Construction Of Low-cost Housing Research Articles

Bamboo as a Sustainable Building Material for Innovative, Low-Cost Housing Construction

Bamboo is commonly used as a construction material in low-cost housing projects located in tropical and subtropical countries. This practice is especially prevalent in rural areas where bamboo grows naturally and families have experience working with it. Bamboo can be a sustainable building material for homes, even in cases where houses need to be resistant to earthquakes or storms. The traditional bahareque technology was enhanced in Costa Rica and Colombia to make it earthquake resistant. After the year 2000, this technology was transferred to several other countries in Latin America and Asia, gaining recognition as an innovative building technique. Many successful examples of bamboo housing constructions can be found in various countries, where modern architectural solutions are combined with innovative bamboo methods. Local communities can play a crucial role in bamboo processing, allowing residents to actively participate in the construction of their homes under technical supervision. This emphasizes the social sustainability aspect associated with bamboo. Ensuring the durability of bamboo housing constructions is paramount for the longevity of the houses, highlighting the need for technical assistance for self-builders and resident groups. With proper organization, bamboo housing has the potential to become part of the social production of housing.

Utilising under-burnt waste bricks from kilns as supplementary cementitious material

The pozzolanic performance of crushed brick powder (CBP), obtained by grinding under-burnt waste bricks from a continuous brick kiln, is studied. Two size fractions of CBP considered for cement replacement are CBP1 (passes through 150 μm but is retained on 75 μm) and CBP2 (passes through 75 μm). Compressive strength tests on mortar with CBP reveal that strength does not exceed that of the control; however, 10–15% cement replacement by CBP is the optimum. The presence of hydrate phases by X-ray diffraction and quantification of portlandite in the paste samples as studied by thermogravimetric analysis up to 90 days confirms the action of pozzolanicity. Furthermore, to determine the feasibility of CBP1 and CBP2 fractions in concrete, the strength and carbonation of M25 grade concrete were studied by replacing 45% cement with a combined proportion of CBP1 (20%) and CBP2 (25%). This reduced the concrete grade from M25 to M20 and increased the accelerated carbonation depth. Nevertheless, the projected natural carbonation coefficient with accelerated carbonation data is determined as low. The CBP used is cost-effective, requiring little mechanical processing and no chemical activation; thus it can satisfactorily be used for low-cost housing construction and lower-grade structural and non-structural uses.

Application of non-degradable waste as building material for low-cost housing

Building material is one of the essential aspects in accommodating the supply and demand of low-cost housing in Indonesia. Recently, several researchers have devoted much time and effort to developing waste recycling for building materials since it is more ecologically benign, particularly for non-degradable waste. This article focuses on recycling disposable diaper waste as composite material for a structural and architectural component of the building based on Indonesian building standards. In addition to offering a broad perspective on the implementation of experimental findings, the design scenario comprised the construction of low-cost housing with a floorplan area of 36 m2. The experimental results indicate that disposable diapers waste to use as composite materials of the building has a maximum capacity of 10% for structural components and 40% for nonstructural and architectural components. The prototype housing also reveals that 1.73 m3 of disposable diaper waste can be decreased and utilised for a housing area of 36 m2.

Effect of partial cement replacement with sugarcane bagasse ash

Research into mixing and replacing the component ingredients of concrete has become necessary since there is a widespread need in most parts of the globe for more affordable housing and the discovery of an alternative to standard Portland cement. Despite the fact that a great number of investigations have been carried out to evaluate the viability of combining cement with sugarcane bagasse ash and sand with laterite soil, no research has been conducted on the influence that combining the two materials has on the characteristics of concrete. This study presents the findings on the strengths, permeability, and structural behaviour of concrete beams containing sugarcane bagasse ash and laterite soil. The goal of the research was to combine traditional concrete with sugarcane bagasse ash to produce sugarcane bagasse ash laterised concrete, which could be used for the construction of low-cost housing. Ash from sugarcane bagasse and lateritic soil were used as blenders and blended with regular concrete materials. Cement was largely replaced with sugarcane bagasse ash in the following proportions by mass: 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%. The impact of different degrees of material substitution on the workability and compressive strength of concrete was investigated using a concrete mixture with the proportions 1:2:4 and a water-to-cement ratio of 0.55. The same mixture was utilised, but this time with a continuous slump of 30mm+3mm. This was done in order to assess the influence of different degrees of combination material replacement on the characteristics of concrete and the behaviour of structural beams.

