Thermal behavior of walls insulated with polystyrene

Abstract

Objective: This research determined the thermal behavior in walls coated with polystyrene (beads). Methods: The methodological study is applied type, quantitative approach, non-experimental design of descriptive level. The materials used for its execution were those that make up the mortar (water, aggregate, cement) in addition to the polystyrene beads; it is also worth mentioning that a thermo-hygrometer was used for recording internal temperature data of the prototypes; the samples were two prototypes at a scale of 1:20 representing a house; one coated with conventional mortar and the other with modified mortar. Results: They verified that the addition of 9% with expanded polystyrene (EPS beads and/or expanded polystyrene) in relation to the aggregate (fine aggregate) in a dosage of 1:4 (water: cement ratio) of mortars for wall plastering provides thermal insulation properties to the walls internally coated with this modified mix design. Conclusion: The wall coatings with the proposed modified mix design in the research show better thermal behavior compared to a conventional or traditional mortar design for wall plastering, thus confirming that the thermal behavior in walls coated with polystyrene is optimal and/or effective.