GOAL: To produce a product which has similar physical properties, to concrete, by using plastic as the main material.

What? Action? How? When? Notes/ Follow up

IQ1
What are the Research both online  Finding reliable sources AUG19 – OCT 8 Learning & Questions:
processes and and physical regarding (newspapers/governmental
properties of the properties of webpages/ scientific  properties of the material,
concrete? cement. organizations web pages) including it´s corrosion
and taking notes on most resistance, tension
important things. resistance, thermo
properties, and biological
 Finding magazines, images resistance (weather
and videos which can humidity).
illustrate/describe
important things to answer  Investigating which
the questions. Links will methods exist to improve
and sources will be the properties presented.
provided

To do:
- Brainstorm ideas on
which materials could
imitate these properties.

- Take some of the

materials which are
 sustainable for the final
product.

Online/physical  Finding reliable sources AUG26 – OCT 18 Learning & Questions:

research of the (newspapers/governmental
processes of concrete webpages/ scientific  Processes, including basic
organizations web pages) materials and different
and taking notes on most chemical and physical
important things. processes for production.
Details like temperatures,
 Finding magazines, images and hydration processes
and videos which can must be named.
illustrate/describe
important things to answer  Investigating after
the questions. Links will understanding the
and sources will be environmental impacts of
provided the process, which
processes exist that have a
lower carbon footprint.

 Investigating how can the

processes improve the
properties.

To do:
- Brainstorm ideas on
processes that could be done
to achieve a similar
compound.
Conducting an  Utilizing different lab OCT 21
experiment with equipment’s to hydrate the
different additives in material and perform other
order to test how they physical or chemical
affect the properties. procedures.
 Utilizing different tools to
measure performance
resisting compression and
tensile resistance, as well
as resistance to biological
conditions.
Interview to Pre – Since professional engineers work
Moldeados S.A. to at this factories, they can provide
understand the this information because of their
materials and method experience and knowledge.
they use
Learning & Questions:
Understanding how different
additives affect the properties of
the material
Investigate what level of
hydration and what temperature
do they require
Understanding how they affect
the properties specially
strength/resistance.
To do:
This information was provided by
a series of papers on chemical
admixtures, to the experiment
was not done.
NOV 15 Learning & Questions:
- Are the methods sustainable?
- Do they have corporate
responsibility?
- What materials do they use
to improve the properties?
- What products do they do?
To do:

Interview to Luciano  Asking questions
Popó to see which  taking notes.
methods could be
applied for testing
IQ2
What are the Research both online Finding reliable sources
properties and and physical regarding (newspapers/governmental
processes of plastic the properties of webpages/ scientific organizations
plastic. web pages) and taking notes on
most important things.
Finding magazines, images and
videos which can
illustrate/describe important
things to answer the questions.
Links will and sources will be
provided
Take the company as an example
to be applied for the final
product.
NOV 18 Learning & Questions:
- Does the school have the
necessary equipment?
- Does someone in Cali have it?
- How expensive is it?
- Are there alternatives?
To do:
- Research cheap and useful
methods that suit my
resources.
SEP 19 – NOV 1 Learning & Questions:
 properties of the material,
including it´s corrosion
resistance, tension
resistance, thermo
properties, and biological
resistance (weather
humidity).
 Investigating the ways in
which the properties
could be improved for one
purpose or another.
  Analyse using your
knowledge on the
properties of concrete,
which types of plastic
could be suitable for
producing a polymer that
presents similar properties
to the ones concrete has.

To do:

Develop ideas on the change that

can be done to a determined
plastic to be able to improve the
properties, and take into account
both safety and environmental
implications.

Brainstorm which types of plastic

may be used for the final product
depending on the properties they
show.

Online/physical Finding reliable sources SEP 20 – NOV 15 Learning & Questions:

research of the (newspapers/governmental
processes of plastic webpages/ scientific organizations  Processes, including basic
materials and different
web pages) and taking notes on
most important things.
Finding magazines, images and
videos which can
illustrate/describe important
things to answer the questions.
Links will and sources will be
provided
chemical and physical
processes for production.
Details like temperatures,
and hydration processes
must be named.
 Investigating the social
and environmental impact
of of some of production
processes.

 Investigating how could an

alteration in the process
reduce these impacts
and/or aid to enhance
better properties.

To do:

Brainstorm which of the

processes could be applied to the
final product. Take into account
the security and environmental
implications.

Develop ideas on which processes

could improve the properties of a
plastic.
Conducting an Utilizing different lab equipment in DEC 1 Learning & Questions:
experiment where order to perform it safely.
plastic the shape of a  To find a polymer that can
series of plastic is be used for the product.
altered with heat.
 To see how by altering the
shape the mechanical
properties are aloes
altered.

