REPORT ON PLASTICS.

(BUILDING CONSTRUCTION-7)

SNEHA DEY
7TH SEMESTER, B.ARCH
ROLL NO-10
GCAP, AZARA
WHAT IS PLASTIC?
PLASTIC IS A NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC ORGANIC MATERIAL PREPARED FROM
RESIN, WHICH IS CAPABLE OF PLASTIC DEFORMATION WHEN HEAT AND
PRESSURE ARE APPLIED TO IT.
PLASTIC IS A MODERN INDUSTRIALLY-PRODUCED MATERIAL WITH NUMEROUS
USES AND CAN BE MOULDED TO THE REQUIRED SIZE AND SHAPE. IT IS LIGHT IN
WEIGHT AND HAS TOUGHNESS AND GOOD TENSILE STRENGTH.

NOWADAYS, A VARIETY OF PLASTICS HAVE BEEN PREPARED. AT PRESENT, THERE

USE OF PLASTIC IN CONSTRUCTION.
ARE MORE THAN 10,000 VARIETIES OF PLASTICS, AND THEIR NUMBER IS
INCREASING DAY TO DAY WHICH HAS EXCEEDED THE PRODUCTION OF METALS IN
THE WORLD.
PROPERTIES OF PLASTIC:THE FOLLOWING ARE THE GENERAL
PROPERTIES OF PLASTICS:
COLOUR: SOME PLASTICS ARE FULLY TRANSPARENT. THEY CAN BE MADE IN
ATTRACTIVE COLOURS USING PIGMENTS.
COLOUR. CHEMICAL RESISTANCE.
CHEMICAL RESISTANCE: THEY OFFER GREAT RESISTANCE AGAINST ALMOST ALL
CHEMICALS AND CORROSION.

FIRE RESISTANCE: THE MATERIALS USED IN PLASTICS LIKE PHENOL FORMALDEHYDE

AND UREA FORMALDEHYDE RESIST FIRE AND HENCE ARE USED AS FIRE-FIGHTING.

ELECTRICAL INSULATION: THEY ARE GOOD INSULATORS OF ELECTRICITY AND HENCE

EXTENSIVELY USED FOR PLUGS, SWITCHES, ETC.
FIRE RESISTANCE. ELECTRICAL INSULATION.
OPTICAL PROPERTY: MANY VARIETIES OF PLASTIC ARE TRANSPARENT AND
TRANSLUCENT.

THERMAL PROPERTY: THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF PLASTIC IS QUITE LOW

LIKE WOOD AND STABLE UNDER LOW TEMPERATURES. FOAMED PLASTICS OPTICAL PROPERTY. THERMAL PROPERTY.
ARE USUALLY USED AS THERMAL INSULATORS.

DUCTILITY: PLASTICS ARE NOT DURABLE UNDER DIRECT SUNLIGHT.

STRENGTH: PLASTICS ARE REASONABLY STRONG. THEIR TENSILE STRENGTH

CAN BE INCREASED BY REINFORCING THEM WITH VARIOUS FIBROUS
MATERIALS.
DUCTILITY STRENGTH
PLASTICS ARE NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND DUE TO THE HIGH CREEP
COEFFICIENT (EXTENSION UNDER PROLONGED LOADING) IS HIGH AND ALSO
SENSITIVE TO CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE.

EASE IN FIXING: THEY CAN BE EASILY FIXED, GLUED, DRILLED, BOLTED AND
SCREWED IN VARIOUS POSITIONS.

MAINTENANCE: THERE IS NO COST OF MAINTENANCE, AS THEY DO NOT NEED EASE OF FIXING

PAINTING.

RECYCLING: MANY USED PLASTICS CAN BE RECYCLED, AND THE THIN

PLASTICS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO RECYCLE CAN BE USED IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS.
RECYCLING.

STRENGTH.
ECONOMY: IT IS AN ECONOMICAL MATERIAL AS MANUFACTURING AND MAINTENANCE COST IS LESS.

THERE ARE CERTAIN UNDESIRABLE PROPERTIES IN PLASTICS, AS LISTED BELOW:

● HIGH THERMAL EXPANSION - IT IS ABOUT TEN TIMES AS MUCH AS STEEL

● HIGH CREEP PROPERTIES
● LACK OF DURABILITY
● LACK OF FIRE RESISTANCE - THEY EMIT TOXIC FUMES IN CASE OF FIRE EXPOSURE
● LOW MELTING POINT - THERMOPLASTICS MELT AT LOWER TEMPERATURES
● NON-SUITABILITY FOR STRUCTURAL MEMBERS - THEY ARE NOT A POPULAR MATERIAL
FOR FABRICATION OF STRUCTURES. IF NEEDED, THEY SHOULD BE USED ONLY WITH
EMBEDDED METALS LIKE STEEL
THE USES OF PLASTICS IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF
CONSTRUCTION:
1) FLOORING

PLASTIC MATERIALS LIKE POLYETHYLENE AND PVC ARE WIDELY USED TO

MANUFACTURE FOLLOWING THAT IS LESS PRONE TO WEAR AND TEAR. MOREOVER, IT
ALSO DECREASES THE LEVEL OF SOUND POLLUTION AND CAN BE EASILY CLEANED. FLOORING.

