Recycled Plastic Core Panels
Keywords:
recycled plastic, composite panels, non-load-bearing walls, sustainable construction, preliminary feasibilityAbstract
The increasing demand for resource-efficient construction materials has encouraged the development of wall systems that can divert waste from disposal while remaining technically and economically workable. This preliminary feasibility study developed a composite panel consisting of a compressed post-consumer flexible-plastic core held by galvanized wire mesh and covered on both faces with cement mortar. Three independently fabricated recycled-plastic-core panels were compared with three independently fabricated Styrofoam-core panels in normal compression, post-fire compression, 24-hour water absorption, temperature response during direct heat exposure, and observed fire behavior. The recycled-plastic panels had a higher mean compressive strength under normal loading (207.03 psi) than the Styrofoam panels (175.17 psi) and a higher post-fire mean (192.60 psi versus 151.43 psi); recomputed independent-samples tests did not detect statistically significant differences for either outcome. Mean water absorption was nearly identical (30.05% and 30.09%) and was likewise not significantly different. The recorded temperature and fire observations showed only small descriptive differences between panel types; complete numerical outputs were unavailable for independent verification, so these outcomes are reported descriptively. The estimated installed cost was ₱6,350.00 per square meter for the recycled-plastic system, compared with ₱7,000.00 for concrete hollow-block construction and ₱10,100.00 for the Styrofoam-core system; these estimates do not constitute a lifecycle-cost analysis. A purposively selected sample of 150 stakeholders reported favorable awareness, perception, and acceptability ratings using a researcher-developed, validated questionnaire with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .922). The findings support continued development of the panel for possible non-load-bearing enclosure, partition, or infill applications, subject to larger replicated testing, fully documented procedures, full-scale assembly evaluation, and code review.
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