Access to Decent Housing in Congolese Urban Areas: Evolution of Associated Factors between 2005 and 2016

The proportion of decent housing found from the data of the 1-2-3/2012 DR Congo survey in urban areas is 7.8%. This situation prompted us to conduct a study on the evolution of factors associated with access to decent housing in urban areas of the DR Congo, based on data from the 1-2-3/2005, 1-2-3/2012 and E-QUIBB/2016 surveys, in order to identify the factors that are determining over time over these three periods. Our specific objectives are to indicate the proportion of decent housing in urban areas of the DR Congo from 2005 to 2016, to find the factors associated with access to decent housing in urban areas of the DR Congo over the three periods, and to study the evolution of these associated factors. In 2005, 2012 and 2016, the proportions of decent housing in urban areas of the country were respectively 4.1%, 9% and 12.3% respectively. The associated factors (in relation to the head of the household) acting over the three periods are: province of residence, socio-professional category, age, housing occupation status, education and gender. These six determinants all evolved over time, resulting in an overall increase in decent housing of about 8%. These results showed that in DR Congo there is not enough investment in housing. Thus, investment by the State and other partners in the construction of low-cost housing, and the facilitation of land and property loans and investment loans, will enable vulnerable social groups, such as young people of both sexes throughout the country, to have easier access to decent housing.

Alternative stabilisation method for unfired earth blocks

Clayey soils have been used in the construction of buildings since ancient times. It reduces the building’s ecological footprint while improving thermal comfort. Soil is a local material that helps people in temperate regions cope with harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures. The performance of such materials is determined by the soil’s chemical composition and physical properties. The main issue with these materials is their high shrink sensitivity and tendency to crack during drying. These pathologies can result in fundamental mechanical performance degradation. The purpose of this work is to investigate various scenarios for the stabilization of compacted soil blocks.In this context, this research investigates the use of alternatives to cement for the stabilization of earth blocks. Sample blocks were constructed using varying concentrations of stabilization materials. The samples’ mechanical strengths were assessed. Simultaneously, materials will be compared in terms of ease of manufacture, and financial cost. The mechanical properties (compressive and flexural strength) of stabilized earth blocks shows that the developed mix outperforms the traditional masonry concrete block. The results of this study show that stabilized earth blocks are gaining their place as a viable, sustainable, affordable building material suitable for low-cost housing construction.

Prospects of Metakaolin Admixed Palm Kernel Shell Solid Concrete Masonry Block: A Review

Over the last two decades, research on the use of Palm kernel shell (PKS) as a lightweight aggregate has shown that it can be utilised to make structural lightweight concrete. PKS concrete has a lower density than regular concrete, perhaps 20 to 25% lower. This review was presented as part of efforts to make efficient use of locally available materials by looking into the effects of replacing normal coarse aggregates with palm kernel shells on the density and compressive strength of concrete, as well as determining the suitability of palm kernel shell concrete as a structural material. The utilization of alternative binders like Metakaolin (MK) in Palm kernel shell concrete not only reduces the carbon footprint of conventional masonry products but also enhances the various properties associated with these products. In this review, the characteristics and properties of Metakaolin and Palm Kernel shell were discussed based on the literature survey. Also the application studies of metakaolin and Palm kernel shells in concrete mix to improve the compressive and flexural strength were described using the literature survey. The majority of research studies on the usage of palm kernel shells in concrete manufacturing have found that they may be employed in solid concrete masonry blocks for the construction of low-cost housing.

The challenge of low-income housing quality in Latin American cities: lessons from two decades of housing policies in Bogotá

In the 1990s the public entities promoting low-cost housing projects in Colombia disappeared. Instead, the state went on to subsidize the acquisition of new homes built by the private sector with a price cap. In Bogotá, more than 20 years later, after an initial boom in low-cost housing construction by the private sector, production and quality of units has been declining while the number of informal units increase. This paper tries to find the reasons for these limited effects of the change in housing policies. For this, we reviewed quantitative data from different reports of the city and independent organizations over the last 20 years. We found that different governments had contradictory objectives for the sector, such as encouraging the production of formal and informal housing at the same time. In addition, they have set unattainable goals and are now more focused on projects that improve public space in informal settlements than on improving the housing supply.

