Stabilized Earth Bricks Research Articles

Fly Ash-Lime Lateritic Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks for Low Cost Housing

Fly Ash-Lime Lateritic Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks for Low Cost Housing

A Comparative Model of Thermal Performances Between a Modern and Classic Habitat for A Hot and Humid Tropical Climate: Case of Guinea

The objective of this research is to carry out a comparative study between a classic habitat and a modern habitat in order to understand which of the two is more efficient for a humid tropical area. To do this, a digital modeling of the heat transfer phenomena in the different components of the habitat was highlighted for a habitat made of stabilized earth bricks, a roof made of transparent tiles, false ceilings made of rectangular panels containing phase change material, concrete floor and a classic habitat made from local materials is presented. To show the reliability of this study, we validated our habitat model integrating phase change material through an experimental study carried out by researchers B. ZIVKOVIC and I. FUJII. A study on the temperature distributions at the level of certain components of the habitat done, and the influence of the variation of certain parameters was highlighted to know the thermal behavior of the two habitats. Furthermore, a comparative study was performed between the interior and exterior temperatures of the south walls of habitats incorporating PCM and without PCM, which are the components most exposed to solar radiation whose maximum values are respectively 33°C and 34, 5°C and 33.15°C against 47°C. Keywords: Performances, thermal, bioclimatic, PCM, Tropical climate, Guinea.

Optimum insulation thickness and exergy savings of building walls in Bamenda: a comparative analysis

The goal of this study is to examine the energetic, entransy, and exergetic methodologies employed to estimate the ideal insulation thickness for construction walls in terms of cost and ecological impact. To achieve these goals, the life cycle cost analysis-based insulating thicknesses of the various methods are evaluated along with the overall costs, yearly cost reductions, and total expenses. The fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, and ecological effects are then compared using an environmental analysis based on the three methodologies. The savings of hollow concrete brick (HCB), compressed stabilized earth brick (CSEB), and sundried earth brick (SEB) walls are evaluated along with the insulation thicknesses in terms of cost and ecological impact. As a result, it is determined that the exergetic technique is better suited for optimizing insulating thickness. For CSEB, SEB, and HCB walls, the economic ideal insulation thicknesses are 0.01 m, 0.016 m, and 0.02 m, with yearly financial savings of 5 $·m−2, 7.5 $·m−2, and 9 $·m−2. For CSEB, SEB, and HCB walls, accordingly, the ecological optimal insulation thicknesses are 0.023 m, 0.032 m, and 0.040 m, with net savings of exergetic ecological impact equal to 59 mPts·m−2, 55 mPts·m−2, and 51 mPts·m−2.

Shrinkage Behavior of Stabilized Earth Bricks Reinforced with Wheat and Barley Straw

Due to its ecological and financial benefits, earth building has gained global attention, with earth bricks being extensively used. Shrinkage and crack development have a considerable impact on the performance and quality of earth bricks. This study employs laboratory experiments to examine the shrinkage behavior of earth bricks reinforced with wheat and barley straw. In addition to this, the impact of cement and gypsum additives is examined. The obtained results indicate that increased fiber content reduces crack formation effectively. However, higher levels of cohesive soil have been shown to have a negative influence on shrinkage behavior. In general, higher fiber contents contribute to the improvement of earth brick performance. These findings offer useful insights for improving the composition and characteristics of reinforced earth bricks, resulting in enhanced performance and quality in sustainable construction practices.

Evaluation of compressive strength and abrasive properties of rice husk ash – cement compressed stabilized earth bricks

Cement, the most utilized building material in developing countries like Nigeria, is rising daily, making it hard for low-income people to acquire a home. This study aimed at producing compressed stabilized earth bricks (CSEBs) from Rice Husk Ash (RHA) and cement. After uncontrolled calcination of rice husk, the RHA oxide compositions were assessed by X-Ray Fluorescence. Design Expert (RSM) designed mix proportions for seventeen earth brick variables. Cement-RHA-Soil was blended with 0-5% cement and 20-25% water. Box Behnken Design (BDD) of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in Design Expert Version 6 was used to generate seventeen (17) design mix proportions (variables) for the CSEBs. After damp curing for three days, compressed stabilized earth bricks (CSEBs) were evaluated for compressive strength and abrasion at 28, 56, and 108 days. RHA was pozzolanic because its major oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3) yielded 75.27%. CSEB compressive strength improved with age. RCB16- CSEBs with 2.5% RHA+2.5% Cement+21.25% WC - exhibited the best compressive and abrasion strength. Thus, RHA is a good cement replacement in CSEB production for cheaper and sustainable building.

