Abstract
This study explored the possibility of employing burnt bricks produced locally by completely traditional methods as pavers on unpaved agrarian and rural earth roads in indigent communities. The pavers would eliminate the problems on such roads of being waterlogged and impassible during the rainy season months and those of environmental and health hazards from raised dust during the dry season months. Three clay soils were investigated in the Ado region of Western Nigeria. Burnt brick pavers were produced using entirely traditional methods readily available in the indigent and rural environments. The engineering properties of the brick pavers were determined and it was found that they satisfied the requirements stipulated by ASTM C 902 Specification for Pedestrian and Light Traffic Paving Brick, thus making them suitable for usage on the earth roads.
Highlights
Many agrarian and village roads in undeveloped countries in the tropics are left unpaved
During the dry season months, dust raised by the wheels of passing vehicles becomes a major environmental and health hazard
The aim of this study is to explore the possibility of using locally manufactured burnt brick pavers on rural and agrarian earth roads as an alternative by comparing their engineering properties with those stipulated in standards and specifications for the industrially produced pavers
Summary
Many agrarian and village roads in undeveloped countries in the tropics are left unpaved. All are made from clays, which are formed in the wet, plastic state and dried and fired. The bricks were air-dried for a period of two weeks to permit some curing or drying before being placed in the kiln for firing. With the right moisture content, clays are plastic and can be moulded and carved When dried, they have sufficient strength to be handled and stacked in kilns for firing. The study was conducted during the dry season, adequate care was taken to cover the bricks with plastic sheeting during the nights in case of occasional rainfall.
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