POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Sta. Mesa, Manila
Tel. No. 716-78-32 to 45

The Feasibility Study ofUsing Oyster Shell and Plastic

as Substitute in Manufacturing Bricks

A Technical Written Report

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for Technical Communication
S.Y. 2016-2017

______________

By

Baylon, Jonalyn
Cala-or, Earlwin Jay
Figurasin, Jonesse Aerish
Garado, Lyra Kayle
Hamor, Venus Nicole
Jimenez, Joyce
Leuterio, Carleth Ann
Malicay, Kimberly
Rubante, Shaira
Silvestre, Patricia
Ting, Lalaine
Zacarias, Dimple Mae

BSIE 2-FS1N

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In this line, we propose to use oysters and plastics as substitute to sand in making

concrete blocks to help our environment as well as our co-Filiipinos. We will recycle the waste

materials of many people. The concrete blocks that are made up from waste materials like plastic

bottles and oyster shells will not lessen the strength of the concrete blocks but probably adds

strength on it by the mineral compounds of oyster shells. In some study, it proves that nothing

will change if pulverized plastic bottles is often used with metal rods as a componentin making

construction materials.

Using oyster shell and plastic as substitutes sand in manufacturing bricks is the main

purpose of this study. The alternative in brick making is considered a solution to the increasing

prices of construction materials. This approach will lessen the problem in garbage disposal for

discarded oyster shells and non-biodegradable plastic waste. Furthermore, it promotes the use of

both waste and native materials in making cement blocks, which is low cost, compared to

synthetic or chemically manufactured ingredients.

When used as a cement replacement, the chemical compositionof burnt oyster shells

contains both calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide compared to lime which are both highly

preferential for the reaction of compendious product.

Therefore, oyster shells and plastics have comparably lower price comparedto sand or

other brick making product. Thus making it more economically and environmentally efficient as

a sand substitute in making bricks.

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 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

MAIN REPORT

INTRODUCTION 5

I. Purpose of the project 5

II. Project description 5
III. Justification of the project 5
IV. Desired project outcome 6

PRODUCTION OF COMMERCIAL BRICKS 7

I. Background on production of commercial bricks 7

II. Materials 10
III. Sand 11
IV. Properties 11
IV. a. Strength 11
IV. b. Flexurity 13
IV. c. Porosity 13
V. Cost 14

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OYSTER SHELL 15

I. Background of oyster shell in brick making 15

II. Properties 16
III. Limitation 18

PLASTIC 20

I. Background of plastic in brick making 20

II. Properties 20
II. a. Strength 21
II. b. Weather Resistance 21
II. C. Dimensional Stability 21
II. d. Chemical Resistance 21
II. e. Miscellaneous Properties 22
III. Limitation 22
III. a. Durability 22
III. b. Environmental Harm.23
III. c. Chemical Risk.23
III. d. Choking Hazard.24

FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY 25
I. Cost Estimate 25
I. a. Sand 25
I. b. Oyster Shell 25
I. c. Plastic 25
II. Cost Comparison 26

CONCLUSION 27

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 INTRODUCTION

I. Purpose of the Study

As time passes, concrete blocks used in building infrastructures becomes highly in

demand. Many cement factories all over the world now use expensive and non-renewable

materials in making blocks. This makes the product costly. Through this project, an alternative

ingredient in making blocks will be justified together with finding ways on reusing oyster shells

and plastic through block making. This project could help lessen the problem in garbage disposal

for both discarded oyster shells and non-biodegradable plastic waste. Furthermore, it promotes

the use of native materials in making cement blocks which is cheaper, compared to synthetic or

chemically manufactured ingredients.

II. Project Description

The use of oyster shells and plastics as substitutes of sand in manufacturing bricks is the

main purpose of the feasibility study. Cement is the main ingredient in making bricks because of

its durability and hardness. But as the demand of cement increases, the price also increases. For

this reason, the group came up with the idea of using oyster shell and plastic as the aggregating

ingredient of manufacturing bricks, testing its durability and life span.

III. Justification of the Project

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 The use of recycled materials is a trend right now, but using them as an aggregate in

making blocks is unique. The group came up with the idea of using oyster shells and plastic

wastes as substitutes and creating more sensible products. By mixing together ground-up plastics

and shells with soil, anyone can create a material just as strong as conventional concrete.