Cost-effectiveness and affordability evaluation of a residential prototype built with compressed earth bricks, hybrid roofs and palm midribs

As a response to rising housing prices and the high cost of materials in the building and construction industry, a rural prototype house (the Ecofordable House) was built with alternative technologies. The house is located in the western desert zone of Giza, Egypt, and features enhanced vernacular technologies with local materials. Interlocking compressed stabilized earth brick walls, partially reinforced, jack arch and funicular shell roofs, and date palm midribs were employed in an attempt to reduce the usage of steel, fired bricks, cement, and imported wood. The present research evaluates the house’s construction cost-effectiveness and affordability through detailed real-world data and comparisons of material quantities, labor, and costs with those of conventional methods. The “price-to-income ratio” is used as an indicator of affordability. According to the findings, walls cut costs by half, roofs by a quarter, and midribs by two-thirds; the alternatives combined saved 45%, and the house saved a quarter of the cost after adding common expenses. Moreover, less than one-third of steel, fired bricks, and cement were utilized. In the Egyptian context of government-built houses, the prototype would be affordable for most Egyptian income brackets while the conventional house was expensive for the lowest three. The findings provide empirical support for the economic advantages of enhanced vernacular technologies as alternatives and address residential affordability in similar contexts.

Valorization of phosphate waste rocks for the production of compressed stabilized earth bricks using cement stabilizer

Valorization of phosphate waste rocks for the production of compressed stabilized earth bricks using cement stabilizer

Development of Fiber Reinforced Sustainable Dredge Bricks

To maintain adequate depth of commercial waterways, large quantities of earthen material are dredged and stored on undeveloped placement areas adjacent to the waterway. As dredge placement areas become overwhelmed, an environmental and financial sustainable solution for the reuse of dredged soil is prioritized. In this study, locally dredged material from the Sabine-Neches Waterway was used to explore the potential of dredged material in the production of compressed stabilized earth bricks (CSEBs) for small-scale structures in the region. CSEB mixture designs were developed containing fly ash (FA), Portland cement (PC), hydrated lime (HL), water (W), dredged material (DM), and natural and synthetic fibers. Optimized mixtures designs reached the recommended compressive strength of over 1200 psi. Results showed that that the addition of fibers reduced the compressive and flexural strength of the bricks, with a maximum compressive strength of 1394 psi with a corresponding flexural strength of 381 psi being obtained with fiberless dredge bricks. Multiple coating systems were also tested to increase the resistance of the bricks to weathering and erosion. Results showed that the use of coatings reduced water absorption and increased the bricks resistance to erosion, making them more adept in regions commonly subjected to flooding and heavy wind-driven rains.

Assessing the effectiveness of several passive design strategies using the CIBSE overheating criteria: case study of an Earth Brick Shell House in Johannesburg, South Africa

This study seeks to evaluate the efficacy of several passive design strategies to reduce the risk of overheating in a Compressed Stabilized Earth Brick (CSEB) house situated in Johannesburg. The roof features CSEB masonry vaults and the walls were built from dry-stack (mortarless) masonry. The vaults were initially coated with maroon paint, which resulted in uncomfortably high temperatures during summer months. Several passive design strategies were considered to improve the thermal performance, and the effectiveness of each were assessed against the CIBSE TM52: 2013 overheating criteria. Surface shading and painting external surfaces white were especially effective at reducing the potential of overheating in the first-floor vaults. Ventilating the space in the late afternoon and evening reduced the period during which indoor operative temperatures exceeded Tmax. An insulated ceiling proved effective at reducing the indoor temperature in early- and late-summer but had little impact on the severity of overheating during mid-summer.

Towards a Sustainable Building Material in Hot Arid Environments: Compressed and Stabilized Earth Brick (CSEB) Prototype

Towards a Sustainable Building Material in Hot Arid Environments: Compressed and Stabilized Earth Brick (CSEB) Prototype

Mechanical and durability properties of compressed stabilized earth brick produced with cassava wastewater

Cassava wastewater (CW) is a residue from the production of flour which contains starch, a biopolymer, in its composition. This paper mainly highlights the use of this effluent in Compressed Stabilized Earth Brick (CSEB) instead of potable water. Compressive strength, water absorption, durability by wetting-drying cycles, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical and durability properties of the CSEBs. Compositions with CW showed higher mean results than those produced with potable water for the same cement proportions of 6% and 12%. CSEB with CW and 12% cement showed the highest compressive strength (4.9 MPa) and lowest water absorption (12.91%) at 49 days. In addition, it showed the lowest mass loss (0.3%) after six wetting-drying cycles. All formulations met the Brazilian CSEB standards. The results are promising and demonstrate the technical feasibility of bricks produced with CW.

