To what extent has the RMG industry helped in Bangladesh’s sustainable development goals?

THE IMPACT OF FACEBOOK INFLUENCERS ON MILLENNIALS PURCHASING BEHAVIOURS DURING THE COVID-19 PERIOD THEME 2: BRADFORD GLOBAL CHALLENGE (UN-SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS – SDG12)

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5/10/22
General comment: Please revise:

Interview questions must be revised:
“Writer has not sectioned the themes with it
He needs to section the questions in themes”.
Feedback is not addressed:
“Can the writer make the dissertation credibility model on attractiveness, trustworthiness and expertise plz? And
then develop interview questions on the concepts.”
It means that a significant part of the dissertation should be rewritten.

Research objectives may be adjusted (115 words)
Theoretical framework should be redone (435 words), with new conceptual map
Results should be rewritten fully (1980 words)
Discussion + Conclusion and Recommendations may be adjusted as well (1666 words) due to the changes in
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Map, matrix and research report about two learners

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There are 3 things in this paper- ecological map, matrix( table) and report analysing each learner. All should be
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Examining the impact of competitiveness influencers on destination competitiveness: An investigative study of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) destination competitiveness as an accessible tourism destination

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Writing analysis chapter in the Phd thesis
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Analysis needs to use advanced techniques such as CFA and SEM-AMOS.
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supervisor asked me to follow the structure of his analysis, it seems 20 pages are too short. Please note that this
will be the final draft of analysis chapter will send it to supervisor and my supervisor will not give me more time
to fix again and again so it suppoused to be perfect with no other comments or mistakes.
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chapter you did so it suppoused to be connected to each other. i know it is totally new analysis but of course it is
editing of the brevious one. So at least some parts supposed to be in.
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Construction Panelling using recycled plastics and waste – rice husk

CONSTRUCTION PANELLING USING RECYCLED PLASTICS AND WASTE RICE HUSK

by [Name]

Course

Professor’s Name

Institution

Location of Institution

Date

Executive Summary

The proposed research seeks to build upon current knowledge through an experimental investigation of a new material made from recycled plastics and waste rice husks for construction panels. The study focused on achieving the following objectives; to analyse the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks; to investigate the relationship between rice husk fibre ratios and tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption; to compare the mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. The polymer composite material will be developed using the standard synthesis procedures. The rice husk loading factors and recycled plastic ratios will be varied to determine the optimal ratio that yields the best mechanical strength and least water absorption. The impact of different rice husk loading factors on tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption predicted the commercial suitability of the construction panel specimens. The ASTM D 3039 is identified as the best material characterisation procedure for composite materials.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary. 2

Background Information. 4

Climate Change, Global Warming, Population Growth and Biomass-based Materials. 5

Rice Husk Fillers in Composite. 5

Research Problem.. 6

Research Question. 7

Research Aim.. 7

Research Objectives. 7

Scope. 7

Chapter Outline. 8

Literature Review.. 8

Rice Husk and Plastic Composite Materials. 9

Mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks. 11

Matrix Properties and Reinforcement of Polymers with Rice Husk. 12

Cost-Benefits of Rice Husk Biomass in Polymer Composites. 13

Gaps in Literature. 16

Experimental Set-up. 18

Materials Characterisation. 19

Work Plan. 20

Ethical Considerations. 22

Benefits and Limitations of the Methodology. 22

Conclusion. 22

References. 23

List of Figures

Figure 1 Tensile strength of rice husk fibres (Bisht, Gope and Rani, 2020) 10

Figure 2 Chemical constituents in rice husk waste (Bisht, Gope and Rani (2020) 11

List of Tables

Table 1 Comparative analysis of the chemical composition of rice and coconut husk. 13

Table 2 Relationship between the rice variety and the mechanical properties. 14

Table 3 Research work plan. 20

Background

The background information section highlights the impact of global warming, population growth, and agricultural intensification on the availability of biomass materials including rice husk, which is a suitable filler material for construction composite materials. The section also reviews the impact of different plastic and composite material ratios on mechanical strength, and water absorption. The preliminary outcomes drawn from the background information would help guide the literature review.

Climate Change, Global Warming, Population Growth, and Biomass-based Materials

The emerging concerns about global warming and climate have contributed to the demand for eco-friendly materials to replace the current non-renewable alternatives (Arjmandi et al., 2015). Beyond climate change and global warming, the global population growth was anticipated to catalyse agricultural intensification by 70-110% between 2005 and 2050 to satisfy future demand (Mauser et al., 2015). Cropping intensity and advanced agricultural practices would lead to a higher generation of biomass waste from crops.

The availability of large quantities of biomass waste could help catalyse the development of reinforced polymer composite materials. Based on this worldview, agricultural intensification would have a positive impact on the valorisation, and transformation of biomassinto valuable products, including products, fuels, chemicals, materials, and investments in energy-from-waste technologies (Mauser et al., 2015). The observations made by Mauser et al. (2015) were corroborated by (Daramola and Ayeni, 2020) and (Zaman et al., 2017). Since the production of biomass would increase with agricultural intensification, the development of sustainable and renewable materials for construction purposes, including panels for partition, was a practical option.

Rice Husk Fillers in Composite

The use of risk husk fillers in composites can be traced back to the 1970s (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020). The scope of application had increased as researchers explored new applications. Mosaberpanah and Umar (2020) noted that rice husk was an ideal partial replacement for concrete to create ultra-performance concrete (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020) while (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). and ingredient for animal feeds (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). However, the proposed study will focus on the mechanical properties of the material for construction-related purposes.

The selection of rice husk in place of other biomass sources was justified given the material was affordable, widely available, and exhibited high specific strength, low density, and biodegradability (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020). The disposal of rice husks is a challenge in Australia and other countries with large rice farms, considering that 160 million tons of the product are released into the environment each year (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020). The estimates provided by (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020) were comparable to Chen et al. (2021), who estimated that about 150 million tons of rice husk were generated each year.