The use of shells (from oysters) from bivalve mollusks as both aggregate and

cementations substitute in Portland Cement has been investigated around the globe due to the

variety of shell wastes that can be utilized around coastal areas; oyster shell production in the

Philippines has been estimated up to 3 M tons annually (Velasquez et al., 2013.)

The chemical composition of burnt oyster shell contains similar calcium carbonate and

calcium hydroxide phases as compared to lime. Calcium carbonate does not take part in the

hydration process of cement to form structural components; calcination of oyster shells to drive

off the carbon reduces CaCO 3 to CaO which is preferential for the reaction of cementitious

products (Ramos et al., 2015.)

Making a structure out of bottles reduces construction and material cost by 30%

compared to traditional building, and given that in Taiwan construction and materials account for

60% of a building’s cost, that means real savings (Reyes et al., 2012.) This means that using

recycled materials can really make the expense of the manufacturing bricks company lower as

possible.

IV. Desired Outcome for the Project

The goal of this research is to find alternative ingredients in making construction blocks

that will be much cheaper than the usual synthetic and chemically manufactured materials. The

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properties of the block should also be of equal or greater capacities compared to commercially

used ingredients. Reducing plastic waste is also a goal of this project.

PRODUCTION OF COMMERCIAL BRICKS

I. Background on production of commercial bricks

The term brick refers to small units of building material, often made from fired clay and

secured with mortar, a bonding agent comprising of cement, sand, and water. Long a popular

material, brick retains heat, with-stands corrosion, and resists fire. Because each unit is small—

usually four inches wide and twice as long, brick is an ideal material for structures in confined

spaces, as well as for curved designs. Moreover, with minimal upkeep, brick buildings generally

last a long time.

For the above-cited practical reasons and because it is also an aesthetically pleasing

medium, brick has been used as a building material for at least 5,000 years. The first brick was

probably made in the Middle East, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq.

Lacking the stone their contemporaries in other regions used for permanent structures, early

builders here relied on the abundant natural materials to make their sun-baked bricks. These,

however, were of limited use because they lacked durability and could not be used outdoors;

exposure to the elements caused them to disintegrate. The Babylonians, who later dominated

Mesopotamia, were the first to fire bricks, from which many of their tower-temples were

constructed.

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 From the Middle East the art of brick making spread west to what is now Egypt and east

to Persia and India. Although the Greeks, having a plentiful supply of stone, did not use much

brick, evidence of brick kilns and structures remains throughout the Roman Empire. However,

with the decline and fall of Rome, brick making in Europe soon diminished. It did not resume

until the 1200s, when the Dutch made bricks that they seem to have exported to England. In the

Americas, people began to use brick during the sixteenth century. It was the Dutch, however,

who were considered expert craftsmen.

Prior to the mid-1800s, people made bricks in small batches, relying on relatively

inefficient firing methods. One of the most widely used was an open clamp, in which bricks were

placed on a fire beneath a layer of dirt and used bricks. As the fire died down over the course of

several weeks, the bricks fired. Such methods gradually became obsolete after 1865, when the

Hoffmann kiln was invented in Germany. Better suited to the manufacture of large numbers of

bricks, this kiln contained a series of compartments through which stacked bricks were

transferred for pre-heating, burning, and cooling.

Brick making improvements have continued into the twentieth century. Improvements

include rendering brick shape absolutely uniform, lessening weight, and speeding up the firing

process. For example, modern bricks are seldom solid. Some are pressed into shape, which

leaves a frog, or depression, on their top surface. Others are extruded with holes that will later

expedite the firing process by exposing a larger amount of surface area to heat. Both techniques

lessen weight without reducing strength.

However, while the production process has definitely improved, the market for brick has

not. Brick does have the largest share of the opaque materials market for commercial building,

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and it continues to be used as a siding material in the housing industry. However, other siding

materials such as wood, stucco, aluminum, plaster, and vinyl are strong competitors because they

cost up to 50 percent less, and some (notably stucco and plaster) offer built-in insulation. Yet

these systems can cost up to 1.75 times that of brick, which also requires less maintenance. Other

materials that compete with brick despite their usually higher cost include precast concrete

panels, glass, stone, artificial stone, concrete masonry, and combinations of these materials,

because advances in manufacturing and design have made such materials more attractive to the

builder. According to the U.S. Industrial Outlook, the use of brick as a siding material for single-

family homes dropped from 26 percent in 1984 to 17 percent in 1989.

