About EPS Panels
Discover the most revolutionary innovation in Construction
Expanded Polystyrene Panels or EPS Panels are a type of insulation material used for the construction of low to medium-rise buildings and as filler walls in high-rise RCC and steel frame buildings. In this technique, a core of undulated polystyrene is covered with interconnected zinc-coated welded wire mesh on both sided reinforcement and shortcrete concrete.
The panels are finished on site by pouring concrete (double panel, floors and stairs) and spraying concrete to realize the different structural elements i.e. Vertical Structural Walls, Horizontal Structural elements (slabs, floors) and non structural cladding elements.
Unrivalled Benefits
Advantages
As a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to traditional methods, EPS Panel is an excellent choice for many insulation and construction applications.
Load carrying capacity
Numerous lab tests, performed in different parts of the world, have highlighted the high load carrying capacities of the panels which after compression testing with centred load performed on a single finished panel, 2700mm high, have shown that they withstand a maximum load of up to 1530 kN/m ≈ 153 ton/m. The Monolithic joints of the building system provide a high level of structural strength to buildings
Seismic Performance
The prototype houses tested using both artificial and natural accelerograms with peak values over 1.0g, came through unscathed. Buildings made using panels are
particularly lightweight, so have a low seismic mass, but are at the same time rigid due to two sheets of reinforced plaster that interact to create an enveloping ‘shell’ of the whole structure.
Thermal Behaviour
The thickness and density of the panel can be customised to deliver specific thermal insulation requirements. Furthermore, the EPS core extends throughout the surface which makes up the building envelope eliminating thermal bridging.
For example, a wall with a 80 mm core and finished thickness of about 150mm provides the same thermal insulation as an insulated solid masonry wall of about 400mm, with obvious advantages in terms of additional space.
Acoustic Behaviour
The panel has good acoustic behaviour, coupling with sound-absorbing materials (such as plasterboard, cork, coconut fibre, rock wool, etc.), further optimizes the acoustic insulation of walls.
Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
The insulating envelope provided by polystyrene core eliminates thermal bridges and ducts within the panel. This brings high level of energy efficiency. The system provides significant improvements in indoor thermal comfort by greatly reducing energy consumption and promoting strategies aimed at sustainable development.
Fire Resistivity
The expanded foam polystyrene used for panels is self-extinguishing and is perfectly encased by layers of reinforced concrete as external coat to sides of the panel and inhibit combustion. Fire resistance has also been verified in tests performed in various laboratories. For instance, a wall erected using a 80 mm core single panel with 150 mm thickness provides REI* 150 fire resistance, which means that for 150 minutes, the panel can resist fire for 150 minutes with respect to load bearing capacity, integrity and insulation.
Cost-effective
Compared to traditional products, panels achieve far better results, at considerably reduced cost. The speedy construction represent additional savings.
Rapid Installation
The system has been used in many countries worldwide. The construction experiences using the system show a marked reduction in construction time compared to traditional building methods. Panels are industrialized, and for this reason, assembly processes are optimised, labour is significantly reduced, and construction time decreased
by roughly 40%.
Lightness, Ease of Transport and Handling
Being light weight and rigid, panels are both easy to handle and transport even in the most adverse conditions. Prior to an application of shortcrete, a panel weighs between 3.5kg/m2 to 5 kg/m2 which means that a single worker can easily handle a 3 m2 wall, that is, a panel as high as the storey height.
Versatility
The building system gives full design flexibility as it offers a complete range of building elements such as loadbearing walls, curtain walls, floors and stairs. The panels are easy to use in the construction of any type of structure, and can be shaped to any geometric requirement i.e. flat or curved by simple cutting the panels at site.
Compatibility with Other Existing System
It is an extremely versatile building system which is completely compatible with all other existing construction systems; in fact, panels are even suitable for completing reinforced concrete or steel structures. In addition, panels can be easily anchored to other construction elements, such as steel, wood, and pre-stressed concrete.
Blast Resistance
A series of tests has been carried out on a variety of panels finished with different types of high strength concrete. These tests were conducted using a powerful explosive, in a test
chamber optimized to produce a uniform shock waves on the face of the panels. The panels performed excellently withstanding explosions of 29.5 tons/m2
Wide Choice of Finishes
Buildings constructed using panels can be completed in a variety of finishes, or can be painted traditionally on smoothed plaster. The surface of the walls has the appearance of a thin sheet of reinforced plaster that can easily accommodate all types of wall coverings including stone tiles and rain screen cladding
Cyclone Resistant
Laboratory tests conducted on buildings, to determine the resistance of cyclone impact and damage caused by windborne debris confirm the strength of the building system
against such loads. Building constructed in cyclone prone area have shown very high resistance to cyclonic wind.
Eps Panels
Production Process
Construction Industry has long relied on EPS Panels because of their technical versatility, high performance, cost-effectiveness, and excellent insulation properties. The production process involves:
Pre-expansion
Polystyrene grains are expanded by steam in order to form larger grains consisting of closed cells.
Conditioning
Even after expansion, beads contain condensed vapor and pentane gas in small amounts. As the pores cool, air gradually diffuses into them, replacing partially the above components.
Molding
Beads are then molded to form boards, blocks, or other products. By using a mold, you can shape the desired product and keep the pre-foam in place. In order to allow expansion to happen again, steam is used to cause each bead to fuse with its neighbor.
Shaping
When the molded block has cooled slightly, it is removed from the machine and conditioned before being cut using a hot wire element or another appropriate method.
Post-production-processing
The finished product can be laminated with covering materials, such as foils, plastics, roof felts, fiber-board, or wall claddings.
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