Considering that the value addition of rice husk waste was poorly developed in Australia, rice growers in major rice-producing regions such as South-Eastern New South Wales practised field burning (Quayle, 2016). In selected cases, the rice husk waste was incorporated into animal feedstock (Paethanom and Yoshikawa, 2012). Burning rice husk waste is not a sustainable option considering the process releases pollutants into the atmosphere. Beyond rice husks, Australia generates and other developed countries generate millions of plastic waste each year. Cumulatively, 400 million tons of plastic waste are generated yearly, and most are disposed of in landfills and oceans (UNEP, 2022). The scale of plastic pollution justifies the need for value addition, recycling, and conversion of waste into high-value materials.

Research Problem

Even though extensive research has been conducted on construction panels produced using waste rice husks and recycled plastics, there is inconclusive evidence on whether it was possible to optimise the modulus of elasticity (MOE) and reduce water absorption while maintaining high tensile strength, modulus of rapture, flexural strength and impact strength (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Racca et al., 2018; Yamin et al., 2018). Most studies affirmed that the enhancement of mechanical properties involved a tradeoff with performance under different conditions.

Research Question

Does the rice husk fibre ratios influence the mechanical strength of composite construction panels made from recycled plastics and waste rice husks?

Research Aim

The review aimed to synthesise current knowledge relating to the development of construction panels using recycled plastics and waste rice husk and inform future research on the development of advanced composites for construction panels.

Research Objectives

To analyse the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks.
To investigate the relationship between rice husk fibre ratios and tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption.
To compare the mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride.

Scope

The proposed study focuses on rice husk biomass as a filler material for polymer composites for construction panels. The choice of rice husk led to the exclusion of other sources of biomass such as bamboo, algae, and fruit peel waste. The scope of the experimental process encompassed the purchase of rice husk waste from rice producers in New South Wales. The plastic materials were sourced from garbage collection companies; this process was followed by polymer composite materials synthesis. The practical utility of the materials in construction was predicted by the tensile strength, yield strength, and flexural strength; analysis of the surface and cross-section morphology using the SEM and TEM instruments; and determination of the water absorption characteristics.

Chapter Outline

The research proposal has three chapters, namely the introduction, literature review, and methodology. The theoretical background for the study and the fundamental objectives concerning the optimisation of the rice husk and recycled plastic ratios and questions were presented in the introduction chapter. The literature review appraised different experimental data to determine the optimal ratios and loading factors for the rice husk materials. In addition, the chapter outlined the gaps in the body of knowledge.

Literature Review

The literature review builds upon the current body of knowledge presented in the introduction with a greater emphasis on the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks, the link between rice husk fibre ratios and tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption, and mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride. The object purpose of the literature review was to address gaps in the body of knowledge and derive new insights and perspectives, which would guide the implementation of the study objectives. The gaps drawn from the research were listed in the final section of the study.

Rice Husk and Plastic Composite Materials

The utility of composites made from recycled plastics and rice husks for construction-related purposes such as in-house partition was assessed based on the following criteria: fire resistance, water absorption, density, flexural and tensile strength in line with established mechanical testing standards (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Yamin et al., 2018). The review contributed new insights on the value addition of plastic waste and rice-derived biomass; this is critical to the conservation of the environment and the reduction of the carbon footprint.

The accumulation of non-biodegradable plastic waste materials had a detrimental effect on soils and the environment, as noted by Yamin et al. (2018) and Maddah (2016). Extensive research has been conducted on composite materials made from recycled plastic and waste rice husks with variable results. For example, Ismail, Yassen, and Afify (2011) prepared rice straw fibre-reinforced polymer composites. The materials had a flexural strength of about 400N and impact strength of approximately 3.8 J/cm². The performance of the composite was dependent on the polymer – Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based composite materials that had higher flexural strength relative to the polystyrene polymers (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011). In contrast, composite materials made using rice husk fibres had a tensile strength of 20-35 MPa and Young’s modulus above > 5,000 MPa (see Figure 1) (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020). The mechanical properties affirm the suitability of the composite for construction-related applications.

Figure 1 Tensile strength of rice husk fibres (Bisht, Gope, and Rani, 2020)

The performance of the rice husk fibres exceeded alternative materials such as talc composites. Talc is a widely used filler material with a high aspect ratio that reinforces the thermal and mechanical properties of the polymers. Despite the advances made in the development of advanced composites from different biomass materials, the enhancement of the mechanical properties often involves a tradeoff with the thickness, swelling, density, and the modulus of rupture (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Racca et al., 2018; Yamin et al., 2018). The challenge has persisted with the generation of new materials. Considering that low water absorption and high tensile strength, and flexural strength were vital requirements for durable materials, there was a need for further research and development. In contrast to Ismail, Yassen, and Afify (2011), Yamin et al. (2018) developed an advanced composite material, which integrated oil palm empty fruit bunch in addition to the waste plastics and rice rusks for optimal modulus of elasticity (MOE) and lower water absorption.

Mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks.

Composite materials made from recycled plastic and rice waste husks had variable tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption. The variations were attributed to the different weight proportions of plastics and rice husk fibres. The current body of knowledge advanced distinct narratives about the phenomena. For example, Bisht, Gope, and Rani (2020) noted that the incorporation of rice husks translated to a significant improvement in mechanical properties. The microstructural changes that contribute to the robust performance can be linked to the high cellulose (35%) and hemicellulose content (25%) (see Figure 2). The chemical composition was dependent on controlled pyrolysis conditions, given organic matter is removed (Severo et al., 2020); this would compromise the mechanical performance of rice husk-based composite materials for construction purposes.

Figure 2 Chemical constituents in rice husk waste (Bisht, Gope and Rani (2020)

Based on the data, it could be deduced that pyrolysis temperatures predicted the chemical characteristics of the value-added product. A contrary phenomenon was observed at 700 ^oC (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). The effect of temperature on the chemical properties of rice husk waste documented by Nwajiaku et al. (2018) was in agreement with Paethanom and Yoshikawa (2012), who noted that at a higher temperature, there was a notable decline in the biochar yield.