2) ROOFING

TWO LAYERS OF PLASTIC MATERIALS ARE USED TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO DAMAGE
TO THE ROOF. ONE LAYER OF PLASTIC, WHICH IS THE UPPER PART, IS MADE OF
THERMOPLASTIC OLEFIN OR VINYL, WHEREAS THE LOWER PART IS MADE OF
POLYURETHANE FOAM. THESE PLASTIC MATERIALS CONSUME LESS HEAT AND ENSURE
THAT THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE IS KEPT COOLER.

3) INSULATION
ROOFING.
POLYURETHANE SPRAY IS FREQUENTLY USED FOR INSULATION WHEN CONSTRUCTING
GREEN OR LOW-ENERGY BUILDINGS. RIGID POLYURETHANE FOAM IS KNOWN FOR ITS
HIGH THERMAL RESISTANCE WHICH PROMOTES TEMPERATURE CONSISTENCY.
POLYURETHANE FOAM IS ALSO POPULAR BECAUSE IT IS LIGHTWEIGHT, CHEMICAL
RESISTANT, AND FLAME RETARDANT. DUE TO ITS CLOSED-CELL NATURE,
POLYURETHANE INSULATION PERFORMS AS AN AIR BARRIER, RESULTING IN
SIGNIFICANT ENERGY SAVINGS.
INSULATION.
4) PIPES

PIPES THAT ARE USED IN CONSTRUCTION ARE COMMONLY MADE FROM POLYETHYLENE, PVC,
ACRYLONITRILE BUTADIENE STYRENE (ABS), AND CPVC. THEY ARE KNOWN FOR BEING
EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT AND FLEXIBLE, MAKING THEM EASY TO INSTALL. THEY ARE ALSO
WATER AND CHEMICAL RESISTANT, MAKING THEM IDEAL FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.

5) WINDOWS

COMPARED TO REGULAR GLASS WINDOWS, POLYCARBONATE IS KNOWN FOR BEING MORE

BURGLAR-PROOF. PLASTIC MATERIALS LIKE FIBERGLASS AND VINYL ARE ALSO USED TO
MANUFACTURE WINDOW FRAMES. VINYL IS EXTREMELY INEXPENSIVE AND STRONG, PIPES.
WHEREAS VINYL IS KNOWN FOR ITS IMPACT RESISTANCE.

6) DOORS

MANY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS USE POLYURETHANE FOAM WITH A FIBER-REINFORCED

PLASTIC (FRP) COATING FOR MANUFACTURING DOORS. THIS STRUCTURE MAKES THEM
INCREDIBLY STRONG.

WINDOWS DOORS.
PVC FLOOR TILES/SHEETS
PLASTICS ARE USED IN THE FORM OF TILES OR SHEETS FOR FLOORING IN
OFFICE BUILDINGS AS WELL AS IN RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL
BUILDINGS.

THEY PROVIDE A RESILIENT, DECORATIVE AND NON-POROUS SURFACE WHICH PVC FLOOR TILES/SHEETS
CAN BE EASILY CLEANED BUT CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PREVENT BURNING
STUMPS TO GET INTO CONTACT WITH PVC FLOOR MATERIAL.

RUBBER-BASED ADHESIVES ARE SUITABLE TO FIX PVC FLOORING ON

CONCRETE, WOODEN OR METAL SUBFLOORS.

THERMOCOL SHEETS
THESE THERMOCOL SHEETS ARE LIGHT CELLULAR PLASTIC MATERIALS USED THERMOCOL SHEETS FOR INSULATION
FOR SOUND AND HEAT INSULATION. NOWADAYS, THEY ARE ALSO USED IN
FORMWORKS FOR CONCRETING TO FORM SPECIAL FEATURES IN THE
STRUCTURE.
WALL-PANELLING AND INTERNAL PARTITIONING
FLAT, CORRUGATED AND FANCY FIBRE-REINFORCED PLASTIC (FRP) SHEETS
ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE AS INTERNAL PARTITIONING, WALL PANELLING AND
CEILING PANELLING.

FOR PLUMBING
CISTERN BALL FLOATS ARE ALWAYS MADE WITH PLASTIC. PLASTIC PIPES ARE
USED FOr WATER SUPPLY AND ALSO AS DRAINAGE PIPES IN BUILDINGS.

