International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)

ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-5, May 2014

Quality Control of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB)

on Building Sites.
C. H. Kouakou, M. O. Boffoue, K. C. Kouadio, A. A. Assande, E. Emeruwa

Abstract In Cte dIvoire, compressed earth blocks are In order to optimize the water content, the drop test
produced, with manual presses in non industrial factories or proposed by [3] which consists in dropping a roll from 1.5 m
directly on the building sites. In these factories, the industrial height is recommended. The moisture content is optimal if
methods for control of the quality of those blocks worked out in the roll is fractured into 3 or 4 pieces while dropping. This
laboratories, such as optimal static compaction or moisture
method is more practical, but it highly depends on the worker
characteristics, are difficult to apply because of lack of
appropriate equipment or these are unsuitable. In order to
and offers a large range of water quantity.
overcome this deficit and predict their performances, That is why, certain authors like [4] recommend the Proctor
according to the characteristics determined on fresh CEB, test used in road geotechnics to determine the optimum water
some blocks have been made of earth extracted at Cocody quantity (optimum proctor) and obtain the efficient
(Abidjan). Then, the Physical characteristics, directly mechanical properties of blocks. For sandy soils, the results
accessible in buildings sites such as the weight, the volume of are satisfactory but, when the ratio of fine particles is
blocks and the volume of the mixing water content have been important, the optimum Proctor is not significant any more.
measured on fresh samples. The results show that it is possible To correct this insufficiency of the Proctor test, they
to optimize the compaction and control the quality of blocks
recommended using the optimum Proctor 3 %. Moreover
produced, in the non industrial factories, according to the
relationship between the wet density of blocks and the flow
the mode of compaction used in the Proctor test is dynamic
coefficient (ratio volume of mixing water /volume of blocks). which is different from the static compaction used for earth
compressed blocks. Then, in regard of the specificity of fine
earth, fixing the water content at the optimum Proctor 3%
Index Terms Building site, wet density, mixing water, is not appropriated.
compaction, compressed earth blocks Other authors [5] recommend the application of a static
compaction (or static manual press) to determine the optimal
water content. In fact, this water content is highly 1dependent
I. INTRODUCTION on the energy of compaction. When the energy of compaction
In recent years, the use of earth in construction is becoming increases, the air in the mixture (earth and water) is under
more and more important everywhere because earth seems to high pressure and is gradually evacuated. The earth
be an ecological material, and has a high spatial distribution approaches the water saturation and its density does not vary
[1]. This idea is supported by many publications and enough. The dry density tends towards a limiting value.
scientific seminars, where the quality and benefits of earth A method, usable on building sites, is proposed by [6] [7]
construction are proved. These earth materials can be with the following steps:
realized by various techniques, such as the static compaction 1- Take a quantity (mass) of material (earth with a certain
for compressed earth blocks. The various approaches, ratio of cement and water content). Introduce it into the
proposed for the static compaction, require a press. They all mould (of the press) and apply a static compaction to obtain a
require also an optimization of the water content. Indeed, the first quality of block.
mechanical properties of building materials in general are 2- To the same volume of water, like in the first step, add
closely related to their dry density [2], which varies gradually a quantity of material into the mould until the
according to earth blocks, the amount of mixing water and compaction becomes difficult or impossible.
the nature of the earth. 3- Increase the water content and go back to step 1
4- For each water content, determine the corresponding
maximum of dry density.
Manuscript received May 06, 2014.
5- Plot the curves of the maximum dry density of water
C. H. KOUAKOU Laboratoire de Gomatriaux, Unit de Formation et content. The optimum water content corresponds to the
de Recherche des Sciences de la Terre et des Ressources Minires, Universit highest dry density.
Flix Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Cte dIvoire, 05649397, As the measurements of the water content are based on
M. O. BOFFOUE, Laboratoire de Gomatriaux, Unit de Formation et de
Recherche des Sciences de la Terre et des Ressources Minires, Universit Flix laboratory tests which require hardware such as an oven that
Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Cte dIvoire, 07815997 can raise temperatures to 105 C, therefore, this is impossible
K. C. KOUADIO, Laboratoire de Gomatriaux, Unit de Formation et de on the building sites. And with the oven, the results are only
Recherche des Sciences de la Terre et des Ressources Minires, Universit Flix
Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Cte dIvoire, 07633532 available 24 hours before moving to the production phase.
A. A. ASSANDE, Laboratoire de Gomatriaux, Unit de Formation et de This approach is more useful because it allows a rigorous
Recherche des Sciences de la Terre et des Ressources Minires, Universit Flix determination of the optimum water content. But, on
Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Cte dIvoire, 07398397
E. EMARUWA, Laboratoire de Gomatriaux, Unit de Formation et de
building sites, the tasks must be performed in a relatively
Recherche des Sciences de la Terre et des Ressources Minires, Universit Flix
Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Cte dIvoire, 07088577