Matrix Properties and Reinforcement of Polymers with Rice Husk

Even though rice husk waste is rich in organic compounds such as cellulose and hemicellulose (Severo et al., 2020), the trace levels of sodium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium oxides, and chemical composition changes in the polymer structure had a pronounced effect on the impact strength, flexural and tensile strength as noted by Ismail, Yassen and Afify (2011) and Yamin et al. (2018). For example, metal oxides and silica predict the electrical conductivity and pH of the biomass-derived material (Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020). The observations made by Bisht, Gope, and Rani (2020) and Mosaberpanah and Umar (2020) were corroborated by other scholars, including Nwajiaku et al. (2018). However, in the latter case, the chemical composition of the rice husk waste varied with exposure to different pyrolytic temperatures (Nwajiaku et al., 2018). At temperatures of about 300 ^oC, the content of silica, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and carbon increased.

A comparative analysis of the metal oxides in rice husk and other biomass indicates that the former had higher levels of manganese, iron, magnesium, and aluminium oxides (see Table 1) (Zaman et al., 2017). The phenomena were attributed to the methods of rice husk pyrolysis, soil characteristics, and harvest conditions (Severo et al., 2020). The oxides predicted a metal adsorption capacity and chemical composition, and mechanical behaviour of the rice husk-plastic composite material for constriction purposes.

Table 1 Comparative analysis of the chemical composition of rice and coconut husk

Oxide composition	Rice husk ash (%)	Other biomass (%)
MnO	0.2	0.0
CaO	0.0	0.3
K₂O	1.5	4.8
Fe₂O₃	0.5	0.2
MgO	0.5	0.0
SiO₂	69.8	72.3
TiO₂	1.3	1.9
Al₂O₃	1.3	0.9
P₂O₅	0.3	0.6
Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃	1.7	1.0
SiO₂ + Al₂O₃ + Fe₂O₃	71.6	73.4
LOI	8.2	9.3

Source: (Zaman et al., 2017)

Aluminium, magnesium, silicon, calcium, and iron reinforced the mechanical properties, particularly the tensile strength (Saravanan and Kumar, 2013). The positive link between metals and tensile and flexural strength reported by Saravanan and Kumar (2013) was corroborated by Muni et al. (2019), who attributed the changes to specific weight compositions (6-10% wt). However, impact strength was lower with higher reinforcements, given that reinforced composite materials were less ductile compared to the non-reinforced materials.

Cost-Benefits of Rice Husk Biomass in Polymer Composites

Even though there was strong evidence in support of the integration of rice biochar, contrasting evidence was presented in the literature. Arjmandi et al. (2015) and Yiga et al. (2021) argued that the incorporation of rice husk did not automatically translate to a statistically significant improvement in mechanical strength. The arguments made by Arjmandi et al. (2015) and Yiga et al. (2021) could be attributed to the risk husk varieties – long grain, short grain, hybrid, and organic golden rose medium grain (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). Each rice variety had a unique diameter of the external protrusions, grain length, thickness of the epidermis, epidermis fibre length, and wall thickness (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018), which in turn, predicted the mechanical behaviour.

The data presented in Table 2 affirmed that organic short grain rice husk had the lowest specific strength (11 MPa), followed by the medium grain (18 MPa). In contrast, the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain had significantly higher specific strength (>60 MPa) and tensile strength (135 MPa) (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). On the downside, there was no comparative data from other literature. Yiga et al. (2021) reported the performance of different varieties of rice husk, namely K85 and K98, which are distinct from the medium, long, and short-grain varieties studied by Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar (2018). Following the review of the mechanical properties of different rice husk types, the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain were best suited for constructing panels due to their desirable mechanical properties. However, it remains unknown whether the high mechanical properties would remain unchanged with the incorporation of recycled plastic materials.

Table 2 Relationship between the rice variety and the mechanical properties

Rice type	Maximum load	Ultimate tensile strength (MPa)	Tensile modulus (GPa)	Density	Specific strength (MPa)	Specific modulus (GPa)
Organic long grain	8.7 ± 2.2	106 ± 25	1.5 ± 0.5	1.8 ± 0.5	59 ± 14	0.8 ± 0.3
Organic golden rose medium grain	8.3 ± 4.7	135 ± 41	1.8 ± 0.5	2.0 ± 0.4	68 ± 21	0.9 ± 0.3
Organic short grain	2.7 ± 0.7	19 ± 9	0.4 ± 0.1	1.8 ± 0.4	11 ± 5	0.2 ± 0.1
Hybrid long-grain texmati	12.1 ± 3.7	136 ± 39	2.0 ± 0.4	2.1 ± 0.3	65 ± 19	0.9 ± 0.2
Medium grain	2.6 ± 0.9	28 ± 9	0.9 ± 0.4	1.6 ± 0.1	18 ± 6	0.5 ± 0.2
Long grain	7.7 ± 2.9	134 ± 32	2.6 ± 0.5	1.9 ± 0.3	71 ± 17	1.4 ± 0.3
Nylon 6¹⁸	–	78	2.4	1.13	69	2.1
Polylactic acid¹⁹	–	44.5	3.1	1.3	34.2	2.4

Source: (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018)

Considering that the mechanical properties of the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain were higher compared to polymers (Nylon and Polylactic acid), the loading factor for the former in the composite should be higher. The proposal was in line with Yiga et al. (2021), who recommended a risk husk loading factor of 10-30%. Similar percentages were reported in other experimental studies on rice husk-reinforced polymer composites (Yamin et al., 2018; Mosaberpanah and Umar, 2020). However, there was no standard loading factor. This means the loading factor and ratios should be customised to achieve the desired tensile strength. However, contrasting evidence suggests that the rice husk fibre loading factor did not have a uniform effect on the tensile strength.