Simultaneous Investigation of Mechanical and Hygrothermal Properties of Lime Stabilized Earth Bricks

Lime stabilization has opposite effects on mechanical and hygric property of earth material. In order to determine the optimal lime content for earth material sourced from Turpan, the effects of lime content on both mechanical and hygrothermal properties of lime stabilized earth bricks (LSEB) are investigated simultaneously. The results indicate that there is an obvious correlation existed between the mechanical performance and lime content, and the max value of compressive strength and the minimum of loss of compressive strength after freezing-thawing cycles appear at lime content of 6 wt%. This phenomenon has been explained by effect of lime stabilization on the compactness inside LSEB matrix. When lime content is 6 wt%, thermal conductivity of LSEB is 0.9169 W/(m K) which is considered to be a tiny increase in comparison with LSEB without lime. In addition, all LSEB specimens are capable for regulating the indoor relative humidity.

Contribution of compressed stabilized earth bricks (CSEB) to the control of indoor air quality in buildings: case study ofAlgeria

Contribution of compressed stabilized earth bricks (CSEB) to the control of indoor air quality in buildings: case study ofAlgeria

Contribution to the Characterization of Lateritic Soils for the Manufacture of Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks

Contribution to the Characterization of Lateritic Soils for the Manufacture of Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks

Effect of Biopolymer on Bricks

Compressed Stabilized Earth Brick (CSEB) is a one of the sustainable building material utilizing locally available soils mixed with stabilizers in order to increase its strength. This type of brick mainly consists of soil, sand and a stabilizing agents such as lime, fly ash, chemicals etc. Fly ash brick (FAB) is also a building material containing class C or class F fly ash ,fine aggregate, lime and gypsum .Both the bricks are unburnt bricks which is used to reduce the fuel consumption. In this study, the laterite soil is used and it is stabilized by chemical stabilization which is extensively employed to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of problematic soil. This study examines the effect of xanthan gum which is one of the biopolymer stabilizer in both the compressed laterite soil brick and fly ash brick . Experiments have been conducted by replacing 2%, 4% and 6% of xanthan gum in compressed laterite soil brick and replacing 2%, 4% and 6% of xanthan gum in fly ash brick partially with cement. The results indicate the potential use of xanthan gum. Tests were conducted on both the bricks and it is compared with normal clay fired brick. It has been shown that 4 % of xanthan gum in compressed laterite soil brick gives high strength of about 8.79 N/mm2 and 6 % of xanthan gum in fly ash brick give more strength of about 7.31N/mm2 .The minimum water absorption is achieved in both compressed laterite soil brick and fly ash brick of about 14.2 % and 10.10 % in the mix of C2 and F3. It promotes a healthier building material and cost reducing not only in production but also in service cost

The effect of using different percentages of soil and fine aggregate on stabilized earth bricks

In this research, the production of stabilized earth bricks with cement using different percentages of soil, and sand has been studied. Earth brick are used as a replacement of fired clay bricks and concrete bricks. To estimate the effect of these different percentages of component, four percentages with (40% sand, 50% soil, 10% cement), (30% sand, 60% soil, 10% cement), (10% sand, 80% soil, 10% cement) and (0% sand, 90% soil, 10% cement) were used. On the other hand, water curing was used for these mixtures. Modulus of rupture, compressive strength, bulk density and water absorption, for different ages (7, 14 and 28 days) have been tested. There was an improvement in properties of Compressive strength, modulus of rupture and decrease in bulk density.

Hygrothermal Behavior of Earth-Based Materials: Experimental and Numerical Analysis

Bio-based building materials such as earth bricks are attracting renewed interest throughout the world due to their thermal and environmental properties. In this work, a numerical study of the hygrothermal behavior of building walls consist of compressed earth bricks (CEB) and stabilized earth bricks (SEB) was performed. A two-dimensional Luikov model for evaluating the temperature and the moisture migration in porous building materials was proposed. The coupled heat and moisture transfer problem was modeled. The governing equations of a mathematical model were solved numerically with the finite difference method. Input parameters in the model and their dependency on stabilizers content were determined by laboratory experiments. In order to specify the effect of chemical stabilization on the heat and mass transfer within studied materials, average moisture content and temperature were presented as a function of time. Results show that the addition of chemical stabilizers enhances the heat transfer through the earthen materials and reduces their water vapor permeability.