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 Quality Control of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) on Building Sites.

short time so, waiting for laboratory results is too long. In For this study, we use a manual static press CINVA-RAM
addition, the earth used for the production of blocks is not model with a reduction ratio: hi/hf = f/i = 1.68
always kept under shed. Therefore, its natural water content With hi= height of full mould; hf= height of block; i=
can vary from one day to another because of bad weather. We density of mixture (earth + mixing water) before compaction;
would have to determine the new natural water content in the f= density of block after compaction.
earth, before calculating the amount of mixing water. And
the work would be delayed. Moreover, there are no methods III. OPTIMIZATION OF EARTH COMPACTION
to control the quality of fresh blocks. That is why, it seems The compaction is an operation that aims at increasing the
appropriate to define none empirical method, with fairly fast density of the material. It can be made by mechanical
results and applicable on building sites. This papers so compression. This mechanical compression can also be
purpose to determine a couple of parameters that can help us performed by a dynamic mechanism like the Proctor test or
control the quality of fresh blocks on building sites or find the the static mechanism. In this study, the blocks have been
optimum proportions of mixing water in earth, for made by static compaction with a manual press. The
achievement strength compressed earth blocks on building abounding earth is introduced into the mould of the press
sites. then, the lever is actuated. The rise of the piston of the press
transmits the force developed by the operator to the earth in
II. PREPARATION OF COMPRESSED EARTH BLOCKS the mould. The density of blocks obtained by static
AND TESTS compression depends upon the quantity of soil in the mould.
Making compressed earth blocks (CEB) requires raw So, to optimize the compaction, tests are undertaken.
material: the earth taken at Cocody (road of Bingerville) and
submitted to the characterization analysis. The results are
presented in Table I. By comparing these results to the Steel ball
others, used by [1], [6], [8] we can conclude that it is suitable
for compressed earth blocks.
This earth is mixed with some water taken arbitrarily and
used to produce blocks. Different amounts of mixing water
are used. They are obtained by incrementing the amount of
water initially used.

Table I: Identification and composition of Cocodys earth

Sand (10 mm 0,080 mm) 53 %
Silt and clay (< 0,080 mm) 47 %
Liquid Limit 41 % Figure 1 Measurement of compressive strength of blocks.
Plastic Limit 21 %
Plasticity index 20 % A- Compaction test
Grain density 2.65 g/cm3 For this test, different weights of earth have been introduced
Natural water content 6% into the mould of the press and compacted. For each block
obtained, the dry density and fresh density are measured as
In these different mixtures, the water content of blocks is
well as the compressive strength. The results are presented in
determined by drying in an oven at 105 C for 24 hours to
the fig. 2.
attain constant weight. Similarly, the ratio weight of mixing
The graphic (Fig. 2) shows that the dry density increases with
water by weight of natural soil used is calculated.
the weight of earth in the mould of the press for each
For each quantity of mixing water, an initial weight of
moisture content. This increase is related to the increase of
mixture (earth + mixing water) sufficient for filling the
the energy of compaction. Indeed, for the same moisture
mould of the press is determined. Then a series of blocks is
content, the energy of compaction increases with the dry
made. The initial weight of mixture is gradually increased
density [5]. But in the context of this work, the volume of
and at each time, a series of blocks is made until the
blocks is constant (Vt); the dry density (d) depends on the
compaction becomes impossible. The dimensions of each
total weight of earth into the mould (Mt);
block are measured using a calliper of 300 mm (0.01 mm)
d = (M Mw ) Vt (1)
with digital display. Then the fresh density and the dry
density of all the blocks are calculated. After 4 weeks (28 With Mw: the weight of water in blocks.
days) of drying in the air, the weight and the dimensions of So, increasing the total weight leads to an increase of the
those blocks are measured anew, and their air dry density static energy of compaction. Moreover, according to
calculated. Their compressive strength is also determined expression (1), where the volume of compacted blocks is
(Fig.1). This method has been chosen to have aspect ratio 2. constant, the dry density is a linear function of the total
A steel ball is put between the sample and the plate of the weight of earth molded. This finding is proved in Figure 2,
press to have a homogeneous distribution of stress on the when the total weight is between 9,000 and 11,000 g.
surface of the block. Lets notice that the surfaces of the According to [9] the linearity observed here corresponds to a
blocks are not perfectly flat because of the drying shrinkage; gradual decline in the vacuum index:
to avoid punching, this approach was preferred. = s di (H d) H 1 (3)