Morales et al. (2021) reported a loss in tensile strength. The phenomena were attributed to absent/limited chemical bonding between the rice husks and the polymer chain matrix (Morales et al., 2021). Additionally, the large surface energies contributed to the loss in the tensile strength. Various material modifications were proposed to enhance the mechanical properties, including the incorporation of carbon fibre as filler material and water and PLA with alkaline-treated rice husk fiber (see Table 3); this led to the development of rice husk–filled carbon-reinforced hybrid polymer composites (Jena, Das, and Mohapatra, 2021). The mixed effect of the rice husk loading factors on the tensile strength of the polymer composites informed the optimisation experiments for the polymers.

Table 3 Experimental study of recycled panels including rice husk

Material	Tensile strength	Tensile modulus
PLA	7.35	–
PLA with alkaline-treated rice husk fiber	39	52
PLA and starch	14.25	0.225

Source: (Arjmandi et al., 2015)

Gaps in Literature

The following gaps were observed in the literature. First, there was inadequate data comparing the mechanical properties of long-grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk before and after the addition of recycled plastic waste. Second, there was limited comparative data about the mechanical properties of K98 and K85 rice husk versus long grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk; this had an impact on the proposed study considering different rice varieties were cultivated in Australia.

Conclusion

The literature review provided useful insights into how the rice husk fibre and polymer ratios, loading factors, and varieties influenced the mechanical strength of composite construction panels made from recycled plastics and waste rice husks. Considering that different studies focused on the development of unique materials with context-specific applications, there was no universal loading factor. The ratios were predicted by the desired application of the material. Additionally, the literature review confirmed that it was practical to enhance the mechanical properties of panels made using recycled plastic and waste rice husks through the optimisation of the rice husk fibre ratios to achieve desirable tensile strength and flexural strength modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption.

Methods

Introduction

The proposed methodology focused on the optimisation of the mechanical performance of panels made using different polymer materials such as PVA, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and rice varieties, particularly the long grain and organic golden rose medium grain, to achieve optimal tensile and flexural strength and minimal water absorption. An experimental approach will be recommended because there was limited data about the desired loading factor and the impact of rice husk variety on the mechanical strength of the composite panels.

Research Design

Moissenko et al. (2016) described a research design as a plan of action employed to answer specific research questions. In the current case, the primary question was whether the material of interest had satisfactory mechanical strength compared to the existing materials. The proposed research will employ an experimental research design. According to (Panchal and Szajnfarber, 2017), experimental research designs helped to test scientific hypotheses and develop theories. The experimental research design was aligned with past studies on rice husk fiber and polymer composite materials (Arjmandi et al., 2015; Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). The experimental setup is reviewed in the next section.

Experimental Set-up

The experimental setup was aligned with established standards for rice husk and recycled waste material characterisation and testing.

Material Collection

The rice husk materials were collected from rice-growing areas in New South Wales. A key focus was on the comparison of the K95, K85, long grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk. As noted in the preceding sections, it was necessary to compare the performance of different varieties of rice husks, including long, medium, and short-grain, hybrid, and organic golden rose medium grain because each variety had a distinct tensile strength (Chen, Xu, and Shivkumar, 2018). The rice husk was cleaned off any organic debris and then shorted and dried to remove the excess water. Following the drying process, the samples were ground and labelled before mixing to achieve the desired loading factor. As noted in the literature review, the optimal loading factor varied between 10 and 30%. The theoretical evidence will guide the preparation of the polymer-rice husk ratios.

Materials Characterisation

The material characterisation experiments were conducted in line with the ASTM D 3039 standard for assessing the tensile strength, Poisson’s ratio, and tensile modulus of composite materials, which used extensometers and strain gauges with or without moisture loading at different temperatures. The performance of K95 and K85 rice husk will be compared against the long grain and organic golden rose medium varieties to establish, which had superior mechanical properties. The ASTM D 3039 test helped to predict the force needed to break the bonds in a polymer composite specimen and the force required to stretch and elongate the specimen up to a breaking point (ASTM International, 2014; Intertek, 2022). The ASTM D 3039 standard was preferred in place of the ASTM D 638 for plastic materials and other standards for rice husk materials (ASTM International, 2014; Jena, Das, and Mohapatra, 2021). The adoption of a uniform standard will enhance the reproducibility and reliability of the proposed methodology.

Beyond the mechanical properties, other material properties performance of the polymer composites were evaluated using microscopy techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tunnelling electron microscopy (TEM), which are liable instruments used to determine the surface and cross-sectional morphologies. The choice of the microscopy techniques is informed by past scholarly studies (Sahiner, 2014; Iyer, Zhang, and Torkelson, 2016). The surface and cross-sectional morphologies and particle shapes and sizes of the virgin and mixed polymer materials will be assessed using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). FTIR instrument will facilitate the determination of the functional groups after functionalisation, while nitrogen sorption measurement will help determine the polymer’s surface properties.

Work Plan

The proposed research will be conducted in line with the work plan presented in Table 4. According to the work plan, the first step of the research will encompass a preliminary research review and sourcing of the raw materials from rice fields and recycled plastic disposal sites. The next phase of the research will involve lab-based synthesis of composite materials with different loading factors of rice husk and polymers. The third phase of the study will be material characterisation to assess the tensile strength, yield strength, and flexural strength; analysis of the surface and cross-section morphology using the SEM and TEM instruments; and determination of the water absorption characteristics. The last phase of the study will be the compilation and write-up of the final results and the presentation of the data.

Table 4 Research work plan

Activity	Months
	May	June	July	August	September	October
Preliminary research review and sourcing of the raw materials from rice fields and recycled plastic disposal sites.
Laboratory-based synthesis of composite materials with different loading factors of rice husk and polymers.
Material characterisation to assess the tensile strength, yield strength and flexural strength. Analysis of the surface and cross-section morphology Analysis of the water absorption characteristics
Optimisation of the mechanical properties
Research report/thesis write-up

The proposed work plan suggests that the research activities will commence in May 2022. The proposed six months duration might change depending on the availability of the precursors for the composite materials and laboratory infrastructure, among other unforeseen circumstances. The research window will be adjusted accordingly in line with the research plan activities.