(http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Brick.html#ixzz4JdNrNJfr)

As the world become modernized, different kinds of concrete blocks come out in the

market based on its composition. There are various types of concrete blocks such as Standard

concrete masonry unit (CMU), Split faced-block, Scored block, ribbed block, Honed block,

Glazed block, and Offset block. Standard Concrete Masonry unit (CMU) is the basic concrete

block used for masonry construction. This block is designed for use in structural areas that are

commonly unseen and it is the reason that they are made with plain faces. Split faced block is

used similarly to standard concrete block but the only difference is the natural stone –like

structure and appearance of the split face. It is popular block use on exterior walls as it is

aesthetically pleasing, and does not need further veneers. The scored block is made with one or

more vertical scores on its face to give the appearance of multiple mortar joints. It is similar to

ribbed blocks as both of them have vertical features. Glazed block are made with permanent

colored face, creating an appearance similar to that of a ceramic tile finish. Honed block are

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polished to create a smooth finish that can resemble polished stone. Last is the Offset block, this

kind of block creates a highly textured wall rich with different patterns of light and shadow.

In addition, different manufacturers making different kinds of concrete blocks are almost

made up of chemical materials. Various chemicals are added like sodium chloride (salt) to make

the concrete blocks dry faster or sucrose (sugar) to make it dry more slowly than normal.

Pigments may also be added to give it color. These blocks that uses some chemicals like the

magnesium, iron oxide and so many more sometimes can cause pollution and disadvantages

when overused. These thoughts became the basis of the researchers to use plastics that are non –

biodegradable materials to test its ability to replace those chemicals and make use of it.

Concrete blocks made up from chemicals also have disadvantages. These disadvantages

include the following: chemical concrete blocks are expensive, because materials needed are

highly demand like sand, cement and bricks, they are also difficult to insulate, and lastly it may

not offer pleasant aesthetics.

II. Materials

Natural clay minerals, including kaolin and shale, make up the main body of brick. Small

amounts of manganese, barium, and other additives are blended with the clay to produce

different shades, and barium carbonate is used to improve brick's chemical resistance to the

elements. Many other additives have been used in brick, including byproducts from

papermaking, ammonium compounds, wetting agents, flocculents (which cause particles to form

loose clusters) and deflocculates (which disperse such clusters). Some clays require the addition

of sand or grog (pre-ground, pre-fired material such as scrap brick).

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 A wide variety of coating materials and methods are used to produce brick of a certain

color or surface texture. To create a typical coating, sand (the main component) is mechanically

mixed with some type of colorant. Sometimes a flux or frit (a glass containing colorants) is

added to produce surface textures. The flux lowers the melting temperature of the sand so it can

bond to the brick surface. Other materials including graded fired and unfired brick, nepheline

syenite, and graded aggregate can be used as well.

(http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Brick.html#ixzz4JdwaqKHX)

III. Sand

Sand is an important building material. It abundantly occurs in nature and is formed by

the decomposition of rocks. Sand particles consist of small grains of silica (SiO2). It forms a

major ingredient in concrete, lime mortar, cement mortar, etc.

It is defined by size, being finer than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to

a textural class of soil or soil type; i.e. a soil containing more than 85% sand-sized particles by

mass. The composition of sand varies, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but

the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-

tropical coastal settings is silica (silicon dioxide, or SiO2), usually in the form of quartz. The

second most common type of sand is calcium carbonate, for example aragonite, which has

mostly been created, over the past half billion years, by various forms of life,

like coral and shellfish. For example it is the primary form of sand apparent in areas where reefs

have dominated the ecosystem for millions of years like the Caribbean.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand)

IV. Properties

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 IV. a. Strength

In the use of concrete blocks for the walls of buildings, the stress to which they

are subjected is almost entirely one of compression. In compressive strength well-made

concrete does not differ greatly from ordinary building stone. It is difficult to find reliable

records of tests of sand and gravel concrete, 1 to 4 and 1 to 5, such as is used in making

blocks; the following figures show strength of concrete of approximately this richness,

also the average of several samples each of well-known building stones, as stated by the

authorities named:

Limestone, Bedford, Ind. (Indiana Geographical Survey).............7,792 pounds

Limestone, Marblehead, Ohio (Q. A. Gillmore)…………………7,393 pounds

Sandstone, N. Amherst, Ohio (Q. A. Gillmore) ............................5,831 pounds

