Consultant-Material Testing: Suitability and Sustainability of Recycled Plastic as a Building Material at Habitat for Humanity International

Scope of Work

The scope of the assignment includes:

• Selection of Recycled Plastics: Commonly available building materials with recycled plastic content will be selected from participating companies.
• Testing Parameters: Conduct a comprehensive series of tests to evaluate the mechanical strength, durability, thermal properties, fire resistance, and environmental impacts of the recycled plastics.
• Comparison with Traditional Building Materials: Compare the test results of recycled plastics with conventional building materials, such as concrete, steel, and wood, to assess their performance and potential advantages.

Testing Methods

Material properties: assessment of physical and mechanical properties of recycled plastic as building materials including but not limited to the following:

• Tensile Strength Test: Measure the tensile strength and elasticity of the recycled plastic samples using a universal testing machine.
• Flexural Strength Test: Evaluate the flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of the recycled plastic specimens.
• Impact Resistance Test: Assess the impact resistance of the recycled plastics to determine their ability to withstand sudden loads.
• Water Absorption Test: Measure the water absorption capacity of the recycled plastics to evaluate their resistance to water ingress and potential degradation.
• Fire Resistance Test: Conduct fire resistance tests to assess the combustibility and flame spread characteristics of the recycled plastics.
• Durability: Assessing durability including but not limited to resistance to weathering and degradation under UV light.
• Thermal conductivity: determine the thermal conductivity of recycled plastic materials to understand their insulation properties.
• Environmental Impact Analysis: Perform a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the overall environmental impact of using recycled plastics as building materials.
• Safety: The potential health and safety hazards associated with using recycled waste plastic as a construction material including but not limited to flammability, toxicity, and chemical reactions/emissions
• Identification of appropriate safe handling procedures including but not limited to personal protective equipment during the collection, sorting, recycling, installation, and disposal.

Test Specimens:

• Prepare standardized test specimens of recycled plastics in accordance with relevant international standards. Ensure that the samples are representative of the commonly available recycled plastics in the market. The specimens will be collected from partnering companies and will mainly focus on roofing sheets, walling system (column, beam and blocks and paving blocks.

Testing Procedures

• Follow established testing procedures and relevant international standards for each test method. Ensure that testing is conducted in a controlled environment to obtain accurate and reliable results.

Data Collection and Analysis

• Record all test data and observations meticulously. Analyze the results to determine the mechanical, physical, and environmental properties of the recycled plastics. Compare the performance of recycled plastics with traditional building materials.

Conclusion & Recommendations

• Summarize the findings of the material testing and assess the overall suitability of recycled plastics as building materials. Highlight the advantages, limitations, and potential applications of recycled plastics in the construction industry. Based on the test results, provide recommendations for the responsible use of recycled plastics in building projects and suggest possible areas for further research and improvement.

Deliverables

Expected deliverables include,

• Detailed final study report
• A summary of the findings
• A comprehensive Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for building materials made from recycled plastic waste.
• A detailed final study report with recommendations for application of recycled plastic waste as a building material.

Timeline

• Provide an estimated timeline for completing the material testing and provide a budget for the resources required for the successful execution of the study. The selected firm will work collaboratively with HFHI staff throughout all stages of the work and shall hold regular progress update meetings.

It is expected that the selected firm will begin work by October 1st, 2023, with a completion date of January 31st, 2024.

Key Competencies

Only firms meeting the following are eligibility will be considered:

• Demonstrated experience in material testing.
• Knowledge of the Kenya’s construction industry desirable
• Technical knowledge of building standards and environmental assessment
• Strong technical knowledge and expertise of the plastics and recycling process