Methods of Research (CIV 450)

Research Proposal
CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1.1 INTRODUCTION
In general, the construction industry is moving at a rapid rate as an upshot of rising population
and way of living. Performance advanced artificial materials for construction such as glass fiber and
carbon fiber reinforced composites and many others are available in the market nowadays. More so
over, such materials are mostly used for high technology applications and have a high costs.
For this reason, lightweight but high-strength wood and other wood based composite boards
are still the favored option for construction due to their reasonable and much affordable costs. On the
other hand, the surge in the endless demand for wood will lead to deforestation and this growing
shortage of wood is the reason to the development of suitable alternative materials for construction.
Particle board also known as particleboard and chipboard are wood product made from chips
of wood or sawdust. It is mixed with glue or resin then, under pressure and heat, pressed into uniform
sheets. Particle board is used in building construction and furniture making. It comprises lignin,
cellulose and hemicellulose components.
Fibrous material is one of the component of Particle board and some root crops are considered
fibrous one of this is Cassava which is considered as third largest source of food carbohydrates after
rice and corn and some of parts of it are just merely disposed. Cassava stalk takes 44% of the whole
plant (Kuiper., et al 2007). It contains the components needed in the production of particle board.
Cassava stalk is rich in lignin which it makes a wood "woody" and improves its rigidity.

Recently, many infrastructure/structures in the Philippines are greatly destroyed by fire. It is

one of the most common problems because of inevitable use of combustible materials like wood which
greatly affects not only the economy of the country but also the living of the people as well. Due to this
problem, some innovations have been made to use fire retardant chemicals to lessen the effects of fire
to the structures and by these means it has expanded the use of wood in construction and provided
significant safety to occupants of wooden buildings. One of the possible chemical that can be added to
other material to make it fire retardant is what we called Boric acid. Boric acid which is also called
hydrogen borates, is already use in the market as pest control, wood preservation, and an effective
flame retardant in products like wood, plywood, textile products, cotton, paper and cellulose.
Thus, the researchers focus to improve the production of particleboard by making it as fire
retardant resources. It is by means of waste cassava stalk as raw material bind with Urea
Formaldehyde added by boric acid to make it fire retardant. The researchers foreseen that the newly
created particleboard will be suitably designed to withstand its structural integrity during a fire for an
adequate period.

1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Chronic burden on forest resources have enunciated the need for complete usage of
such. One of the expanse of the forest manufactory which has been notably effectual with this regard
is the mass production of particle board.
In line with the above statement, demand in the particle board means more forest materials to
be used and because of this the researchers think of a new suitable material in making particle board
to lessen the deforestation state in the Philippines.
Although deforestation state is continuously happening in the present time, Phillipines can still
be considered as one of the country which is rich in forest products and because of this different root
crops are found in country. One of the abundant crops is Cassava (Manihot Esculenta) and it is
commonly called as Kamoteng Kahoy or balinghoy.
The researchers found out that once the root crop is harvested the other parts of cassava is
then ready for disposal and one of this is the stalk or the stem.
Cassava stalk waste has been burned in the fields, and thereby creating pollution. It is used as
animal feed ingredient in the form of chips and pellets which is common in Asia. It is also used as a
component in making paper products, used for manufacturing of cartons, boxes and other packing
materials. Cassava stalk takes 44% of the whole plant (Kuiper., et al 2007).
The possibility of utilizing cassava stems for the manufacture of particle board has recently
been investigated. Waste cassava stem has shown some properties that are similar to wood filled
composites. Therefore, the cassava stem can be used as an alternative component in making particle
board.

A survey of the literature shows that one of the main limitations of using wood particleboards
for industrial and institutional applications is their flammability, as wood is a naturally growing material
that consists mainly of combustible organic carbon compounds. Wood particleboards are widely used
nowadays, especially in buildings, furniture, and cabinets. Fire-retardant treatment of wood and wood
particleboards is therefore a crucial precautionary measure. However, only limited fire resistance can
be achieved in wood, because no wood material is completely fireproof. Many studies have
investigated the effectiveness of various fire retardant treatments on wood and wood particleboards.
For example, the use of a solution containing urea, phosphoric acid, and ethanol as a fire retardant for
wood resulted in excellent fire retardation (Basson and Conradie 2001).
Boric acid is an ingredient in several other products, such as flame retardants, glass, and
ceramics. Boric acid is a common household and commercial chemical. Boric acid is found in
insecticides, wood preservatives, eye wash, glass and fiber glass, and in motor oil. Boric acid is a
natural mineral with a chemical formula (H3BO3 ). The IUPAC name for boric acid is trihydroxidoboron.
It also is known as hydrogen borate, boracic acid, orthoboric acid and acidumboricum. It is one of the
most important boron compounds. Boric acid has many uses on its own, plus it is an ingredient in other
products. It may be use as an insect killer, particularly in roach killing products and as mothpreventative (10% solution on wool), fungicide, household cleaner.
As a result of increasing concern with fire safety, modern building codes have developed
specific requirements for fire performance of construction materials. With greater use of particle board
and building construction there is greater need for the development of an effective fire retardant
treatment for this product.
Although there is appreciable knowledge on the use of fire retardants with solid wood,
plywood, and textile, there is comparatively little information on their application to particle board
thats why the researchers focus on the use of Boric acid as a fire retardant compound material to

particle board since it has been used as an additive fire retardant material on other products like
drapes, clothings, rugs, blankets, paper products and wood products.
For this study, the researchers will use Cassava stem as a substitute to wood chips and/or saw
dust, Urea Formaldehyde as binder and Boric acid as a fire retardant additive to come up with a new
process in making particle board and probably will result to a much better performance compare to
the traditional particle board.