Root cause approach to explore policy options for improving low-cost housing provision in Malaysia

ABSTRACT Since 1982, the Malaysian Government and private housing developers have been providing low-cost housing (LCH) yet the scarcity of houses is on the increase. This paper investigates the root cause and explores possible policy options for improving Malaysian LCH provision via an unexplored dimension. First, findings from the oral interviews via qualitative approach were tested and analysed at the quantitative phase. The ‘quantilised findings’ were further validated by the Malaysian LCH policymakers. Findings confirm lax state LCH policy across the states. The study found lack of data sharing, some developers evade construction of LCH, relaxed state policy that allows developers to construct LCH, among others as the root cause of lax state LCH policy. The study proffered some recommendations and this will bring to the front burner new openings such as cumulative ruling, joint task force, among others for further study as part of the theoretical contribution to knowledge advancement.

Sustainable use of laterite soil as compressed cement stabilized earth block for low cost housing construction

Developing countries facing challenges in provision of housing especially with the increasing population in Malaysia, large demand on the construction materials resulting the construction cost to increase tremendously. Using low-cost housing material will be beneficial to provide affordable housing in order to meet society needs. This study investigates the sustainable use of laterite soil as a construction material for the production of compressed earth block stabilized with cement. Engineering properties of the laterite soil were determined using moisture content, sieve analysis, Atterberg Limit and standard proctor test conducted. Stabilized compressed earth blocks were cast with various percentage of cement (2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%), these compressed earth blocks were tested on unconfined compressive strength at 7, 14, and 28 days of curing. The strength of the sample increases with increasing of cement content and curing days. The highest compressive strength of compressed earth block achieved was 3.4 N/mm2 with 10% of cement content at 28 days of curing. These 28 days UCS of cement treated laterite soil meets the minimum strength requirement which are 2.8 N/mm2 and 1.4 N/mm2 for load bearing internal wall and non-load bearing partitions as stated in Malaysian Standards.

Housing Situation in the Bamenda Urban Space, Challenges and the Way Forward

Housing is a fundamental human need, until now, making sure that every person has access to good quality housing is a grave challenge facing Bamenda Urban Space. This paper seeks to examine the housing situation and challenges to housing development in Bamenda Urban Space. The study adopted the mix method approach which involves triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. Primary data were obtained from field observations, interviews and questionnaires administered to households. Secondary data were obtained from relevant official documents, published and unpublished sources. Satellite imageries and ArcGIS were used to describe the pattern of growth in built-up areas between 1986 and 2019. Data from questionnaire was entered using Epi Data Version 3.1, analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science Standard version 21.0 and presented in the form of tables, figures, plates and maps. Findings on housing situation revealed that, although the housing structures has improved, the housing designs, technology and level of maintenance are still low. The irregularity and unreliability in water supply, electricity supply and waste management systems have turned most households to alternative sources with poor quality. Urbanisation and urban growth are occurring without a concurrent increase in housing supply resulting to congestion, deterioration of basic services, pollution, inaccessibility, social vices, lack of privacy, poor ventilation and natural disasters amongst others. The paper, therefore, calls for the rehabilitation and renovation of dilapidated housing structures, provision of basic services, construction of low-cost housing, encourage financial institutions to grant loans to real estate developers at low interest rate.

Buildings and the circular economy: Estimating urban mining, recovery and reuse potential of building components

Continuous accumulation of materials in cities have led to the prospects of urban mining for secondary resources. Several commodities and/or products have been assessed in recent years for urban mining and reuse potential viz. automobiles, electronic waste etc. Urban mining for buildings, the largest material sinks globally, however require considerations which differ from the product-centric urban mining approaches. This study proposes a methodological framework for estimating city-wide urban mining, recovery and reuse potential of building materials and components. First, it extends the material stock and flow assessment to urban mining potentials so that recoverable and reusable flows can be highlighted. Secondly, it expands potential applications of recoverable flows to provide an impactful representation to stakeholders such as policy makers, consumers, designers and practitioners. The proposed framework has been applied to the public residential buildings of Singapore, a city state in Southeast Asia, for assessing building components such as windows, doors, tiles, light fixtures, toilet and kitchen fittings. As a case study, construction of low-cost houses in neighbouring Indonesia was explored to receive building component flows. Results highlight that the reuse of building components could have supported construction in the range of 830–1910 houses in 2016 with more than 30,000 households getting benefit over the six years assessed in this study. Overall, outflows from the Singapore city can partly support the construction of 2200–6030 houses annually to resource-constrained housing sector in the surrounding developing region. Realization of such a circular economy practice will contribute towards sustainable development goals and climate change mitigation efforts.

