An innovative structural and energy retrofitting system for URM walls using textile reinforced mortars combined with thermal insulation: Mechanical and fire behavior

Recycling of Nonwoven Polyethylene Terephthalate Textile into Thermal and Acoustic Insulation for More Sustainable Buildings

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13183090 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 3090

Author(s):

David Antolinc ◽

Kristina Eleršič Filipič

Keyword(s):

Thermal Conductivity ◽

Thermal Insulation ◽

Water Glass ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Acoustic Properties ◽

Glass Dissolution ◽

Acoustic Insulation ◽

Added Water ◽

Materials Used ◽

The Impact

The construction and building sector is responsible for a large share of energy and material used during the life cycle of a building. It is therefore crucial to apply a circular economy model within the process wherever possible to minimize the impact on the environment. In this paper, the possibility of producing thermal and acoustic boards from industrial nonwoven waste textile is studied and presented. The nonwoven polyester textile obtained directly from the production line in the form of strips and bales was first shredded into smaller fractions and then in the form of pile compressed with a hot press to form compact thermal insulation boards. The first set of specimens was prepared only from waste polyester nonwoven textile, whereas the second set was treated with sodium silicate in order to check the material’s reaction to fire performance. The experimental work was conducted to define the acoustic properties, reaction to fire behavior and thermal conductivity of the produced specimens. The obtained results show that the thermal conductivity coefficient of specimens without added water glass dissolution is near to the values of conventional materials used as thermal insulation in buildings. The reaction to fire testing proved that the addition of water glass actually propagates the progressive flame over the entire product. It can be concluded that the presented thermal insulation can be used as an adequate and sustainable solution for building construction purposes.

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Verification of the Influence of Loading and Mortar Coating Thickness on Resistance to High Temperatures Due to Fire on Load-Bearing Masonries with Clay Tiles

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma12223669 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (22) ◽

pp. 3669

Author(s):

Rodrigo P. de Souza ◽

Fernanda Pacheco ◽

Gustavo L. Prager ◽

Augusto M. Gil ◽

Roberto Christ ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Temperatures ◽

Thermal Insulation ◽

Fire Resistance ◽

Coating Thickness ◽

Fire Behavior ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

The Face ◽

Fire Curve ◽

Resistance Decrease ◽

Clay Tiles

Masonry has been widely used as a construction method. However, there is a lack of information on its fire behavior due to the multitude of variables that could influence this method. This paper aimed to identify the influence of loading and mortar coating thickness on the fire behavior of masonry. Hence, six masonries made of clay tiles laid with mortar were evaluated. The mortar coating had a thickness of 25 mm on the face not exposed to high temperatures, while the fire-exposed face had thicknesses of 0, 15, and 25 mm. For each mortar coating thickness, two specimens were tested, with and without loading of 10 tf/m. The real-scale specimens were subjected to the standard ISO 834 fire curve for four hours, during which the properties of stability, airtightness, and thermal insulation were assessed. Results showed that loaded specimens yielded smaller deformations than unloaded ones. Samples that lacked mortar coating on the fire-exposed face underwent fire resistance decrease of 27.5%, while the ones with 15 mm decreased by 58.1%, and the ones with 25 mm decreased by 41.0%. As mortar coating thickness increased, the plane deformations decreased from 40 mm to 29 mm and the thermal insulation properties of the walls improved significantly. For specimens with mortar coating thickness of 25 mm, the load application resulted in a reduction of 23.8% of the thermal insulation, while the unloaded specimen showed a decrease of 43.3%, as well as a modification of its fire-resistance rating.

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