Plastics can be used as building materials due to their beneficial properties such as strength, durability, resistance to water and corrosion, and low cost. There are two main types of plastics - thermoplastics, which soften when heated and harden when cooled and can be repeatedly reformed, and thermosetting plastics, which permanently harden during heating and cannot be remelted or remolded. Common applications of plastics in construction include pipes, cables, flooring, roofing, windows, and structural plastic composites reinforced with fibers.

1. PLASTIC HOUSE

2. THERMOPLASTICS & THERMOSETTING
PLASTICS

3. WHAT ARE PLASTICS?
Plastic is a material consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic compounds that are
malleable and can be moulded into solid objects by applying heat and pressure.
PROPERTIES
• resistance to corrosion and chemicals,
• low electrical and thermal conductivity,
• high strength-to-weight ratio,
• colors available in a wide variety and transparent,
• resistance to shock,
• good durability,
• low cost,
• are easy to manufacture,
• resistant to water,
• have low toxicity

4. ARCHITECTURAL USES OF PLASTICS
Plastic is a material consisting of :
Pipes: Electrical Conduits, Rain Water & Sewage pipes, Plumbing, Gas Distributions.
Cables: PVC Insulation on cables, Insulation Tapes.
Floorings: Flooring tiles & Rolls.
Domes / sky lights: Opaque as well as transparent.
Roofing: Colored or double skinned for insulation.
Windows & doors : Extruded sections for Door and windows and panels.
Storage tanks : Storage tanks. Hardware accessories: Washers, Nut bolts, Sleeves, Anchoring wires.
Temporary structures: Guard cabins, tents
Insulation materials: PVC sheets, insulating membranes.

5. PLASTIC FLOORING
• Hard polypropylene
• Soft PVC.
-durable.
-used for Garages, and Warehouses
-capable of supporting extreme weight loads
-resistant to oils/solvents.
PLASTIC WALLS
• Commercial kitchens
• Bathrooms Washrooms
• Canteen
• Food Processing Areas
• Changing Areas
• Fast Food Outlets
• Food Storage

6. ADVANTAGES OF PLASTIC –as a building material
• Plastics are strong yet lightweight,
• They are durable, knock-and scratch resistant with excellent weather ability.
• do not rot or corrode.
• easy to install,
• offer limitless possibilities in design achieved by extrusion, bending, molding etc.
• They can be given any range of colors by adding pigments.
• The plastics are low conductors of heat and thus are used as insulation materials in green building concepts.
• The plastics products can achieve tight seals.
• They can be sawn and nailed employing standard carpentry tools and skills.
• They can be easily removed and recycled.
DISADVANTAGES
• Plastics may be degraded under the action of direct sunlight which reduces their mechanical strength.
• Many plastics are flammable unless treated.
• unsuitable for load-bearing applications.
• Thermoplastics deform and soften at moderate temperatures.

7. EXAMPLES/CASE STUDIES
Municipal Sports Hall, Spain
Translucent polycarbonate plastic panels with a colorful pixelated backdrop form the walls of this sports hall in Girona,
creating a visually lightweight addition with an ethereal quality that matches the colors of the sky.

8. EXAMPLES/CASE STUDIES
PLASTIC HOUSE –Tokyo, Japan byKengo Kuma
• The house was designed for a photographer and is located in a densely built residential area.
• Plastic was chosen as the material for this building to achieve lightness and openness.
• The plastic strips to the garden fence, the veranda and balcony provide both screening and openness.
• Many other details, from the staircase treads to certain fixings, were also executed in plastic.

9. CLASSIFICATION
Amorphous thermoplastic polymers
• Mostly transparent or translucent
• Low tendency to creep
• Good dimensional stability
• Low tendency to warp
• Tendency to brittleness
• Low chemical resistance
• Sensitive to stress cracking
PROPERTIES
• Thermoplastics have wide ranging properties. Depending upon their
chemistry they can be very much like rubber, or as strong as aluminum.
• Thermoplastics are light weight, with densities of .9 to 2 gm/cc.
• Some high temperature thermoplastic materials can withstand
temperature extremes of up to 600 F, while others retain their properties
at -100 F.
• Most thermoplastic materials are excellent insulators, both electrical and
thermal.
• Multiple cycles of heating and cooling can be repeated without severe
damage, allowing reprocessing and recycling.
• They are soluble in certain solvents and swell in the presence of certain
other solvents.
WHAT ARE THERMOPLASTICS?
Substances (especially synthetic resins) that become plastic on heating and harden on cooling,
and are able to repeat these processes.
A thermoplastic, or thermosoftening plastic, is a
plastic material, a polymer that becomes pliable
or moldable above a specific temperature and
solidifies upon cooling.
Crystalline thermoplastics
• Translucent or opaque
• Good fatigue resistance
• Tendency to toughness
• Good chemical resistance
• Good sliding characteristics
• Wear resistant

10. PROCESSING OF THERMOPLASTICS
4. Blow molding
1. Injection molding
3.Thermoforming moulding
2. Compression moulding

11. WHAT ARE THERMOPLASTICS?
ADVANTAGES:
• high strength,
• Lightweight,
• relatively low processing costs,
• energy efficient both in their manufacture and processing,
• Thermoplastics can replace metals with a considerable weight savings , providing proper care is taken in design. Most
thermoplastics have better fatigue properties than metals and will tolerate larger deflections than metals without
deforming.
DISADVANTAGES:
• Thermoplastics melt. Some degrade in direct sunlight or under high U.V. light levels,
• Many materials have poor resistance to hydrocarbons, organic solvents, and highly polar solvents,
• Many thermoplastic materials, especially composites, tend to fracture rather than deform under high stress levels.
Legoshdpe irrigation pipes