Gravel concrete, 1:1.6:2.8, at 1 year (Candlot)..............................5,500 pounds

Gravel concrete, 1:1.6:3.7, at 1 year (Candlot)..............................5,050 pounds

Stone concrete, 1:2:4 at 1 year (Boston El. R. R.).........................3,904 pounds

Actual tests of compression strength of hollow concrete blocks are difficult to make, because it is

impossible to apply the load uniformly over the whole surface, and also because a block 16

inches long and 8 inches wide will bear a load of 150,000 to 200,000 pounds, or more than the

capacity of any but the largest testing machines. Three one-quarter blocks, 8 inches long, 8

inches wide, and 9 inches high, with hollow space equal to one-third of the surface, tested at the

Case School of Science, showed strengths of 1,805, 2,000, and 1,530 pounds per square inch,

respectively, when 10 weeks old.

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 Blocks with openings equal to only one-third the surface, as required in many city

regulations, are heavy to handle, especially for walls 12 inches and more in thickness,

and, as the above figures show, are enormously stronger than there is any need of. Blocks

with openings of 50 per cent would be far more acceptable to the building trade, and if

used in walls not over 44 feet high, with floors and roof calculated as above for 25 feet

span, would be loaded only to 56 pounds per square inch of actual surface. This would

give a factor of safety of 18, assuming minimum compression strength of 1,000 pounds.

IV.b. Flexurity

Flexural strength, also known as modulus of rupture, bend strength, or fracture

strength, a mechanical parameter for brittle material, is defined as a material's ability to

resist deformation under load. Design of concrete hollow block masonry subjected to

lateral loading is controlled by appropriate permissible tensile stresses developed with

respect to bed joints, either normal or parallel to the bed joints, depending upon the

direction in which the wall spans. There are wide variations between code provisions and

many parameters have not been accounted for adequately, revealing the need for

systematic investigation. As a first step, tests for flexural strength normal to bed joints of

concrete hollow block masonry prisms in running bond have been carried out. The

influences of full mortar bedding using conventional mortar mixes, the influence of

plastering and grouting were investigated by using a bond wrench apparatus. Results

show that the flexural bond strength increases with the richness of the bedding mortar

mix proportion adopted, and observed to be higher than those specified by IS 1905. The

plastering and grouting have significant effect in contributing to the flexural strength of

masonry, and hence, these aspects need to be included in the design provisions.

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 IV. c. Porosity

Porosity is a measure of how much of a rock is open space. This space can be

between grains or within cracks or cavities of the rock. Consolidated rocks (e.g.

sandstone, shale, granite or limestone) potentially have more complex "dual" porosities,

as compared with alluvial sediment. This can be split into connected and unconnected

porosity. Connected porosity is more easily measured through the volume of gas or liquid

that can flow into the rock, whereas fluids cannot access unconnected pores.

Porosity is controlled by: rock type, pore distribution, cementation, digenetic

history and composition. Porosity is not controlled by grain size, as the volume of

between-grain space is related only to the method of grain packing. Blocks normally

decrease in porosity with age and depth of burial. Tertiary age Gulf Coast sandstones are

in general more porous than Cambrian age sandstones. There are exceptions to this rule,

usually because of the depth of burial and thermal history. The porosity of blocks, and

their permeability and absorption are very important factors in influencing properties of

bricks such as the bond between them and mortar, the resistance of blocks to freezing and

thawing, and their chemical stability. This paper suggests new tests for calculating the

porosity and water absorption values of clay bricks, which involve the testing of 20-mm

brick lumps instead of full brick units.

V. Cost

Concrete blocks are an affordable building material that can be used for a number of

construction projects, and are suited very well for construction walls for foundations or utility

buildings. Concrete blocks typically have holes in the center to reduce the weight, material

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needed, and cost. The average concrete block is composed of cement and coal ash, which is why

they are often called cinder blocks. Concrete blocks are actually concrete masonry units, or

CMUs, but we often refer to them concrete blocks or cinder blocks.

