THE USE OF TETRAPAK PLATES AS A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR CIVIL CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

Due to its strong influence over the economic activities, the civil construction industry is responsible for the large-scale consumption of non-renewable raw materials and by consequence being an important part of any sustainable development model. The recycled materials appear as an option for preservation of resources. The modular system also fits the necessities of the sustainable construction since its operative process results in a rationalization of needed man power, reducing losses, costs and facilitating the insertion of the recycled materials into the market. The objective of this work is to develop a modular constructive system which makes use of cement and sand plates and recycled tetrapak boxes. A project of a standard home of 45 m² of area was developed in way that the walls are modulated using plates of standardized dimensions. These plates were produced with two different thicknesses in order to evaluate their final masses and compression resistances. The results obtained were compared to the NBR 6136 (2008) requisite Blocos vazados de concreto simples para alvenaria - Requisitos. A real model was constructed according to this system to evaluate its durability, resistance to weathering and ambient comfort.