62 www.erpublication.org
 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-5, May 2014
Where, d the displacement of the piston, H the initial height The oven dry density is calculated from the moisture
of the mould, s the density of the grains (skeleton) and di content by the formula: d = (1 + )
the initial dry density It assumes that there is no drying shrinkage
di = Ms V = (Mt Mw ) V (4) The air density of blocks, after drying at room temperature,
With V the volume of the mould of the press. is calculated from the ratio weight of the block by its volume
The similarity between the curves, whatever the moisture after drying at room temperature.
content of blocks, confirms that stripping, all the blocks have Fig. 3 indicates that in general, the compressive strength of
the same volume (constant slope). blocks increases with whatever density. The volume of the
When earth in mould is over 11,000 g, the slope of the curve stripping block is constant, the increase in density is due to
decreases from that of the linear portion because of: the increased amount of material, thus to significant contact
The mitigation of the stress of compaction caused by the between the particles forming the skeleton of the blocks. The
opposition of the hydrostatic pressure of water contained in compressive strength is therefore improved.
the pores. As the duration of compaction is very short, about
30 seconds, that water can not escape; hence the slight
variation of the dry density.

Figure 3: Relationship between the density and the

compressive strength of compressed earth blocks

Figure 2: Variation of the dry density according to the weight However, the values of the compressive strength, in this
of fresh earth. study, are low compared to those found in most studies,
dealing with the compressive strength of compressed earth
The increase of frictions between the particles, when the blocks [11]-[13]. For this study, the compressive strength
water content is mean. Effective stress, applied on the blocks, was determined on blocks put in width direction (as shown in
is less than the stress performed by the operator. fig. 1) in order to have a twinge of 2. But for the other studies,
The rupture of the particles that form the skeleton of the the blocks were in length direction. The compressive
block when the earth in the mould is very dry. strength of blocks in length direction leads to a hardening
For less than 9,000 g, the dry densities are rather determined whence an overestimation of the resistance.
at random because the filling of the mould is not optimum. Moreover, the compressive strength of blocks, dried in an
These densities can only be measured on blocks made of oven, is higher than that of blocks dried at room temperature,
earth with a moisture of 15.15%. This water content allows which is itself, more than the compressive strength of fresh
the particles of earth to be held together grace to the role of blocks. This result is certainly due to the presence of water in
cohesion of water. the pores of the blocks. The density () of blocks, whatever
In sum, the quality of a static compaction achieved with a their moisture content, is given by the formula :
manual press can be appreciated from the vacuum index, the = d + w (Vw Vw ) (5)
dry density of blocks or from the weight (quantity) of earth
used for compaction. The weight of fresh earth is related to with d = the dry density of the earth.
the dry density by the inverse of the volume of compressed The evaporation of a part of the mixing water, during the
earth block. For CINVA-RAM press with empty mould drying of blocks, makes their density tend to the dry density
dimensions (29 cm x 22 cm x 14 cm) the weight of fresh earth d. In the oven, blocks are dried at a temperature of 105 C.
should be between 9,000 and 11,000 g.
All the water has been evaporated. So, = d.
Generally, the blocks should be used in compression. It is
At room temperature (30 C), a part of the water in blocks is
important to analyze the relationship between the
compressive strength and the dry density of blocks for, evaporated to a constant weight. So, the ratio Vw Vt is very
according to [10], their mechanical behavior depends on low because the residual water content of the blocks is about
their dry density. 3%. is very close to d but higher than d (Fig. 4). The
difference between the compressive strength of blocks dried
B-Relationship densities and compressive strength in an oven and that of those dried at room temperature (Fig.
Fig. 3 shows the variation of compressive strength of blocks 3) is also due to the drying shrinkage. But, in the calculation
for different densities: of the fresh density, the residual water and the water that
The fresh density is obtained by the ratio of the weight of the could be evaporated (mixing water) [14] must be taken into
fresh block and its volume; account. Therefore, the compressive strength of fresh blocks

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 Quality Control of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) on Building Sites.

is quite different from the two others (Fig. 3). That is why, Therefore, when the earth is ruined, the water will wet the
the linear relationship between the density of fresh blocks surface of the particles. The mass of earth particles forming
and that of blocks dried in an oven is maintained, even if, the the skeleton of the blocks is given by the formula:
curves are not co linear, as foreshadowed in the expression Ms = Mt (1 + ) (6)
(5).
Despite the gap between them, the compressive strength
according to the density can be calculated with a polynomial
function of degree 2 like y ax 2 bx c (Fig. 3). The
correlations are 0.86 with blocks dried at room temperature,
0.78 for blocks in the oven, and 0.70 with fresh blocks.

