1

HOLLOW BLOCKS FROM PLASTIC

WASTES

An Investigatory Project Presented to the Faculty and Staff of

Malanday Elementary School
during the Local Science Fair 20__

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Science & Health VI

Submitted to:

___________________________
Science & Health VI teacher
___________________________
Math, ICT & Science Coordinator
____________________________
Coordinator for Student Activities
___________________________
Principal

Gabrielle Aine R.Cabana

Grade V Mahogany

2
August 2010
Table of Contents
Title Page .

Statement of the Problem

Statement of Hypotheses

Significance of the Study

Scope and Delimitation

Definition of Terms

Chapter I. Background of the Study

Rationale

Chapter II. Review of Related Literature and Studies

Related Literature

Related Studies

17

22

Chapter III. Materials and Methods

Materials

22

Methods

22

Research Environment

24

Experimental Designs .

24

Data Gathering Instruments and Procedure .

25

Data Analysis Procedure

25

3
Bibliography

27

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 compositions 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 pose great danger to living things. Plastics in rivers and
seas pose danger.

4
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 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
industrialized nations.
There is a need for environmentally 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 Marys University and the
Municipality of Bayombong on SWM-CHSF (Solid Waste Management- Clean, Healthy,
Safe and Friendly)
Statement of the Problem

5
This investigatory project seeks to produce useful hollow blocks out plastic wastes.
Specifically, it sought answers to the following:
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

6
outputs from plastic wastes may inspire them to engage themselves in the business of
making hollow blocks from plastic wastes.
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.

7
Unit Weights. It refers to the average weight, in Newtons, of the hollow blocks
produced in this study.
Unit Cost. It refers to the approximated expense in producing the hollow blocks
produced in this study.

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

9
contaminates the environment. The smoke contains small particulates, hazardous
substances and green house gases.
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 nonhazardous

There are different kinds of plastics with different results on burning. It could result in a
hydrocarbon, or cyanides, or PCBs, 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

10
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
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.

11
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;
(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 nonformal education in order to promote environmental awareness and action among
the citizenry.
(Retrieved from http://www.chanrobles.com/republicactno9003.htm)

12

Causes of climate change

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

13
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 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 (SO 2),
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

14
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 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

15
means warmer summers and colder winters; less tilt means cooler summers and milder
winters.
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 continues even today. More and more
land that was covered with vegetation has been cleared to make way for houses. Natural

16
resources are being used extensively for construction, industries, transport, and
consumption. Consumerism (our increasing want for material things) has increased by
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 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 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

17
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
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).

18
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.
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/hollowblocks-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

19
Conventional hollow concrete masonry units (CMU) use sand as aggregate. There
is a growing interest in utilizing alternative aggregate like bagasse, the fibrous residue
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
Caada, MO Mees, 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.

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2. The average compressive strength of concrete hollow block mixed with 25%
styrofoam pellet is lower than the average compressive strength of normal
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

21
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
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.

22

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.

23
Preparing the Aggregates
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.

Mixtures
Mixture 1
Mixture 2
Mixture 3
CONTROL

1
1
1
1

Cement-Sand/Plastic Wastes Mixture

Cement
Sand
25%
1.5
37.5
25%
2.0
50%
25%
2.5
62.5%
25%
3
75%

Plastic Wastes
1.5
37.5%
1
25%
.5
12.5%
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.

24
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.
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 Marys University.
Experimental Designs
Experimental Design1
IV: Mixture Types
DV: Compressive Strengths after 7days, 14 days and 21 days
Specimens
Control
Mixture1
Mixture2
(25-75-0)
(25-62.5-12.5)
(25-50-25)

Mixture3
(25-37.5-37.5)

25

CHB1
CHB2
CHB3

Experimental Design2
IV: Mixture Types
DV: Weights after 7 days, 14 days and 21 days
Control
Mixture1
(25-75-0)
(25-62.5-12.5)

Mixture2
(25-50-25)

Mixture3
(25-37.5-37.5)

Mixture2
(25-50-25)

Mixture3
(25-37.5-37.5)

CHB1
CHB2
CHB3

Experimental Design3
IV: Mixture Types
DV: Cost per Hollow Block
Control
(25-75-0)

Mixture1
(25-62.5-12.5)

Data Gathering Instruments and Procedure

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

26
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 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
http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/climate/causes.htm