Introduction

Insulated Panels are prefabricated building panels used in floors, walls, ceilings on buildings. Installing insulated panels for building constructions are aimed to ensure the energy efficiency, simple and fast installation and a lower in operating costs. A structural insulated panel (SIP) is a composite building material; consisting of an insulating layer core sandwiched between layers of metals.

Features of SIP

SIP’s are commonly made of the Oriental Strand Board (OSB) panels sandwiched around a foam core made of expanded polystyrene (EPS), extruded polystyrene (XPS) or inflexible polyurethane foam. Different materials such as plywood, pressure-handled plywood for under-grade foundation walls, steel, aluminum, cement board reminiscent of Hardie Backer, and even exotic supplies like stainless steel, fiber-reinforced plastic, and magnesium oxide may also be utilized in replacement of OSB. SIPs provide steady air and vapor barrier as well as elevated R-Worth compared to traditional constructions. When labor price, material waste and energy efficiency are considered SIPs are comparable to more typical building methods.

History

The Thought of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) launched The Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin in 1935. The laboratory developed a prototype panel consisted of framing members, plywood and hard board sheathing, and insulation. These initial panels have been used to build test houses and tested after 30 years to reveal that the panels retain their initial strength. In 1952 Alden B. Dow created the primary foam cores SIPs which were being mass produced in the 1960’s.

How one can use SIP

The SIPs are designed to withstand axial loads, shear loads and out of edge loads. These can be used for floors, walls, roofs etc… for the buildings. They have the ability to resist the bi-axial bending and lateral shear; so, they’re very much suitable for use as roofs and floors. The most widely used panel joint connections are the Surface spline and Block Spline. The Surface spline Joint Connection consists of the strip of OSB or plywood inserted into slots within the foam. The block spline is a thin and narrow SIP assembly that’s inserted into recesses within the foam along the panel edges. These connections end in a steady foam core across the panels. This helps to eradicate air filtration at the joints.

Another joint connection is Mechanical cam locks; create a tighter joint between the panels. In any type of connection, the seam along the sheathing must be covered with a steady line of panel tape. Openings might happen on the edges and corners of the panel, and so the panel foam may be recessed to access lumber headers. Any opening within the SIPs that accept one other enclosed element should be properly sealed.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits:

1. SIP provides the tighter building envelope and the walls will have higher insulating properties.

2. Lower in working costs.

3. Buildings made with insulated panels will be simply dismantled and reused

4. Insulated panel properties (energy and thermal insulation property) will remain the same if reused.

5. It is value effective as it could be put in simply

Drawbacks:

1. Quite poor performance with respect to the noise control.

2. Will be damaged by moisture. Better to make use of the panels with waterproof surfaces.

3. Panels must be properly protected from pests/insecticides.

4. Requires a proper mechanical ventilation system

5. Modification of the initial project is costly.

Conclusion

The Structural Insulated Panels come prefabricated and ready to be assembled, and hence it helps to speed up the construction.Also, it requires minimal equipment and workforce and therefore cost effective.

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