OYSTER SHELL

I. Background of Oyster Shell in Brick Making

Being an island, Taiwan is very rich in marine resources. Along the west coast of Taiwan,

oyster farming is one of the most important production activities for the country’s economy. In

general, most of the oyster shells are discarded with no further use once the flesh is stripped off;

except that a small amount is used for art creation [1, 2]. As a result, oyster shell piles are

common in areas of oyster production with no further utilization. Chemical and microstructure

analyses reveal that oyster shells are predominantly composed of CaO [3, 4], similar to that of

lime, which has been used for soil stabilization [5]. In addition, oyster shells can be utilized for

producing medium- and high-quality cement [6]. The expandable nature of clay is reduced by the

ion exchange from the interaction between calcium ions and clay. Quicklime creates coagulation

if added with water. Thus, calcium ions are used generally as the primary component in the clay

stabilization. There is no known chemical reaction between soil and lime except the ion

exchange. In other studies for potential use, the shells are mostly used as additive or replacement

of part of the cement in concrete. For example, construction material mixed with crushed oyster

shell and sand was used for sand compaction piles to improve soft soils underneath a breakwater

port in Japan [7]. However, the lime contained in the shells does not provide improvement of

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concrete strength as the Pozzolanic products of concrete already contain lime, and therefore no

positive effect is detected for concrete strength. According to [8], a pozzolan is defined as a

siliceous and aluminous material, which in itself possesses little or no cementitious value but

will, in finely divided form in the presence of moisture, chemically react with calcium hydroxide

to form compounds possessing cementitious properties (Pozzolanic activity).

No concrete strength increase was found by adding sintered and pulverized oyster shells

to concrete [9]. As a result, the use of pulverized oyster shells as concrete additive or cement

replacement often needs to be combined with other bonding materials, such as fly ash or slag [8].

Only the Pozzolanic reaction between SiO2 in the fly ash or slag and CaO in the pulverized

oyster shells, along with the addition of water reducer or super plasticizer, can improve the

strength of pulverized-oyster-shell-added concrete.

Considering the scale of construction industries in the near future it is imperative to

guarantee a secure supply of high-quality sand resources. Therefore, it is essential to conduct a

research for other alternatives to meet future demands. Our research involves two major parts:

first, the Pozzolanic reaction between F-type fly ash and the pulverized oyster shell and secondly,

the improvement of soil strength, if the combination of pulverized oyster shells, clay, and sand

can effectively improve the physical properties of soil such as strength [5, 6]. However, most of

soil stabilization is done by in situ mixing, paving, and compacting. It is unlikely to obtain good

control as it does in concrete mixing. (Copyright © 2013 Chou-Fu Liang and Hung-Yu Wang,

Creative Commons Attribution License, Received 9 November 2012; Revised 27 February 2013;

Accepted 4 March 2013

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 II. Properties

Physical properties such as texture, porosity, specific surface, and apparent density are

different even in an oyster-shell. To reduce the variability, oyster-shells are crushed into small

pieces from which an averaged value of eachp hysical property is obtained.

Shows the physica lproperties of oyster-shell powders with a mean diameter of 1.65

mm.Microstructure of oyster-shell can be divided into twoparts, sheet phase layer and porous

bulky layer. Sheetphase layer is oriented to the growth direction of oystershell and porous bulky

layer is between sheet phaselayers.

The abrasiveness test showed that the commercial CaCO3, mussel and oyster shells were

32, 28, 32 g.cm–2 respectively, showing no significant variation in this property under the

conditions tested.

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate that oyster shells can be reused as

construction materials, based on their chemical and mechanical properties. Analyses for

chemical composition, surface texture, and microstructure of oyster-shells are made to

investigate whether materials like oyster-shells are adequate for calcareous raw materials. As for

mechanical properties, uniformly crushed oyster-shells are blended with cement and sand to

make soil mortar specimens. Compressive strength characteristics of the soil mortar specimens

are examined in terms of varying blending ratio of sand and oyster-shell dosage to suggest a

critical dosage of oyster-shell where the compressive strength of mortar mixture soil is

comparable to that of normal cement mortar.

The MEV photomicrographs for commercial CaCO3, mussel and oyster shell are shown

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in Figure 2. It is observed that both the oyster and mussel shells (Figure 2a,b, respectively)

contain higher concentration of fine particles and there is also some presence of larger particles

which lead to more heterogeneous distribution compared to the commercial CaCO3 (Figure 2c).

These results are also being observed in particle size distribution curves of Figure 1. The shape

of the oyster and mussel shells particles is more irregular than commercial CaCO3.

Oyster shell is chemically consist of 95% calcium carbonate,3.5% silicate and a trace of

other elements like aspartic Acid, Glycine, Calcium Phosphate, Zinc, Manganese, Aluminum etc.

