Experimental Analysis of Structure and Deformation Mechanisms of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Slabs

Abstract

Durability and stability of polymeric foam products used in building application in most cases is associated with
compressive strain. The mechanical characteristics of such products for the most part depend on the materials structure
and density as well as on the applied load value. In this work the analysis of expanded polystyrene slabs (EPS) structure
and deformations are provided. The influence of the average beads diameter on the density of EPS specimens was
estimated. The analysis of the materials structure is revealed through the compressive stress-strain diagram. The analysis
of EPS micro and macro structure was carried out at each point where the compressive diagram breaks. The study of the
changes that take place between and inside the beads of EPS specimens, when they are under compression, revealed the
mechanism EPS deformations.