Figure 5: Variation of the dry density of the blocks according

to the water content

This expression shows that for a constant weight of

compacted earth (Mt), when the water content () increases,
the amount of particles in the block decreases.
When the quantity of water around the particles increases,
Figure 4: Relationship between different densities until a water content of 11.5%, the increase of the dry density
is caused by the most compact organization of particles
The coefficients of these correlations can be explained by the facilitated by the water around them. But, when the amount
measurement of uncertainties and distortions generated by of water around the particles increases for a water content of
the drying shrinkage. over 11.5%, the decrease of the dry density is caused by an
Now, these results confirm, once again, that as the dry excess of water in the pores. The Porosity (n) is given by the
density in the oven and at room temperature, the fresh expression:
density when the static compaction is optimum (constant n = 1 (d s ) (7)
final volume of blocks) can be used to predict the quality of
With s= density of the solid particles of the earth.
fresh compressed earth blocks. But, to reduce impact of
This shows that when the dry density decreases, the porosity
evaporation, the evaporable water must be optimal.
increases. And water:
Firstly, lubricates the contact between the particles and is
IV. OPTIMIZATION OF WATER
trapped in the pores between them. This accumulation of
Water is always used in the development of building water in the pores was highlighted by [17] by determining the
materials. In opposite, all the methods of mechanical degree of water saturation of earth during the compaction.
characterization of these materials require that they must be They even recommended the Proctor compaction theoretical
dry. During the drying, a portion of the mixing water is relations between the degree of water saturation and the
removed as vapor. This evaporation causes shrinkage which liquid limit.
generates deformations, cracks and microcracks in the In a second step, water is pressurized. This pressure is
material [15]. This depends, on the drying conditions opposed to the effort provided by the operator. Thus, the
(temperature and humidity in the drier) and the quantity of effective stress on the block is reduced as indicated by this
water able to remove the material. If the evaporation is fast
and important, the quality of the material can be deteriorated.
law (Bishop law) , ua (ua uw ) x
Paradoxically, this water has an important role in the ' and effective stress (respectively provided by the
compaction theory. So, [16] suggested a relationship to find operator), ua , uw gas pressure (liquid respectively) and x
the water content according to the Proctor compaction an empirical coefficient that depends on the degree of
energy. saturation. It comes out of this analysis, of the role of water,
A-Role of water in the static compaction during the compaction that the quality of blocks is influenced
by the quantity of the mixing water per unit of mass of the
Fig. 5 shows the variation of the dry density of blocks dried in
natural ground. It also appears from this analysis that the
the oven according to the water content and the different
quality of the block is clearly influenced by the flow
weights of compacted earth.
coefficient; flow coefficient = weight of mixing water
Overall, the dry density varies when the water content
(g)/weight of earth (g).
increases. It increases, passes through a maximum before
So, we can examine the variation of this ratio according to
falling. This maximum is reached for a water content of 11%
the water content of blocks (Fig. 6).
to 11.5%, whatever the weight of compacted earth.
As the plastic limit of earth is 21%, all the earth used for
producing blocks are in a solid state (solid consistency).

64 www.erpublication.org
 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-2, Issue-5, May 2014
This figure shows that when the water content in earth V. CONCLUSION
increases, the ratio also increases proportionally, with a very According to the static compaction of earth-water mixture
good correlation ( r 1 ). with a manual press (constant course of the piston and
compaction degree), we can make the following remarks:
For an optimal filling of the mould of the press, the static
compaction leads to a linear relationship between the dry
density in the oven and the weight of earth. Beyond this area,
the viscous behavior significantly affects the density of
blocks.
The relationship, density/compressive strength determined
on dry blocks, is a polynomial function of degree 2. However
the coefficient of a monomial of degree 2 is closely dependent
on the considered density (presence of mixing water).
The relationship, between different types density and dry
density in the oven, is linear. But the fresh density is
Figure 6: Relationship between flow coefficient and water non-collinear with others.
content Water lubricates the contact between grains (particles)
accumulated into the pores and creates or generates a liquid
pressure that opposes the compaction stress.
For a constant natural water content of earth, the quality of
the static compaction depends on the ratio mass of mixing
water/mass of natural earth.
And from both parameters fresh density and the flow
coefficient of the earth, it is possible to control the production
of compressed earth blocks on building site and determine
the optimum mixing water. This prevents the loss of time but
also ensures the quality and compliance of the produced
blocks.

ACKNOWLODGMENT
Figure 7: Variation of the compressive strength of blocks This work was supported by Programme dAppui
according to the flow coefficient Stratgique la Recherche Scientifique (PASRES). The
On a building site, to reduce the latency, this ratio can be authors thank these authorities.
used to optimize the compaction (in order to avoid the
determination of the water content, which requires a drying REFERENCES
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 Quality Control of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) on Building Sites.

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