Chemical and microstructure analyses showed that oyster-shells are predominantly composed of

Calcium Carbonate with rare impurities.

Compressive strength tests for soil mortar specimens with varying blending ratio of cement,

water, sand, and oyster-shell were compared with normal cement mortar. There was no

significant reduction in the compressive strengthup to 40% of dosages of oyster-shell instead of

sand. The experimental results demonstrate that oyster-shells can be resources ofpure calcareous

materials and effective in replacement of sand, indicating promising reusable construction

materials.# 2002 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

III. Limitation

The mussel and oyster shells are discarded into the environment. The improper disposal

of solid waste from shellfish cultivation decreases water oxygen and microalgae that are

responsible for the nutrition of mussels and oysters, thus hindering the growth of these shellfish.

Concern about the destination of oyster and mussel waste is not only observed in Brazil.

In Korea, for example about 300,000 t of oyster shells are generated annually. The Korean

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government, concerned with public health, financed a project to increase recycling of this waste,

because if this waste has been left untreated for a long time, it can be a source of nasty smell as a

consequence of the decay of flesh remnants attached to the oyster or the microbial decomposition

of salts into gases such as NH3, H2S and amines5

However, the efficiency of waste disposal compared to a large expenditure on the plant

construction comes into question so that it is an urgent need to seek for another

methodeliminating massive oyster-shell waste (Yoon et al., 2001; Yoon and Kim, 2001).

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 PLASTIC

I. Background of plastics in brick making

In developing nations like the Philippines, the population increases the garbage and wastes. The

country is currently in an unsolved garbage congestion problem. Despite of the different

programs led by the government and different organizations to ease the dilemma, the problem

still continues to rise.

Plastic is the primary cause of the garbage congestion in the country. Although using

plastic is now part of the modern life, people don’t realize the harm it does to the environment

and how it negatively affects the human health. Because plastics never break down, some

researchers studied and discovered that it could be a substitute in making bricks.

A researcher named Peter Lewis created an innovative machine that transforms discarded

plastic bottles and bags into building blocks. The rock-hard bricks could be used for garden

retaining, landscaping walls, and other interesting uses such as shock absorbers behind crash

barriers. The researchers came up with the idea to use waste materials in making concrete blocks

instead of chemicals to make it stronger and cheaper.

II. Properties

Plastic is innovative and adaptable. It provides solutions to design problems. Also, plastic

is a pioneer of economic, ecological, and social progress. Many technological developments

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would not be possible without plastic. Plastic can take on many shapes. Its applications are

nearly infinite. To make plastics with specific applications, additives are used such as pigments,

impact modifiers, antistatic agents, etc. Because of its characteristics, plastic has allowed

innovation that improves existing products and creates new ones that optimize the quality of life

and minimize environmental impact.

Plastics are synthetic organic high polymers. It is important to know the general properties

of plastics to make use of this an engineering material. It must be noted that each plastic material

has its own peculiar properties to suit the various uses. Hence, the success of plastic as an

engineering material for a particular purpose depends upon the correct choice of the variety.

II.a. Strength

Plastics are sufficiently strong and can be used for load bearing

structural members. The strength of plastics can be further increased by

reinforcing them with various fibrous materials.

II.b. Weather Resistance

Most plastic products are prepared from phenolic resins which are only

good in resisting weather effects. Certain plastics are seriously affected by

ultraviolet light.

II.C. Dimensional Stability

Plastic maintains its shape and do not go under deformations.

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 II.d. Chemical Resistance

Plastic offers great resistance to moisture, chemicals, and solvents.

Many plastics are found to possess excellent corrosion resistance. Also, it is

used to convey chemicals.

II.e. Miscellaneous Properties

In addition, plastics have following qualities.

Plastics are available in different varieties of colors. They possess

excellent insulating properties which makes them useful as electric

insulators. They have good optical and sound absorption qualities.

III. Limitation

Today, one can hardly look around and not spot an item that is made entirely of plastic or

has plastic ingredient. This only proves that from its inception up to now, plastic has managed to

become a popular building material of millions of useful items. Still, plastic has several

disadvantages that prevent it from becoming a universal building block of modern human

civilization. Because of that, the government strictly controls its use and creates laws that govern

its creation, recycling and impact in the environment.