Ethical Considerations

The principal ethical issue of concern was a conflict of interest in the optimisation of the modulus of elasticity (MOE), water absorption, high tensile strength, modulus of rapture, flexural strength, and impact strength (Ismail, Yassen, and Afify, 2011; Racca et al., 2018; Yamin et al., 2018). A researcher’s professional judgement during research might be compromised by financial and personal considerations (University of California, 2022). The issue will be addressed through self-funding of the research; this would help to ensure that external stakeholders had no undue influence on the research outcomes.

Benefits and Limitations of the Methodology

The proposed experimental study will have mixed benefits. On the other hand, the experimental approach will contribute new knowledge and insights beyond what is presented in the literature. The new evidence would help establish whether the enhancement of mechanical properties involved a tradeoff between performance and the optimal rice husk fibre ratios needed to achieve desired mechanical strength of composite construction panels. On the other hand, the preparation and characterisation of composite materials were time and resource-intensive. Additionally, there was a risk of errors in instrumentation linked to calibration and sampling errors.

Conclusion

The proposed research will contribute new insights into the utility of recycled plastics and waste rice husk materials in construction panels. In contrast to past scholarly studies, the proposed research will focus on the mechanical properties of the K95, K85, long grain and organic golden rose medium grain rice husk varieties in polymer composites. The scope was justified by the gaps relating to the tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, density, and water absorption of different rice husk varieties in different polymers such as PVA, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride given that different polymer ratios, and pyrolysis temperature had a distinctive impact on the composite materials mechanical strength. The focus on biomass-derived fillers for construction materials is anticipated to catalyse the production of affordable and durable materials.

References

Arjmandi, R. et al., 2015. Rice Husk Filled Polymer Composites. International Journal of Polymer Science, 2015, pp. 1–32. doi: 10.1155/2015/501471.

ASTM International, 2014. ASTM D3039/D3039M-08: Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials. [Online] Available at: https://www.astm.org/d3039_d3039m-08.html [Accessed 20/04/2022].

Bisht, N., Gope, P. C. and Rani, N., 2020. Rice husk as a fibre in composites: A review. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Materials, 29(1), pp. 147–162. doi: 10.1515/jmbm-2020-0015.

Chen, R. et al., 2021. Sustainable utilization of biomass waste-rice husk ash as a new solidified material of soil in geotechnical engineering: A review. Construction and Building Materials, 292, p. 123219. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123219.

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The shortage of skill in the construction industry in the UK

Project proposal

Title: The shortage of skill in the construction industry in the UK.

Contents

Problem specification. 2

Background. 2

Aim of study. 3

Research question and objectives. 3

Literature Review.. 3

Construction Industry in UK.. 3

Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours. 4

Training and Recruitment Issues. 6

The number of apprentices entering the sector 8

Ageing Factor 9

Recessions affect the skill shortage. 9

Methodology. 10

Research philosophy and approach. 10

Research technique and procedure. 10

Methods of data collection and analysis. 11

Sampling. 11

Sampling based on the industry. 11

Sampling based on the year of experience. 11

Sampling based on gender 11

Sample size. 12

Time period of research. 12

Ethical considerations. 12

Consent of the organisation. 12

Consent of participant 12

Anonymity. 13

References. 14

Problem specification

The title of the project clearly stated the area of interest for the research. This research is based on analysing the shortage of skills in the construction industry in the UK.

Background

The shortage of skills in the construction sector has been under debate for the past three years as construction industries have faced a lot of issues related to the decline of the skills in the construction industry. Skilled people are always required in every field and every sector demands skilled people for carrying out smooth operations in the business. The construction industry is considered to be one of the main sectors in the UK in which the majority of the population of the UK is employed. Different people from different backgrounds are being employed at various positions in construction companies (Díaz et al., 2021). It has been seen that in recent year’s construction industries has been facing a shortage of skills as the people who are being hired in the construction companies are not well-trained. Factors that are causing a shortage in the skill in the construction industry include no proper training to the employees by which they can enhance their skills to be a part of the construction company (Adaloudis and Roca, 2021). According to the office for national statistics, the employment rate in the construction sector has been decreased from 2.4 million to 2.1 million in the last three years. This shows that four per cent in employment has been decreased in UK-born workers and almost forty per cent decline has been seen in EU workers. It has been also considered that the ageing workforce is one of the main reasons behind the shortage in the construction industry. When the workers reach the age of retirement, it becomes very difficult for the companies to hire new people who are equally competent and skilful as the old employees. The skills of the workers in this field are very important and it demands potential workers to compete for the tasks. Many operators in the construction sector have reported a shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector.

This research question has great significance as it will give a new dimension for the researchers to analyse the factors which can help in enhancing the skills of the workers. This research will be used by future researchers in the construction industry to develop new strategies for helping this sector in terms of the enhancement of the skills of the workers. It is really important to consider all the factors which can lead to the shortage of skill in the constriction sector as it can lead to great loss in this sector (Badi et al., 2021).

Aim of study

The study aims to highlight the factors which are causing a decline in the skill in the construction sector and how the skill of employees can be enhanced in the construction sector.

Research question and objectives

The research question for the research are as:

What are the different factors which are the main cause behind the decline of skill in the construction industry?
What are the different factors which must be considered for enhancing the skills of the employees in the construction industry?

The research objectives for this research include:

To highlight the importance the skilled workers in the construction companies
To highlight the factors which are causing the shortage of skill in construction companies
To highlight the factor which can help in enhancing the skills of the employees in construction companies.

Literature Review

Construction Industry in the UK

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced its latest predictions for how many additional construction employees the industry will need to hire. After accounting for productivity gains and changes in task mix, the total for the five years from 2021 to 2025 is 217,000. These will help to increase the number of people working in the business while also compensating for those who will quit. The economic data that underpins these forecasts are significantly more encouraging than many had predicted a year ago. Then, during the early stages of the epidemic, there was concern that rebuilding construction activity and job numbers to 2019 levels would take at least five years. This estimate predicts a significantly more robust recovery, with construction output rising by 11% this year, followed by a sustained growth of roughly 3% over the next four years (Dixon and Umeokafor, 2021).

Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours

According to CITB, as the industry grows from 2.7 million to 2.84 million workers by 2025, an annual recruitment rate (ARR) of 43,000 people will be required. This includes around 400,000 professionals who are generally classed as working in the service industry. Carpenters, bricklayers, and plasterers are among the trained tradespeople in short supply, according to builders and developers across the UK (Green, 2021). As a result of the labour shortage, construction projects are stalling and wages are rising, while material costs are skyrocketing as a result of the wider disruption to global supply networks. According to industry experts, the government’s goal of building 300,000 homes per year will be difficult to achieve without a liberalisation of migrant visas and a significant domestic training drive (Lawani et al., 2021). All of this appears to be quite beneficial, and it is in many respects. While the research acknowledges that a shortage of new hires is a problem, it does not specify how difficult it will be for the industry to retain enough skilled workers to satisfy demand. Because of the pandemic’s situation, conducting surveys has become difficult, and the results have become less reliable. Meanwhile, it’s difficult to separate the consequences of the epidemic from those brought on by Brexit. Even though the fog of confounding factors obscuring a stormy ocean of data, the outline of what could prove to be an iceberg on our way to calmer seas in the form of a huge event can be seen. Brexit has been proved to be one of the major factors in decreasing the number of skilled workers in the construction industries. It has restricted many of the workers from working in different regions as different laws were made for the workers after Brexit. Workers of the construction companies who were from the EU were having additional requirements to be part of the different organisations in the UK. This made it difficult for the employees to be part of the different construction companies in the UK.

Figure 1: UK’s builder’s costs (Source: IHS Markit)

The outbreak was exacerbated by the outbreak, which left an insecure workforce in the area entrenched amid repeated losses, and thousands of skilled workers, mostly from Eastern Europe, fled. Meanwhile, Brexit and the end of the free movement of people between Britain and Europe have shown how reliant the UK construction industry is on the work of migrants to fill gaps (Badi et al., 2021). Official government data show that construction activity dropped sharply in April and May after a surge earlier in the year. While the overall forecast for development remains encouraging, the RICS research indicates that industry restrictions are continuing to weigh on momentum. Since the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union, which reduced the pool of trained employees, labour shortages have been particularly acute. In the last four years, the number of EU construction employees has halved, and contractors who laid-off workers during lockdowns are finding it difficult to rehire them (Turnpenny and Hussein, 2021).

Construction output is forecast to expand 13.7 per cent this year and 6.3 per cent in 2022, despite growing challenges and slowing growth in April and May, according to the Construction Products Association. After a 44 per cent drop in output between February and April last year, a rise in home building in the United Kingdom helped boost construction activity to pre-pandemic levels in the early months of 2021 (Ranci et al., 2021). According to Swain, bricklayers now earn £220 a day, sometimes more, compared to £180 before the crisis. Wages are rising all over the place. Wage increases, according to the prime minister, are a necessary adjustment on the path to the high-skill, high-wage economy that people voted for when they rejected EU membership in 2016. However, there is a risk that inflationary pressures and labour shortages would restrict demand for new investment (Fuller, 2021).

Training and Recruitment Issues

One of the main reasons for the migration of foreign labour is that recruiting and training is a major issue – not just for construction companies, but for the entire sector. The levy-funded industrial training boards established in the 1960s to enhance national skills levels were abolished in the 1980s. The CITB and its sister institution, the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), which covers heavy engineering workers such as those working on big energy, chemical, and process engineering projects, both survived. The need to preserve them was recognised even in the strongly market-oriented political context of the 1980s, principally to correct a market failure (Loosemore et al., 2021). The idea was, and still is, that if construction businesses are left to their own devices, they will poach rather than train the skills they require, resulting in a poorly trained and inefficient workforce. In addition, training is extremely costly, costing tens of thousands of pounds per qualified individual. Companies need worker flexibility, which explains why there is a high rate of self-employment. And potential recruits know that the uncertainty and risk of repeated layoffs comes from flexibility, which is one of the main reasons British millennials are reluctant to participate (Wallis, 2021).

Given this, it’s logical that businesses would seek out a quick supply of qualified individuals who, by their very nature, are mobile. Furthermore, according to the CITB study, employers perceive international workers as being more skilled and having a better work ethic than many domestic workers. The regulations altered as a result of Brexit, and the free movement of labour came to an end. This does not imply that the route is shut down. New hurdles, on the other hand, will deter some, if not many, EU citizens (Loosemore et al., 2021). As a result, we must assume that all other things being equal, the influx of workers from the EU will be lower. That brings us to the present day. The influx of workers hired in the 1980s is nearing retirement age. It will be more difficult to fill their shoes with talented workers from other countries. When there was previously a unified market for employment, the points-based immigration system creates a barrier for EU workers (Watkins and Hochlaf, 2021).

Supply chains have been disrupted, and some industries and locations, such as office and retail construction, are falling behind while others, such as housing and distribution, are booming. As a result, there are zones of abundance and pockets of scarcity. This helps to explain why, as of early May, there were still 166,600 construction workers on furlough in the UK, with two-thirds on complete vacation and a slew of self-employed construction workers seeking income support. The use of these programmes is disproportionately concentrated in London. Architectural design, engineering, and project management, as well as on-site trades, are all part of the construction sector (Watkins and Hochlaf, 2021). And whether it’s the design of a structure or its physical construction, all of these responsibilities necessitate specialised knowledge. In the United Kingdom, many construction employees are also migrant labourers. According to a recent report by the Construction Industry Training Board, as much as a third of construction firms in the UK now employ tradespeople who were born outside of the UK. As a result, if free movement is restricted after Brexit, the skills shortfall may grow (Wallis, 2021).