To do:

Evaluate the result to choose the

polymer that presents the best
mechanical properties.

Interview to a Since professional engineers work DEC 14 Learning & Questions:

company which at this factories, they can provide Learning in depth how the
produces/recycles this information because of their Recycling process works
plastic experience and knowledge.

To do:
Compare it with the online
research, and take ideas for final
product.

Interview to Luciano Asking questions taking notes. NOV 29 Learning & Questions:
Popo to discuss how to What methods exist for this.
 determine the polymer
that composes a plastic

To do:
Finding disposable plastics at
home and finding out what
polymer they are composed of
using the table provided to me by
Luciano which is in the internet.

IQ3
How could plastic be Online research Watching videos and reading SEP 19 – DEC 16 Learning & Questions:
altered regarding exiting articles, taking note on the most
chemically/physically alternatives, where important things. - What other components
to become similar to plastic is used as a base do they add?
concrete? to construct - What temperatures do
they use?

- What plastics do they use?

- What machines do they

use?
- What are the risks and
estimated costs?

To do:
Evaluate which methods could be
used given taking into account
the resources understanding,
safety and sustainability.
Interview with Luciano Proposing questions based on past JAN 10 Learning & Questions:
Popo to discuss the research. - What equipment could be
procedure that could used for having a safe and
be done to make the sustainable method?
product - What materials could be
used to make the
composite?

To do:

- Brainstorm ideas to be
able to have a method and
fulfil the criteria
- Gather materials.

Interview to company Proposing questions Learning & Questions:

who builds furniture
utilizing plastic and Taking notes  What is the chemical
natural waste fibbers. reaction occurring
(DISECLAR) between the two
materials?

 How does your process

work specifically?

 Which types of plastics are

used?

 What are the costs?

  What machines are
required (thinking of how
they could be replaced at
the school´s level).

To do:
The company did not cooperate
with an interview, so all the
information was taken from their
webpage and a documentary.
Online/printed Reading and taking notes on most OCT – DEC 1 Learning & Questions:
research investigating important things.
which - Different temperatures?
factors/aggregates - What processes?
could affect the - What is the change
properties of plastic so occurring in the material?
that it acquires some - Are properties obtained to
of the properties the level required for the
presented by concrete project?
- What aggregates could be
used?
- What conditions do they
require to react?

To do:
- Brainstorm with this
information possible ideas
for the method and
aggregates. Evaluating
these ideas and making
 connections between
them.

Conducting an Observing which one makes the JAN 5 Learning & Questions:
experiment with composite with the best - Make conclusion for the
different natural mechanical properties. data.
fibbers. - Select a natural fibber for
the final product basing
myself on this data.

To do:
- Choosing the fibber that
makes the composite
present the best
properties.
Product – Brainstorming which With advisor´s help/digitally or in DEC 15 Learning & Questions:
experimentation procedures/aggregates paper.
post initial research could be applied  Which aggregates and
added. Justifying why their required process
basing on previous have the less negative
research. environmental and social
impacts?

 Which aggregates could

be added to the mixture
to achieve properties
similar to the one´s
concrete has?

Investigating their Digitally and printed research. Done on previous Learning & Questions:
structure/method to research. What is their organic structure?
see how they could be Could the backbone be altered?
manipulated. If yes, how?
Can it react with a certain
material? What conditions does it
need to react?

Describing how the Individually or with advisor in JAN 2 What is the chemical/physical
material would react paper or digitally. change occurring?
with plastic and how it
could affect it´s What effect would it have on the
properties. properties?
 What contribution makes the
aggregate towards improving the
strength/resistance properties.

Calculating possible With advisor´s help, using research JAN 9 Evaluating the choose procedures
risks and costs in the as a tool. utilizing the following factors to
chosen substances and choose
processes.
- How expensive is the
material and the process?
- Do I have the machinery
to perform the process?
Can I replace it?
- How likely is it for the
process to work?
- How environmentally and
socially safe is the
process?
- Is it safe for me to
perform the process given
the work conditions?
Experimenting with the With proper lab equipment’s and JAN 22 - Using supervision
chosen substances by taking quantitative and - Proposing the necessary
qualitative measures. conditions for the
procedure to occur.
Making appropriate Using skills and previous research JAN 24 - Did the reaction occur as
conclusions form predicted?
collected data - Why or why not?
- How was the material
affected physically
chemically?
 - Did it acquire properties
similar to the one´s
concrete has?
- Could the aggregate or the
main material be changed
at the stage to achieve an
even better result? Why?
Evaluating the Using skills and previous research JAN 31 - How safe was the
experimentation experiment?
process - What
environmental/social
negative impacts may it
have?