Effect of Wood Waste on Acoustic and Magnetic Properties of Composite Bricks and Correlation between Sound Velocity and Magnetic Induction in These Bricks

In the present study, kambala (botanical name: Chlorophora excelsa and Chlorophora regia) wood wastes were incorporated into stabilized earth bricks in order to test their acoustic insulation capacity of the walls; leading to better waste management from the timber industry. Two methods have been applied to determine the influence of the wood waste content in the stabilized earth bricks, on the weakening of the level of noise reception coming from the environmental medium, in an apartment built with composite bricks (earth + wood chips + cement). This influence has also been analyzed on the magnetic field induced by these bricks. The results showed that the level of sound reception through these bricks decreases with increasing wood waste content regardless of the method used (from 110 dB to 68 dB, respectively for Φb = 0% and Φb = 8%). The kambala wood waste in cement-stabilized clay bricks induces a magnetic field that increases with the wood waste content; the high contents of the wood chips causing an increase in the magnetic permeability of the composite medium. The correlation between the noise level and the magnetic field of the bricks shows that the noise level declines with increasing magnetic induction of the bricks.

Experimental determination of time lag and decrement factor

Buildings consume about 40% of the primary energy in the world. This means that buildings are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions. It’s time to reduce this energy consumption to limit the environmental impact of buildings. The use of high thermal inertia envelopes could be a solution to reduce energy consumption of the building. The thermal inertia is characterize by time lag and decrement factor. This work deals with the experimental determination of time lag and decrement factor of a building envelope. For this purpose, a test cell of 1 m3 made of stabilized earth brick is built at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar. Stabilized earth bricks are commonly used in Senegal. The time lag and the decrement factor are calculated using the ambient-air temperature inside a test cell and the outdoor average equivalent temperature. The results show that the time lag of a test cell envelope is about 6 h and the decrement factor about 0.4. This reduces the energy needed to cool the building during warm periods, as fluctuations in the outside temperature are not felt.

The Construction of Economic Green Buildings in Sinai and Suez Canal Zone Using Compressed Stabilized Earth Technique

Currently, there are several technologies applied in many societies to improve the use of the environmental resources such as the use of soil with some binders in the construction of buildings, and the usage of the stabilized earth architecture technique by new urban communities. One of the advantages of these buildings is that they make good use of the environment and save energy and expenditure. This project deals with the use of the sandy soil which resulted from the excavation of the buildings. It also targets the design and building of whole low energy, ecological, and low-cost green building/villages in the future projects in Sinai and Suez Canal zone, using stabilized earth architecture. The sandy soil under study is that of the sand on the east side of the Suez Canal in Sinai which is a by-product of the dry excavation and wet drilling of the canal. This paper showed that passive and energy efficient techniques incorporated in building designs can reduce the electricity requirements. The most effective parameter is the thermal efficiency of building envelope and blocking sun rays. The available renewable energy systems can meet parts of building loads. Thermal bridges are not so common in the bearing wall construction method. Herein in this paper, several specimens were collected from different sites in Elferdan and Serapum in Sinai (Suez canal zone) along the east side of the Suez Canal to investigate the suitability of stabilizing this soil for the production of compressed earth blocks for low-cost ecologic building construction. Several tests, e.g., sieve analysis and the proctor test, were made of the specimens. The results showed that the ratio of salts, chlorides and sulfates were low. In addition, the specimens collected sieve analysis ranged from coarse to fine sand. Stabilizing the materials resulted from the by-production in the industry can be used for minimizing the coast of compressed stabilized earth buildings with high engineering properties. Experiments on the produced compressed stabilized earth bricks (CSEB) with different level of stabilizing agent (by-product materials) were made using one of the specimens collected from Elferdan zone. The results showed that the 35% CKD ratio of sand weight can be considered as the optimum CKD content; which provides the best properties for the admixture as long as the percentages of cement (OPC) and the fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) are 5% and 0.07% of sand weight, respectively. The rest of this research will be completed in the next parts, which includes finding more mechanical, engineering, and thermal properties of the produced CSEB.