The number of apprentices entering the sector

The UK construction industry is one of the country’s main economic generators, but a shortage of skilled workers is a problem for an industry that is more than most dependent on its workforce. The construction industry is considered to be one of the main sectors in the UK in which the majority of the population of the UK is employed. Different people from different backgrounds are being employed at various positions in construction companies. It has been seen that in recent year’s construction industry has been facing a shortage of skills as the people who are being hired in the construction companies are not well-trained. Construction employers and temporary employment agencies are aware of the shortage of qualified personnel; competent professionals in the craft recruitment market are always in need. While the industry remains important for employment, the economy and social development, the lack of skills to drain a recovering market threaten (Bahr and Laszig, 2021). The construction industry is one of the pillars of the UK economy. As we think back to hard helmets and a builder, the company spans a wide range of disciplines including architecture, civil engineering and even Laurence Llewelyn Bowen. Construction is an excellent indicator of how the economy as a whole is doing because of the high cost and risky side of the industry. The development of new projects is slowing in a weak economy and the recovered empire will see investment devaluation. Investments are currently on the rise. New real estate initiatives have resulted in a healthy sector with the longest growth since the last recession. Employer confidence has improved, so it’s a great time to work in construction, but skills shortages are a potential obstacle to further expansion.

According to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the condition of an industry hit by the recession has had a significant impact on the number of new entrants to the profession. In the years 2013-2014, there were 8,000 students in the “construction, planning and construction environment”, a number that has been declining steadily for the past five years. The number of completed apprenticeships increased by more than 10,000 in the years 2008-2009, a decrease of 55 per cent compared to pre-recession figures (Stojanovska-Georgievska et al., 2021).

Ageing Factor

The UK population is ageing and the construction industry is expected to lose more skilled workers than any other company. The booming generation of children is nearing the end of their working lives and companies are very worried that younger workers will not be able to fill their shoes. About a fifth of construction workers are over 50, and 400,000 are over 55 to retire in the next decade. In addition, the increase in the number of employees over 60 is the largest for any age group in the industry, with the largest decrease among those under 30. While experience in all workplaces is crucial, trends show currently that the workforce is starting to attract because new employees are unable to meet the demand left by pension Professors (Torku et al., 2021).

Recessions affect the skill shortage

The inevitable redundancies come with every recession and the construction sector is no exception. While skills may leave the sector in the short term, this may have long-term consequences as workers may not be available when the market improves. Construction work has changed in the last decade but reached its peak in 2007 with 2.3 million people. However, after the 2008 crisis, numbers fell sharply, with around 400,000 jobs lost due to a market crash in the late 2000s. Construction was one of the hardest-hit industries, with a large number of skilled workers leaving the UK to work in other countries (Flannery et al., 2021).

Methodology

The research methodology used in this research is primary research in which the opinions of the different business analysts in the construction sector are analysed and the results are based on the data collected from the opinions of these people. Primary research is considered to be an efficient technique for research purposes. The researchers need to use the correct methodology for the research purposes so that effective results are made.

Research philosophy and approach

In this method, different numerical data is collected for the preparation and interpretation of the results. In this research, close-ended questions are asked in the questionnaire and different themes will be made. Quantitative data will help in analysing the depth of the research questions (Driscoll, 2011).

Research technique and procedure

In this research, data is collected from two different construction companies in the UK. The research data is collected by using a questionnaire as the research instrument. Many different types of research instruments can be used for gathering the data but a questionnaire is considered to be the most effective one and in this case, the use of a questionnaire is selected as face to face interviews require much protocol and additional requirements to be fulfilled. For face to face interviews, the researcher has to travel to a specific location whereas the questionnaire can be filled online and can be submitted any time. Moreover, this research demands quantitative data collection and it is very important to collect authentic data and this can be done by gathering the opinions of the people from the relevant field. Quantitative surveying is the best technique and it can be used for the development of the results (Pandey and Pandey, 2021).

Methods of data collection and analysis

The data collected from the questionnaire is analysed by using thematic analysis. Different themes will be made for analysing the data and based on these themes results will be evaluated. The data of the questionnaire will be analysed by using Spss for identifying the correlation between different themes. Data collection is very important for the research as based on the data collection, results and discussion for the research will be written. Data should be collected from authentic sources and primary research is considered to be the most authentic method for the research (Guest et al., 2020).

Sampling

Sampling is the most important part of primary research. This research is based on gathering information from different people in the construction industry. The two main industries used in this research are Costain Group Plc and Homeserve Plc. Both these industries are located in England, UK. Employees who are working in these companies are the targeted population for the research purpose (Driscoll, 2011).

Sampling-based on the industry

The sampling will be based on the name of the industry from which the participant is. It is expected to have 50% people from each of the companies to avoid any biasness.

Sampling-based on the year of experience

This type of sampling is based on the year of the experience of the participant in the construction company. This will show that the authenticity and validity of the opinion of the participant as experienced persons give more genuine and authentic opinions.

Sampling based on gender

Sampling based on gender is done to avoid any sort of biasness in the opinions. It is expected to have the opinion of the females and males equally so that the research could be free of biasness.

Sample size

The sample size for the research should be chosen very carefully as the whole of the research is based on the opinion of the participants. The sample size chosen for the research is 100. fifty participants will be chosen from each of the companies to analyse the research questions.

The period of research

The period for the research will be three months. This will be longitudinal research in which the research will be completed in a long time.

Ethical considerations

Ethical considerations are important for the research process and the researcher must focus on ethics while conducting the research. Following are some of the ethical considerations which are required for the research (Brittain et al., 2020).

Consent of the organisation

This research will involve the two companies and their employees therefore it is important to take consent from the organisation to perform the research there. There are many different considerations that need to be taken care of while researching any organisation. The researcher should guarantee the organisation that none of the personal information will be used anywhere else. Consent of the organisation is an important factor to be considered while carrying out the research.

Consent of participant

Consent of participants is very important for the researcher and every participant should be asked before conducting the research. If the participant is not willing to be a part of the research then the research should not force them for giving their opinion. A consent form should be designed and the participants should fill the consent form before they are recruited in the research process (Díaz et al., 2021).