INFLUENCE OF LOW-COST BUILDING MATERIALS ON HOUSING PROJECT IN REDUCTION OF HOUSING DEFICIT IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the influence of low cost building materials on reduction of housing deficit in Nairobi County, Kenya.Methodology: The study adopted four theories: open innovations theory, the value theory, transformational leadership theory, and institutional theory. Methodologically, the study adopted a descriptive research design, while the population of this study was all the real estate firms registered by Kenya Property Developers Association (KPDA). Census technique was employed to collect data from all 69 real estate firms using questionnaires. Questionnaires were applied to collect primary data, where the researcher trained research assistants to aid the data collection procedure. A pilot-test was conducted as an approach to establishing both the reliability and validity assessments of the questionnaire. Statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) was used to undertake both descriptive and inferential statistical computations.Results: The findings of the study established that the use of technology enhances the capability and capacity of construction firms to use an array of building materials. The study found that use of modern technology defined skilled labour because most organizations are leveraging technology as a basis of realizing competitive advantage. It also established that real estate firms utilize competent based human resource management firms to hire qualified personnel. In addition, it was evident that personality traits influenced adoption of new technology in the construction of low cost housing, whereas knowledge and attitudes, and skills were significantly attributed to adoption of new technology.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: In light of the research findings, the study recommends that organizations should leverage modern technology as a basis of realizing efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of projects. The study likewise recommends that organizations should build capacities to enhance labour productivity. In addition, the study recommends that organizations should adopt transformational leadership approaches as a basis of enhancing performance. The study recommends the need to revise the legal framework with a view to ensure that it reflects the changing needs of the project requirements.

Effect of Sand on the Properties of Compressed Soil-Cement Stabilized Blocks

With the growing concern of awareness regarding sustainable building materials and environmental issues, a number of people have resorted to using soil-cement stabilized blocks (SCSBs) as an alternative for burnt bricks. However, these stabilized blocks are also known for their high-water absorption capacity during wet seasons which affects their strength and durability. The study conducted involved a series of physical properties tests of soil (particlesize distribution analysis and Plasticity Index test); mechanical property tests (compressive strength test and water absorption test), which were undertaken in accordance with the ASTM standard. It compared the compressive strengths and water absorption capacity amongSCSBs with a sand blend at different proportions of mixture (10%, 20% and 30%) and those without sand, maintaining thequantity of cement constant at 5%. The results indicated that the compressed stabilized earth blocks using silty clay soil blended with sand and with 5% cement were stronger compared to those without sand. However, the water absorption capacity of the blocks (both with and without sand), revealed no significant difference except for the blocks with 20% of sand which proved to have the lowest water absorption capacity (15%). The SCSBs of 10% addition of sand proved to be the strongest with compressive strength of 2 Mpa. The study concluded that 10% blend of sand could be adopted in block manufacturing for sustainable low-cost housing construction. Having known the strength of these blocks, the users can go ahead and use them in low cost housing construction projects.

Low-cost housing leakages in Malaysia: the unexplored dimension

ABSTRACTOver the years, the Malaysian Government and private housing developers have been providing low-cost housing (LCH) yet the demand-supply gap is on the increase. Hence, this paper investigates the LCH leakages in Malaysia in an unexplored dimension. This was done sequentially, first, findings from the qualitatively explored phase was further tested and analysed via a questionnaire survey. The “quantised findings” were validated by the Malaysian LCH policymakers. Findings confirm a severe shortage of LCH. The study found under-declared income by house-buyers (frequent in states with lax enforcement), auction of LCH in open bidding, sales of LCH within the moratorium period by house owners for profiteering among others as the root causes of LCH leakage. The paper concludes that the government should engrave the land title deed such that only low-income earners (LIEs) are eligible to possess LCH. Second, implement the cumulative ruling (construction of LCH by a developer not based on the conventional but reach an agreed threshold target irrespective of the numbers of projects) for LCH provision. Also, states should set-up joint task force that comprises of land, planning, and housing department to monitor and ensure compliance, among others, were recommended.

Application of Ancient Principles of Architecture in Modern Practice

Before the advent of reinforced cement concrete and steel structures in the 20th century, structures like Arches, domes and vaults were being widely used worldwide. Arches were mainly used in span openings replacing beams. This was done based on the erstwhile cultural aesthetics and technical development in the prevailing construction methodologies. Nowadays, about 35 to 40 percentage of the total construction cost is being consumed by steel and concrete and therefore constructing a building without steel and concrete contributes to reduction in cost. Vaults and arches do not require concrete and steel but use only bricks and hence environment friendly. This paper deals with the design and construction procedure for structural members including the vault and buttress wall. It also highlights the reduction in cost when adopting vault method over conventional methods, in a residential building. The Vault prototype has been made with the studied design and concepts. The idea is to introduce this technique as a cost reduction approach and to preserve this ancient construction technique. Also, this method will be economical for construction of low cost houses up to two storeys.

