimen is suitable to use as aggregate in the study.

Design Mixture. The objective in designing concrete hollow block mixture is to produce a

concrete hollow block containing a mass of tarpaulin fiber and sand with cement plus water as binding

agent that would satisfy the required performance and standard compressive strength under particular

condition of use. Four sets of proportion mixtures were prepared to test their compressive strength in

conformity with the standard.

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 INPUT RIVER SAND

PHYSICAL PROPERTY
 Sieve Analysis
 Unit Weight Test

PROCESS
DESIGN MIXTURE

VALIDATION
 Compressive Strength Test

OUTPUT
RECOMMENDATION

TARPAULIN AS FIBER
REINFORCEMENT

EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF
TARPAULIN

Figure 1.1 Conceptual Framework of the Study

Validation. Proportioning the mix components for a concrete masonry unit (CMU) is an

important step in producing high-quality units. A well-proportioned mix can improve a unit’s physical

properties - compressive strength, unit weight, absorption (NCMA TEK, 2007). The data gathered

from the results of mix proportion will undergo testing of compressive strength to prove and validate

the success of the study. Standards on concrete hollow block reinforced with fiber from waste tarpaulin

is the basis of validation for the results.

Recommendation. Test results presented at the end of the study for effective utilization of

tarpaulin as fiber reinforcement will be the basis for recommendations considering the standard

compressive strength.

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Significance of the Study

The researchers aimed to produce an alternative hollow block with fiber reinforcement of good

quality compared to the commercially available one for the next generation. In this study, using

discarded tarpaulin will give ideas to the following group of people on how a material may still be

useful in many ways:

Community. Since plastic waste such as tarpaulin takes time to decompose, recycling tarpaulin

by using it as fiber reinforcement may lessen the waste and help prevent flood in the community. The

community will have the opportunity to provide its people livelihood and may have the means for future

applications.

Government. Since this research involves using a type of garbage, which is particularly a

tarpaulin as reinforcement in making fiber-reinforced concrete hollow block, it may help the

government in solving one of the rising problem of waste disposal in the community.

Construction Industry. This research may give new ideas and aid the engineers, contractors,

construction researchers’ and other important people who will take part in the advancement and

evolvement of the construction materials making it preferable and good enough in providing high-

strength structures that are reasonably priced and economical due to the availability of raw materials.

Future Researchers. To the people who will have a grip and be captivated to conduct and are

involved to a further research and the same research, this may serve as a guide for them to formulate

new ideas, improve some necessary concepts and have advance understanding and realizations within

this significant matter.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study wants to provide applicable solution to the existing solid waste disposal problems

specifically on used and discarded tarpaulins found on areas around Cebu and utilizing it as reinforcing

fibers in concrete hollow blocks. This will also cover the investigation of the efficiency of the fiber-

reinforced concrete hollow block and includes a comparative analysis of the compressive strength of

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the various samples.

This study will limit on and will not go beyond the following:

(a) Non-load bearing applications

(b) Constant number of days for curing of all samples will be 14 days

The following are the exclusions in the study - load bearing applications, tensile strength

analysis, bonding strength analysis, tensile strength test for tarpaulin and the fire resisting capacity of

the fiber – reinforced concrete hollow block. The analysis of the bonding strength between the synthetic

fiber and the concrete hollow block is not included considering that the fiber-reinforced concrete hollow

block is for non - load bearing applications which is subjected to compression only as stipulated on the

ASTM C129 standard specifications. The improvement of the bond between the concrete hollow block

components will reflect on its compressive strength. The tensile strength test for tarpaulin is not

included in the study due to the fact that there is no testing machine present in testing centers that could

evaluate its mechanical property throughout Cebu area.

Definition of Terms

This section of the research includes significant key terms that are fundamentally and evidently

defined to elaborate understanding of the study and elude ambiguous meaning to terms which can be

otherwise interpreted in different ways.

ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). An international standard

organization that focuses on developing standards for materials, goods, services and systems.

Compressive Strength. The maximum amount of compressive load a material can withstand

before fracturing.

Concrete hollow block. A large rectangular brick used in construction which has one or more

hollow cores.

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 Curing. The process of maintaining satisfactory moisture and temperature conditions to allow

the concrete to achieve the desired properties for its intended use. This process results in concrete with

increased strength and decreased permeability.

Fiber-reinforced concrete hollow block. A concrete hollow block containing fibers that are

uniformly distributed which increases its structural integrity.

Load bearing wall. A wall that supports the weight of a structure.

Non load-bearing wall. A wall that does not support any structural weight of the building other

than its own.

Reinforcing fiber. Small piece of reinforcing material possessing certain characteristics and

properties that enhances the flexural and tensile strength and act as a binder that could combine Portland

cement in bonding with cement matrices.

Sieve Analysis. A test to determine the particle size distribution of the coarse and fine

aggregates by allowing it to pass through a series of sieves.

Solid waste. The useless and unwanted products in the solid state discarded by society.

Unit Weight. Also known as specific weight, is the weight of a material per unit volume.