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- 2059 Poush (old course) · 4 marks
- 2057 Chaitra (old course) · 4 marks
Polymers in building construction
Short answer
Polymers are light, corrosion-resistant, good insulators, and easily moulded, but have low stiffness, poor fire resistance, and UV degradation. In buildings, PVC is used for pipes and window frames, polyethylene for tanks and DPC, polystyrene for insulation, acrylic for glazing, epoxy for coatings, and FRP for panels.
Write the properties and uses of polymers in building construction.
Polymers (plastics, rubbers, resins) are very widely used in building.
Properties
- Light weight and high strength-to-weight ratio.
- Good resistance to water, chemicals, corrosion and rot.
- Good electrical and thermal insulation.
- Easily moulded and can be made in many shapes and colours.
- Low cost and low maintenance.
- Low stiffness and softening with heat; thermoplastics creep and lose strength at high temperatures.
- Poor fire resistance (they burn and give toxic smoke) and weathering by UV rays unless stabilised.
- Thermal expansion is larger than for metals.
Uses in building
| Polymer | Use |
|---|---|
| PVC | Water and sewer pipes, conduits, window frames, flooring, wire insulation |
| Polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE) | Water tanks, DPC sheeting, cable ducts, geo-membranes |
| Polystyrene | Thermal insulation boards |
| Acrylic (PMMA) | Skylights, sign boards, glazing |
| Polyurethane | Foam insulation, sealants, paints |
| Epoxy | Adhesives, floor coatings, repair of concrete |
| Phenolic and melamine | Laminates, switches, doors |
| Fibre-glass reinforced plastic (GRP) | Panels, tanks, roof sheets |
| Synthetic rubber | Gaskets, waterstops, flooring |
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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