Study on Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks Using ALGIPLAST Admixtures

One of the governing factors on which safety of civil engineering structure depends on is material used in construction. Materials used for the construction of walls are normally required to possess adequate strength and erosion resistance. The study investigates the suitability of stabilized laterite soils for the production of compressed earth blocks for lowcost housing construction. The materials which are used in this xperiment is red soil and some chemicals. The results of the study revealed that the specific gravity, bulk density, moisture content, and plasticity index of the sample showed satisfactory performance. This experimental mainly deals with the manufacture of compressed stabilised earth blocks by using chemicals. The blocks are tested under CTM for compressive strength. The cost comparison with the conventional bricks has revealed that compressed cement stabilised soil block is preferred because it is more economical walling material in itself and permits the use of economical building techniques.

Stabilising Earth Brick with Palm Kernel Oil Residue for Construction of Low Cost Housing

Stabilising Earth Brick with Palm Kernel Oil Residue for Construction of Low Cost Housing

A framework for incorporating quality into low-cost housing projects in South Africa

The South African constitution enshrines the right to “access adequate housing” to its citizens. However, over the years in the post-apartheid government a focus has been on quantitative low-cost housing delivery and less on the quality of these houses. Notwithstanding challenges that citizens encountered, limited research has been conducted on quality management practices in the South African low-cost housing industry. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a framework that could be applied in the industry and discuss how best quality practices could be implemented in the low-cost housing construction industry. A literature review was conducted on the application of quality in the construction of low-cost housing in South Africa. This was done through analysis of media reports, published articles, legal disputes and others. Although South Africa has established well-functioning quality management systems in other industries, low-cost housing has never been a focus. The primary emphasis is still on quantity and very limited on quality. Contractors perceive quality as a peripheral issue and afford less attention to its value. The framework in this study encapsulates policy issues, customer needs, strategy approaches and others.

Development, engineering properties and potential applications of unfired earth bricks reinforced by coal fly ash, lime and wood aggregates

The current study developed and evaluated the engineering properties of improved low-cost UEBs reinforced with various lime (L)-coal fly ash (F)-wood aggregate (W) mix ratios. The objectives were; (1) to determine the effects of lime-coal fly ash-wood aggregate mixtures on mechanical strength and water resistance properties of UEBs; and (2) to determine the comparative cost of the improved UEBs to that of the control (10% cement). Four UEBs with various lime (L)-coal fly ash (F)-wood aggregates (W) mix ratios (L4%-F16%-W1.5%; L4%-F16%-W3%; L8%-F12%-W3%; L10%-F10%-W1.5%) were fabricated and their engineering properties compared to those of unstabilised (negative control) and 10% cement stabilized (positive control) unfired earth bricks. Dry compressive strength (DCS) of UEBs stabilized by L10%-F10%-W1.5% (8.3 MPa) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of 10% cement stabilized unfired bricks (7 MPa). DCS and dry density of the four UEBs conformed to the British Standards for low-density clay masonry units. DCS increased with lime-fly ash ratio according to a power function (y=−5.41x2+11.18x+2.22; r2 =0.95, p = 0.018), attaining a maximum of 8.3 MPa at a ratio of 1: 1. However, UEBs had low wet strength, but incorporation of 4% cement significantly increased (p < 0.001) the wet compressive strength of UEBs to 0.94 MPa. UEBs stabilized by 10% lime, 10% coal ash, 1.5% wood aggregates and 4% cement (L10%-F10%-W1.5%-C4%) had water absorption (15.8%) similar to that of 10% cement stabilized UEBs. Moreover, unfired earth bricks reinforced by L10%-F10%-W1.5%-C4% conformed to British Standards engineering specifications for low-density clay masonry units, while the cost was 50% lower than that of cement stabilized bricks, demonstrating the low-cost of the UEBs. In summary, the results demonstrate that improved low-cost UEBs can be developed by incorporating lime, coal fly ash and wood aggregates, but a little cement (4%) may be required to increase the wet compressive strength. Potential applications of the UEBs include, (1) internal partitioning; (2) construction of low-cost housing for low-income households in developing countries, and (3) the provision of temporary or short-term low-cost shelter for displaced persons in humanitarian emergencies.