12. USES OF THERMOPLASTICS
ACRYLIC:
• It serves as a sturdy substitute for glass for such items as aquariums, motorcycle helmet visors, aircraft windows, viewing
ports of submersibles, and lenses of exterior lights of automobiles. ,
• It is extensively used to make signs, including lettering and logos,
• In medicine, it is used in bone cement and to replace eye lenses.
NYLON:
Nylon has served as a substitute for silk in products such as parachutes, flak vests and women's stockings. Nylon fibres are
useful in making fabrics, rope, carpets and strings for musical instruments. In bulk form, nylon is used for mechanical parts,
including machine screws, gear wheels and power tool casings.
POLYETHYLENE:
• It is used to manufacture moving machine parts, bearings, gears, artificial joints and some bulletproof vests.]
• High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used to make milk jugs, margarine tubs and water pipes.
• Medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) is used for packaging film, sacks and gas pipes and fittings. Low-density
polyethylene (LDPE) is soft and flexible and is used in the manufacture of squeeze bottles, sacks and sheets.

13. USES OF THERMOPLASTICS
POLYPROPYLENE:
POLYSTYRENE:
• Extruded polystyrene (PS) is used in the manufacture of disposable cutlery, CD and DVD cases, plastic models of cars and
boats, and smoke detector housings.
• Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) is used in making insulation and packaging materials, such as the "peanuts" and moulded
foam used to cushion fragile products.
• Extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), known by the trade name Styrofoam, is used to make architectural models and drinking
cups for heated beverages. Polystyrene copolymers are used in the manufacture of toys and product casings.
• Polypropylene (PP) is useful for such diverse products as reusable plastic containers, diapers, sanitary pads, ropes,
carpets, plastic mouldings, piping systems, car batteries, insulation for electrical cables and filters for gases and liquids.
• In medicine, it is used to repair hernias and to make heat-resistant medical equipment.
• Polypropylene sheets are used for stationery folders and packaging and storage boxes.

14. USES OF THERMOPLASTICS
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE:
TEFLON:
It is famous as a coating for non-stick cookware. Being chemically inert, it is used in making containers and pipes. It is also used
as a lubricant to reduce wear from friction between sliding parts, such as gears, bearings and bushings.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a tough, lightweight material that is resistant to acids and bases. Much of it is used by the
construction industry, such as for vinyl siding, drainpipes, gutters and roofing sheets.
• It is also converted to flexible forms with the addition of plasticizers, thereby making it useful for items such as hoses,
tubing, electrical insulation, coats, jackets and upholstery.
• Flexible PVC is also used in inflatable products, such as water beds and pool toys.

16. STRUCTURAL PLASTIC
REINFORCED PLASTICS :
They are a recent class of composite materials in which the low modulus and temperature limitations of plastic is overcome by
reinforcing it with fibres of high modulus.
Reinforced plastics, also known as polymer-matrix composite (PMC) and fibre reinforced plastics (FRP), consist of fibres (the
discontinuous or dispersed, phase) in a polymer matrix (the composition phase). These fibres are strong and stiff and they
have high specific strength (strength-to-weight ratio) and specific stiffness (stiffness-to-weight ratio). In addition, reinforced-
plastic structures have improved fatigue resistance, greater toughness and higher creep resistance than similar structures
made from steel.
• Structurally engineered thermoplastics are an excellent alternative to metal in applications where strength, dimensional
stability, and toughness are important.
• Structural compounds offer dramatic improvements over neat resins in stiffness, tensile strength, load-bearing ability, and
other properties — including short-term temperature resistance.
types of fibres-
Glass fibre material
Carbon fibre
Aramid fibre material
Glass fibre aramid fibre Carbon fibre

17. USES:
• Tensile forces stretch the matrix more than the fibres, causing the material to shear at the interface between matrix and
fibres.
• Tensile forces near the end of the fibres exceed the tolerances of the matrix, separating the fibres from the matrix.
• Tensile forces can also exceed the tolerances of the fibres causing the fibres themselves to fracture leading to material
failure.
Reinforced plastics find extensive use in many fields,
• such as automobiles and
• corrosion-resistant equipment like fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks, vessels, etc.
DISADVANTAGES:
ADVANTAGES:
• FRP allows the alignment of the glass fibres of thermoplastics to suit specific design programs.
• Specifying the orientation of reinforcing fibres can increase the strength and resistance to deformation of the polymer.

18. PLASTIC LAMINATES
Decorative laminate is commonly used to surface kitchen counters, table tops, and cabinetry because of its resistance to stains,
scratches, and heat
Plastic laminate is a composite building material made from kraft paper, resin, and adhesives. Multiple layers of kraft paper
are soaked in resin, then pressed together at high levels of temperature and pressure to form a single sheet. Plastic laminate
adhesive or resin is then used to add a decorative paper or melamine top layer. Finally, a protective urethane top coat, or
wear coat is added to enhance strength and durability.

19. THERMOSETTING PLASTICS:
Once heated and moulded, these plastics cannot be reheated and remoulded. Cannot be reheated and reformed.
Consequently, they tend to be difficult to recycle
• Rubbers,
• adhesives –epoxy,
• syntax gloves,
• erasers,
• baking moulds,
• balloon,
• condoms
• Insulation of electric cables
USES:
PROPERTIES:
• Epoxy- Water and heat resistant,
• Polyurethane- Tough and water resistant, -foam- used as insulation material- floors and roofs
• Scratch resistant and a very good electrical insulator,
• Lightness and toughness.

20. MOLECULAR DIFFERENCE GENERAL DIFFERENCES