The Effect of Cement Content on the Thermo-Mechanical Performance of Compressed Earth Block

Abstract

For low-rise constructions, unbaked earth is one of the most widely used walling materials worldwide. However, improved knowledge of the thermal and mechanical properties of such building material is essential for the sustainability and operation of such constructions. This paper presents the findings from a research study into the effect of different cement content, as a stabilizer, on the thermo-mechanical properties of Compressed Earth Block (CEB) samples. For this study, CEB samples were molded into cylindrical shapes with different cement content 0%, 4%, 7% and 10%. This study included thermal conductivity analysis and uniaxial compression analysis. The results revealed that the higher the value of cement content, the greater the compressive strength. But this was accompanied by a slight increase in the thermal conductivity of the material. For example, the thermal conductivity increased by approximately 13% when the cement content was increased from 0% to 10%. However, the increase in the compressive strength was more than 130%.