INFLUENCE OF EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS) ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MORTAR

• Main Author: PRIMADESTA PRIMUHARKO (NIM :10509020) ; Pembimbing Prof. Dr. Buchari, S.A.
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/19426
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Mortar is a type of concrete that is often used as an adhesive to hold bricks together. Many <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> studies are being conducted to explore concrete materials with the aim of strengthening, <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> softening, increase its flexibility and other various modifications. This study will explore <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> mortars made from a mixture of cement, sand, water and expanded polystyrene to see how <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> its physical properties are affected when expanded polystyrene (EPS), in the form of beads <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> or shreds, are added. Mortar samples with dimensions of 3 cm × 3 cm × 3 cm were made by <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> mixing the four materials with varied expanded polystyrene composition. Mortars that have <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> been created are then physically tested under four different conditions. For the first <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> condition, the mortars have not been given any special treatment. This resulted in mortars <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> that could withstand a maximum compressive strength of 15.98 MPa with 0.02% EPS beads <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> and 23.69 MPa with 0.03% EPS shreds and a minimum compressive strength of 4.38 MPa <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> with 0,10% EPS beads and 14.11 MPa with 0.12% EPS shreds. For the second, third and <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> fourth conditions, mortar samples were soaked in H2SO4 0.1 M, NaOH 0.1 M and water. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Curing in acid, base and water caused the compressive strength to increase, with a maximum <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> of 43.69 MPa (0% EPS beads cured in H2SO4 0.1M for 28 days) and a minimum of 4.59 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> MPa (0.12% EPS beads cured in NaOH 0.1 M for 7 days). Characterisation of mortar <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> samples made was done using infrared spectroscopy (IR) and scanning electron microscope <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> (SEM).