Properties of Compressed Interlock Earth Blocks Manufactured from Locally Available Lateritic Soil for Low Cost Housing Projects

Abstract:

This investigation was carried out to identify the engineering properties of compressed interlock earth blocks manufactured from locally available lateritic soil and introduce to use the manufactured soil blocks to minimize the material and finishing cost for the low cost housing projects. The soil samples used in this study were well-graded lateritic sandy soil which has the composition of 1.9% gravel, 94% sand and 4.1% silt / clay. These soil samples were passed through the 100-mesh sieve and mixed with ordinary Portland cement to prepare the admixture. While compressing through a hydraulics jack by varying the compositions and the volume of soil-cement admixtures, compaction soil blocks were manufactured in a locally fabricated 250 mm x125 mm x100 mm standard steel mould. The manufactured soil blocks allowed to cure while spraying small quantity of water and covering with polythene for 28 days. Average compressive strengths of soil blocks made with 5% cement with 1.6:1 and 1.8:1 volume compactions were 1.3 Mpa and 1.9 Mpa, respectively. However, both compressive strength values were less than the standard limits of 2.8 MPa stated in SLS 1382:2009, local standards for soil blocks used for construction industry. However, soil blocks made with 10% cement under same compaction ratios attained compressive strengths of 3.0 MPa and 3.6 MPa respectively and it is above the required standards limits. However, 15% and 20% cement containing earth blocks have much higher compressive strengths but increase the cost of production. Regression analysis results confirmed the strong correlation between cement content and the compressive strength of the soil bricks. The soil bricks manufactured with more than 12.06% cement soil mix by maintaining compaction ratio into 1.6:1 or Soil bricks manufactured with more than 5.16% cement mix by maintaining compaction ratio into 1.8:1 will produce standards soil bricks for construction industry and these results further confirmed that wet and dry compressive strength of soil bricks will increase with increasing the compaction ratio and the cement content. However, when considering the compressive strength, water absorption level and cost effectiveness, soil bricks manufactured by maintaining compaction ratio into 1.8:1 with more than 5.16% cement mix will produce required standards cost effective soil bricks for construction industry.

• Periodical: Advanced Engineering Forum (Volume 39)
• Pages: 85-93
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AEF.39.85
• Online since: February 2021
• Authors: Dissanayake Dmdok*
• Keywords: Compressive Strength, Cost Effective, Interlocking Block, Laterite, Ordinary Portland Cement

References

[1] Jayasinghe C, Alternative Building Materials and Methods for Sri Lanka, Ph.D Thesis, Dipartment of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (1999).

DOI: 10.31705/bprm.2021.12

[2] Jayasinghe M.T.R, Load-bearing construction with local bricks, Engineer, Journal of Institute of Engineers, Sri Lanka, xxvii,(1), pp.49-57,(1998).

[3] Morel J.C, Mashah A, Oggero M and Walker P, Building houses with local material: means to drastically reduce the environmental impact of construction, Building and Environment, 36, 1119-1126,(2001).

DOI: 10.1016/s0360-1323(00)00054-8

[4] Norton, J. (1986), Building with Earth - A handbook, Intermediate Technology Publications, London, 68p.

[5] Riza F.V, Rahaman I.A, Ismail R.A, Zaidi A.Z, A Brief Review of Compressed Stabilized Earth Brick (CSEB), 2010 International Conference on Science and Social Research (CSSR 2010), December 5 - 7, 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

DOI: 10.1109/cssr.2010.5773936

[6] B. S. 1377, Soil Classification,, British Standard Institution, London (1975).

[7] Baba S.W, Zanna A.L, Mustapha M.M, Properties of Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB) For Low Cost Housing Construction: A Preliminary Investigation, International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering & Technology (ISSN: 2180-3242) Vol 4, No 2, (2013).

[8] Muraleedharan M. A, Sunilaa G, Praveen K.M, Feasibility Study on brick using lateritic soil, International Journal of Engineering Science Invention Research & Development; Vol. III, Issue XII, JUNE 2017 www.ijesird.com, e-ISSN: 2349-6185.

[9] Balami Y.G, and Izam Y.D, Soil-Bitumen as a Walling Materials, Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 1 (2), pp.29-34, (1998).

[10] Guettala A, Houari H, Mezghiche B, and Chebili R, Durability of lime stabilized earth blocks, Courrier du Savoir, vol. 2, pp.61-66, (2002).

DOI: 10.1680/scc.31777.0064

[11] Mesbah A, Morel J C, Walker P and Ghavami K, Development of a Direct Tensile Test for Compacted Earth Blocks Reinforced with Natural Fibres, Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, vol.16 (1), pp.95-98, (2004).

DOI: 10.1061/(asce)0899-1561(2004)16:1(95)

[12] Fetra V.R, Rahman I.A and Zaidi A.M, Preliminary Study of Compressed Stabilised Earth Block (CSEB), Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, vol. 5 (9), pp.6-12, (2011).

[13] Bahar R, Benazzoug M and Kenai S, Performance of Compacted Cement-Stabilised Soil, Cement and Concrete Composites, vol. 26 (7), pp.811-820, (2004).

DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2004.01.003

[14] Janz M, and Johansson S.E, The Function of Different Building Agents in Deep Stabilisation, Swedish Deep Stabilisation Research Centre. Linkoping, (2002).

[15] Amodya AKC, Mayadunna DM, Tharuka YAS, Dissanayake DMDOK and Vijitha AVP, Use of Cement Sand Admixtures to Produce High Strength Soil Bricks for Low Cost Housing Projects, Proceedings of ISERME 2018, pp.179-188.

[16] Morton T, Earth Masonry Design and Construction Guidelines,, Berkshire: Construction Research Communications Limited, (2008).

[17] Walker P.J, Strength, durability and shrinkage characteristics of cement stabilised soil blocks, Cement and Concrete Composites, 17(4): pp.301-310, (1995).

DOI: 10.1016/0958-9465(95)00019-9

[18] Bahar R, Benazzoug M, and Kenai S, Performance of compacted cement-stabilised soil, Cement and Concrete Composites, 26(7): pp.811-820, (2004).

DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2004.01.003

[19] Oti J.E, Kinuthia J.M, and Bai J, Design thermal values for unfired clay bricks, Materials & Design, 31(1): pp.104-112, (2009).

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2009.07.011

[20] Heathcote K.A, Durability of earth wall buildings, Construction and Building Materials, 9(3): pp.185-189, (1995).

[21] JAMES1 J, Rajasekaran S, Performance of fly ash - lime stabilized lateritic soil blocks subjected to alternate cycles of wetting and drying, Civil and Environmental Engineering Vol. 16, Issue 1, 30-38,.

DOI: 10.2478/cee-2020-0004

[22] Olutoge F.A, Booth C.A, Olawale S.O.A, Alebiosu O.A, Lateritic cement- and lime-stabilised bricks and blocks for affordable housing, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Construction Materials 171(5): 195–202, (2017).

DOI: 10.1680/jcoma.16.00062