III.a. Durability

Plastic is light, moldable, sturdy, and can have countless forms, but

one of the most known features is its durability. Plastic is artificially

created polymer compound which can survive many centuries before

nature is able to degrade it (some degrade into basic ingredients and some

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 only divide into very small pieces). This troublesome ability of plastic

doesn’t have great immediate impact on our environment, but its

continuous dumping into seas and land will eventually create problems for

future generations. Even with all this durability, plastic products are not

indestructible and it cannot be used as a basic building block for

everything we need.

III.b. Environmental Harm

Ever increasing plastic production since 1950s managed to saturate

the world with waste plastic product that can cause big effects on our

environment. Decomposing of plastic product can last from 400 to 1000

years with newer “degradable” compounds, but before that degradation

can happen waste plastic will continue to clog our waterways, oceans,

forests, and other natural habitats that are filled with animals who mistake

dangerous plastic for food. Chemical dangers are also high, because both

creation and recycling of plastic produce toxic materials of many kinds.

III.c. Chemical Risk

Not only that creation and recycling of plastic can cause serious

environmental risk, but some of the additives that are infused in plastic

can cause permanent harm to our metabolism. Chemicals such as

phthalates and BPA are widely used as an additive that prevents degrading

of plastic structure, but they also interfere with our natural hormone levels

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 which can cause serious problems to both male and female (lower

testosterone levels in men, and premature girl puberty).

III.d. Choking Hazard

Plastic is one of the most popular building materials for small items.

This is most evident in toy industry, where vast majority of children toys is

manufactured with plastic. These toys and small plastic objects of many uses can

easily get into children’s hands (especially babies and toddlers) that

unknowingly put them in their mouth. To prevent these serious accidents,

governments have implemented detailed set of rules which force manufacturers

to clearly label their plastic products and warn users of the possible chocking

potential. Another problematic plastic product that can cause serious injuries or

death are plastic bags (grocery or trash bags)who can sometimes end up wrapped

around children faces, disrupting their breathing.

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 FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY

III. Cost Estimate

MATERIAL QUANTITY PRICE

A. SAND 5 sacks (25 kilos per sack) P 500 per sack x 5 = 2500
B. OYSTER SHELL 125 kilos P 15 per kilo x 125 = 1875
C. PLASTIC 125 kilos P 18 per kilo x 125 = 2250

I. a. Sand

A sack of sand costs estimate 350-800 Php, depending on the properties it possesses. The

price may differ in stores but haggling could further decrease the price. Sometimes being too

parsimonious have its downsides like buying the cheapest kind just because of how low the price

is. The average price of a sack of sand is 500php. This kind already has the properties needed to

make bricks.

I. b. Oyster Shell

A kilogram of oyster shell costs 15Php. The price is a lot cheaper than buying a sack of

sand and it has some of the properties present in sand. The price is low because the consumers of

oysters usually treat the shells as trash. Even though these shells are considered as waste, you can

innovate it and make it profitable.

I. c. Plastic

A kilogram of plastic costs 18Php. The oyster shells and plastics in any form are also

treated as garbage after some time. This causes its cheap price. Also, plastic has a disadvantage

that could be treated as an advantage in this case, its non-biodegradability. Environmentally

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speaking, plastic could harm our ecosystem in a superlative way. But this project will utilize this

property of plastic to increase the longevity of the bricks.

IV. Cost Comparison

As clearly stated on the cost estimates, oyster shells and plastics have lower

prices than sand. With this in mind, it would be more economical to use oyster shells and plastic

than sand in making bricks.

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 CONCLUSION

The use of oyster shell and plastic as substitutes of sand in manufacturing bricks is the

main purpose of this study. This alternative in brick making is considered a solution to the

increasing prices of construction materials. Also, it lessens the problem in garbage disposal for

discarded oyster shells and non-biodegradable plastic waste. Furthermore, it promotes the use of

native materials in making cement blocks, which is low cost,compared to synthetic or chemically

manufactured ingredients.

When used as a cement replacement, the chemical composition of burnt oyster shell

contains similar calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide phases as compared to lime. Calcium

carbonate does not take part in the hydration process of cement to form structural components;

calcination of oyster shells to drive off the carbon reduces CaCO 3 to CaO which is preferential

for the reaction of cementitious products.

As clearly stated on the cost estimates, oyster shells and plastic have lower prices than

sand. With this in mind, it would be more economical and environmental to use oyster shells and

plastic than sand in making bricks.

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