Anonymity

The personal information of the participant should be kept safe and it should not be shared with any other person. The anonymity of the participant is very important and the researcher should not disclose the personal information of the person. The data of the participant should be protected.

References

Adaloudis, M. and Roca, J.B., 2021. Sustainability tradeoffs in the adoption of 3D Concrete Printing in the construction industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 307, p.127201.

Badi, D., Papadonikolaki, D. and Sourlantzi, E., 2021. Blockchain-based innovation in UK construction: A user perspective. Eleni and Sourlantzi, Eleni and Ochieng, Professor Edward, Blockchain-based Innovation in UK Construction: A User Perspective (May 12, 2021).

Bahr, M. and Laszig, L., 2021. Productivity development in the construction industry and human capital: a literature review. arXiv preprint arXiv:2104.00129.

Brittain, S., Ibbett, H., de Lange, E., Dorward, L., Hoyte, S., Marino, A., Milner‐Gulland, E.J., Newth, J., Rakotonarivo, S., Veríssimo, D. and Lewis, J., 2020. Ethical considerations when conservation research involves people. Conservation Biology, 34(4), pp.925-933.

Díaz, L., Zambrano, E., Flores, M.E., Contreras, M., Crispín, J.C., Alemán, G., Bravo, C., Armenta, A., Valdés, V.J., Tovar, A. and Gamba, G., 2021. Ethical considerations in animal research: The principle of 3R’s. Revista de investigación clínica, 73(4), pp.199-209.

Dixon, L.R. and Umeokafor, N., 2021. Determinants of smart technology adoption in the construction phase of projects: a scoping study of the United Kingdom.

Driscoll, D.L., 2011. Introduction to primary research: Observations, surveys, and interviews. Writing spaces: Readings on writing, 2, pp.153-174.

Flannery, J., Ajayi, S.O. and Oyegoke, A.S., 2021. Alcohol and substance misuse in the construction industry. International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics, 27(2), pp.472-487.

Fuller, C., 2021. Understanding the impact of Brexit: The case of foreign software corporations in Scotland and South East England. European Urban and Regional Studies, 28(2), pp.173-191.

Green, B., 2021. Industry faces a titanic struggle for skills. [online] ribaj.com. Available at: <https://www.ribaj.com/intelligence/market-analysis-construction-skills-shortage-aging-workforce-reduced-immigration> [Accessed 19 December 2021].

Guest, G., Namey, E. and Chen, M., 2020. A simple method to assess and report thematic saturation in qualitative research. PLoS One, 15(5), p.e0232076.

Lawani, K., McKenzie-Govan, S., Hare, B., Sherratt, F. and Cameron, I., 2021. Skill shortage of bricklayers in Scotland. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.

Loosemore, M., Alkilani, S.Z. and Hammad, A.W., 2021. The job-seeking experiences of migrants and refugees in the Australian construction industry. Building Research & Information, pp.1-18.

Pandey, P. and Pandey, M.M., 2021. Research Methodology Tools and Techniques.

Ranci, C., Arlotti, M., Cerea, S. and Cordini, M., 2021. Migrant and/or care workers? Debating the ethnicization of the elderly care market in Italy and the United Kingdom. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 28(1), pp.47-70.

Stojanovska-Georgievska, L., Sandeva, I., Krleski, A., Spasevska, H., Ginovska, M., Panchevski, I., Ivanov, R., Arnal, I.P., Cerovsek, T. and Funtik, T., 2021. A Brief Report on the Actions towards the Introduction of BIM in the Macedonian Construction Sector. Environmental Sciences Proceedings, 11(1), p.8.

Torku, A., Bayrak, T., Ogunlana, S.O., Chan, A.P.C. and Owusu-Manu, D.G., 2021. Are the Ageing Workforce Satisfied with the Construction Work Environment?. In Collaboration and Integration in Construction, Engineering, Management and Technology (pp. 101-106). Springer, Cham.

Turnpenny, A. and Hussein, S., 2021. Migrant Home Care Workers in the UK: a Scoping Review of Outcomes and Sustainability and Implications in the Context of Brexit. Journal of International Migration and Integration, pp.1-20.

Wallis, W., 2021. Construction stalls as UK shortage of skilled workers bites. [online] Ft.com. Available at: <https://www.ft.com/content/e37e2944-da21-4a2c-af16-9b5c0b70d4eb> [Accessed 19 December 2021].

Watkins, O. and Hochlaf, D., 2021. Skills for a green recovery: a call to action for the UK construction sector.

Developing a Business Case

Project proposal

Title: The shortage of skill in the construction industry in the UK.

Contents

Problem specification. 2

Background. 2

Aim of study. 3

Research question and objectives. 3

Literature Review.. 3

Construction Industry in UK.. 3

Role of Brexit in the Shortage of Labours. 4

Training and Recruitment Issues. 6

The number of apprentices entering the sector 8

Ageing Factor 9

Recessions affect the skill shortage. 9

Methodology. 10

Research philosophy and approach. 10

Research technique and procedure. 10

Methods of data collection and analysis. 11

Sampling. 11

Sampling based on the industry. 11

Sampling based on the year of experience. 11

Sampling based on gender 11

Sample size. 12

Time period of research. 12

Ethical considerations. 12

Consent of the organisation. 12

Consent of participant 12

Anonymity. 13

References. 14

Problem specification

The title of the project clearly stated the area of interest for the research. This research is based on analysing the shortage of skills in the construction industry in the UK.

Background

Aim of study

The study aims to highlight the factors which are causing a decline in the skill in the construction sector and how the skill of employees can be enhanced in the construction sector.

Research question and objectives

The research question for the research are as:

What are the different factors which are the main cause behind the decline of skill in the construction industry?
What are the different factors which must be considered for enhancing the skills of the employees in the construction industry?

The research objectives for this research include:

To highlight the importance the skilled workers in the construction companies
To highlight the factors which are causing the shortage of skill in construction companies
To highlight the factor which can help in enhancing the skills of the employees in construction companies.