1.3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Particle board- is a panel product made

up of small wood particles and other
fibrous materials. These are bonded
together with suitable adhesive and
cured by heat and pressure.

Composed of wood
chips, wood shavings
andsawdusts.

Added with

Replace with

Cassava stalk is rich in

lignin which it makes a
wood "woody " and
improves its rigidity.
.

Fire resistive
Cassava stalk
Particle board

Figure 1.1 Conceptual Framework of the study

Boric acid (H3BO3 ) - a weakly

acid crystalline compound derived
from borax, used as a mild
antiseptic and in the manufacture
of heat-resistant glass and
enamels.

1.4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1. What is the optimum percentage content (0%, 8%, 16%) of Boric acid for a 85:15 ratio of the
Cassava stalk(85%) and Urea-Formaldehyde (15%)that will yield physical and mechanical
properties based on the Philippine National Standard for Particle Boards?
2. Will the produced particleboard be efficient as an interior ceiling board in accordance with the
Philippine National Standard for Particle Board?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The researchers aim to consider that this study will be beneficial to 4 aspects:

First is for the Environment. As the cultivation of cassava increases that only implies that more
cassava stalks are available for disposal, the researchers will use recyclable waste materials such
as Cassava Stalk as main component in making particle board.

Next is for the Construction because the use of Boric acidwill be of great help in fire retardant
aspect of the particle board.

The other one is for Business and Economy; this study may be able to provide an effective
alternative to the existing particle board in the market and may be considered as one of the few
commercial fire retardant particle board in the future.

Lastly, to the future researchers which may use this study as their reference in improving and
developing their paper works and this will serve as their baseline of information concerning the
characteristics of particle board.

1.6 SCOPE AND DELIMINATION

1. The test procedures conducted for evaluating particle board properties will not include Sound
Proofing tests.
2. The researchers will used American Standards for Testing of Materials (ASTM D 1037-99), (D
5651 95a) and (E 2257 03) as reference for testing procedures and Philippine National
Standard Specifications for Particle Board as a governing standard for the obtained results.
3. The researchers will attempt to manufactureparticleboard that will be used as a single-layer
regular interior ceiling board with 30cm length by 30cm width by 12 mm thick and density of
0.8g/cm3.
4. Aside from the fire applications recommended by FPRDI, the proponents are not concerned
with other fire applications.
5. The samples will be bind using Urea Formaldehyde 15% with respect to the sample weight.
6. The Boric acid with the following percentage: 0%, 8% and 16% will be mixed with respect to the
total weight of 85% Cassava stalk and 15% Urea Formaldehyde.
7. The sample Cassava stalk will be purchased in Porac, Pampamga.
8. Urea Formaldehyde will be purchased at Resin Incorporated Ortigas, Pasig city.
9. As part of procedure , the samples willbe dried initially in room temperature for 2 days.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. ASTM- American Standards for Testing of Materials. ASTM International, formerly known as the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), is a globally recognized leader in the
development and delivery of international voluntary consensus standards.
2. Boric acid- Substance that develops the fire retardant quality of particle board
3. Cassava Stalk- also called as Cassava stem
4. Cellulose - is a wood pulp property of a material, mostly found in plant-based material.
5. Cultivars- short for cultivated varieties, stems that have been propagated through stem cutting
6. Fire Retardant- is a substance that reduces flammability of fuels or delays their combustion.
7. Fire resistance-means the ability of building components and systems to perform their intended fire
separating and/or loadbearing functions under fire exposure.
8.FPRDI-Forest Products Research and Development Institute. The Laboratory was established in
response to the need for information and technology on the utilization of timber resources as
well as non-wood forest products.
9. HemiCellulose- found in soft and hardwood trees and it is also more complex than a sugar and less
complex than cellulose.

10. Internal Bond Strength-It is a test to determine the bonding strength of the particle board by
binding with resin adhesive.
11. Lignin- a complex organic polymer deposited in the cell walls of many plants, making them rigid.
12. Particle board- is an interior-use engineered wood panel product, manufactured from wood
particles.
13.Resin- used to bond wood waste materials into particleboard
14.Urea-formaldehyde-resin- is an adhesive used in particleboard which is low cost and reacts rapidly
to form a strong bond.

15. Thickness Swelling-Test- is to determine the swelling of particle after being soak in water after a
certain period of time.
16. Water Absorption- is a test to determine the water absorption characteristics of the particle
boardafter being soak in water in a certain period of time.

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