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Stabilized Mud Block - Seminar Report, PPT, PDF For Civil Engineering
Stabilized Mud Block - Seminar Report, PPT, PDF For Civil Engineering
A very few laboratories can identify soils for building purposes. But
soil identification can be performed by anybody with sensitive
analyses. The main points to examine are:
Soil stabilization
Many stabilizers can be used. Cement and lime are the most
common ones. Others, like chemicals, resins or natural products can
be used as well.
:
The selection of a stabilizer will depend upon the soil quality and the
project requirements:
Lime will be rather used for very clayey soil, but will take a longer
time to harden and to give strong blocks.
Raw Materials
Breaking up Soil
In most developing countries the soil is usually dry when dug out of
the borrow pit or it will dry soon after digging. Simple hand tools are
available as well as a range of more complicated machinery which
can be used to reduce the soil grains to an appropriate size.
Pulverisation of soil
Sieving
Soil contains various sizes of grain, from very fine dust up to pieces
that are still too large for use in block production. The oversized
material should be removed by sieving, either using a built-in sieve,
as with the pendulum crusher, or as a separate operation.
Proportioning
Mixing
It is much better to add a little water at a time, sprinkled over the top
:
of the mix from a watering can with a rose spray on the nozzle. The
wet mix should be turned over many times with a spade or other
suitable tool. A little more water may then be added, and the whole
mixture turned over again. This process should be repeated until all
the water has been mixed in.
Two simple field tests can be carried out. These are explained below:
Take a handful from the soil mix for block production and squeeze
it in the hand, the mix should ball together. When the hand is
opened, the fingers should be reasonably dry and clean.
Drop the ball sample onto a hard surface from a height of about
one metre. If the sample:- completely shatters, this shows that it is
:
not sufficiently moist,- squashes into a flattened ball or disc on
impact with the hard surface, this implies too high a moisture
content,- breaks into four or five major lumps, this shows that the
moisture contents or the soil mix is close to the optimum moisture
content (OMC).
Curing
Smell test
Nibble test
Touch test
Remove the largest grains and crumble the soil by rubbing the
sample between the fingers and the palm of the hand. If it feels
rough and has no cohesion when moist the soil is sandy. If it feels
slightly rough and is moderately cohesive when moistened the soil is
silty. If, when dry, it contains lumps or concretions which resist
crushing, and if it becomes plastic and sticky when moistened the
soil is clayey .
Sedimentation test
:
The tests mentioned previously make it possible to form a general
idea of the texture of the soil and the relative particle sizes of the
different fractions. To obtain a more precise idea of the nature of
each soil fraction, a simplified sedimentation test can be carried out
in the field. The apparatus required is straight forward: a transparent
cylindrical glass bottle with a flat bottom and a capacity of at least
one litre, with a neck wide enough to get a hand in and a lid to allow
for shaking.
Fill the bottle to one-third with clean water. Add approximately the
same volume of dry soil passed through a 6mm sieve and add a
teaspoonful of common salt.
Firmly close the lid of the bottle and shake until the soil and water are
well mixed. Allow the bottle to stand on a flat surface for about half
an hour. Shake the bottle again for two minutes and stand on level
surface for a further 45 minutes until the water starts to clear. The
finer particles fall more slowly and as result will be deposited on top
of the larger size particles. Two or three layers will emerge, with the
lowest layer containing fine gravel, the central layer containing the
sand fraction and the top layer containing silt and clay. The relative
proportions, and hence percentages, of each fraction can be
:
determined by measuring the depth of each layer.
Adhesion test
Compact a ball of moist soil so that it does not stick to the fingers
and insert a spatula or knife. If the spatula penetrates it with
difficulty, and soil sticks to it upon withdrawal the soil is extremely
clayey. If the spatula can be pushed into it without great difficulty but
a bit of soil remains on the knife upon withdrawal the soil is
moderately clayey. If the spatula can be pushed into the mass
without encountering any resistance at all, even if the spatula is dirty
upon withdrawal the soil contains only a little clay
Washing test
Rub the hands with some slightly moistened soil. If the hands are
easy to rinse clean this implies that the soil is sandy. If the soil
appears to be powdery and the hands can be rinsed clean fairly
easily the soil is silty . If the soil has a soapy feel and the hands
cannot be rinsed easily the soil is clayey.
- Moisten the ball so that it sticks together but does not stick to the
fingers,
- Slightly flatten the ball and hold it in the palm of the extended hand,
- Vigorously tap the ball with the other hand so that the water is
brought to the surface. The ball will appear smooth, shiny or greasy,
Implications
ADVANTAGES OF CSEB
A local material
A bio-degradable material
Limiting deforestation
Management of resources
An adapted material
:
Being produced locally it is easily adapted to the various needs:
technical, social, cultural habits.
A transferable technology
Market opportunity
Reducing imports
Cost efficiency
Social acceptance
DISADVANTAGES
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
3. Jump up^ "Housing and Jobs for a Better Future". World Bank.
2002. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
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