WALL-PANELLING AND INTERNAL PARTITIONING

WATER TANKS
THESE DAYS, OVERHEAD PVC STORAGE TANKS ARE USED IN ALMOST ALL
BUILDINGS. OVERHEAD WATER TANKS ARE MADE OF HIGH-DENSITY OR
LOW-DENSITY POLYTHENE (HDPE or LDPE).
PLASTIC WATER TANKS.
THESE TANKS ARE GENERALLY SQUARE OR CYLINDRICAL IN SHAPE AND ARE
USUALLY KEPT EXPOSED TO THE SUN. TO MAKE THEM MORE RESISTANT TO
THE ULTRAVIOLET RAYS, THE PLASTIC IS COMPOUNDED WITH UP TO 2.5 PER
CENT CARBON BLACK, WHICH MAKES THEM BLACK IN APPEARANCE.

ELECTRICAL CONDUITS AND INSULATORS

PLASTIC PIPES ARE USED AS ELECTRICAL CONDUITS. ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS
LIKE SWITCHES, SWITCHBOARDS, PLUGS, AND SO ON ARE MADE INVARIABLY ELECTRICAL CONDUITS AND INSULATORS
WITH PLASTIC.

TEMPORARY SHELTERS
FIBRE REINFORCED PLASTIC (FRP) MODULAR SYSTEMS ARE IDEALLY
SUITABLE FOR TEMPORARY SHELTERS AT PROJECT SITES, DEFENCE SHELTER,
WATCHMAN SHEDS AND ETC.

TEMPORARY SHELTERS.
USES OF PLASTICS IN FAÇADE PANELS,
EXTERIOR COVERING, CARPENTRY ETC.
FAÇADE PANELS

1. SANDWICH PANELS COVERING WITH PVC (POLYVINYL 1.

CHLORIDE), PLASTICIZED PLATES AND POLYURETHANE FOAMS.
2. SANDWICH PANELS - ASBESTOS CEMENT COVERING AND
POLYURETHANE FOAM CORE
3. SANDWICH PANEL – POLYSTYRENE FOAM CORE AND VARIOUS
COVERINGS
4. SANDWICH PANEL – COVERING WITH POLYESTER LAMINATED
SHEET AND POLYURETHANE FOAM CORE
5. SANDWICH PANEL – ENAMELED IRON COVERING AND 2.
POLYURETHANE FOAM CORE.
6. SANDWICH PANEL – COVERING WITH POLYESTER LAMINATED
SHEET GLUED TO ASBESTOS CEMENT AND POLYSTYRENE FOAM
CORE.
7.

6. 3. 4.
EXTERIOR COVERING

1. POLYESTER COATED CONCRETE BY MOULDING FROM AN EXISTING

PLATES.
2. SPRAYED POLYURETHANE WITH SAND AND GRAVEL
AGGLOMERATION.
3. EPOXY RESINS AND POLYESTERS ON VARIOUS SUPPORTING MEDIA
4. PVC PLASTICIZED PLATES (SPRAYING, COATING OR ADHESIVE
FILMS)
5. POLYESTER EPIDERMIS AVAILABLE AS PERMANENT SHUTTERING

WEATHER BOARDING

1. POLYESTER EXTERIOR COVERING.

2. PVC
3. POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE

ROLLING SHUTTERS

1. PLASTICIZED PVC EXTRUDED SECTIONS

2. RIGID PVC EXTRUDED SECTIONS
3. POLYAMIDE WINDING GEAR
4. BLINDS AND SUNSCREENS
5. POLYESTER, PVC

WEATHER BOARDING ROLLING SHUTTERS.

TABLE: USES OF PLASTICS IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
Form in which it is commonly
No. Plastic Material Uses Normal colour
used

1 Expanded polystyrene Thermal insulation Thin sheets in slabs 12mm thick White

2 Expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Thermal insulation Boards 20 to 50 mm thick Yellow brown

3 Foamed urea formaldehyde Thermal insulation Foamed in situ White

4 Foamed phenol formaldehyde Thermal insulation Sheets and blocks Deep red

Sheets and blocks or foamed in

5 Foamed polyurethane Thermal insulation Brown
situ

6 Expanded ebonite Thermal insulation Sheets Brown or black

7 Polythene Damp-proofing, plumbing Thin sheets, pipes, cisterns Transparent to black

12 Phenolic resins Adhesives for laminates Dark

13 Melamine Laminates Sheets Many

 Domestic drainage, but water overflow
8 Polypropylene
tanks

Rainwater goods, ventilation, ducts, pipes

9 Unplasticised PVC
of water mains

10 Acrylic resins Sinks and baths Various

11 Nylon Cold water fittings, window furniture Various

12 Phenolic resins Adhesives for laminates Dark