Towards a better living environment-compressive strength and water absorption testing of mini compressed stabilized earth blocks and fired bricks

Abstract

The escalating demand for eco-friendly and energy-efficient building materials underscores a pivotal shift towards sustainable development catalyzed by heightened public consciousness. Leveraging community production optimizes local resources and curtails transportation overheads, fostering broader access to superior housing solutions. Emphasizing less-intensive construction techniques enhances material strength, insulation, and thermal attributes while significantly shrinking carbon footprints and waste generation. Particularly vital during crises, these methods invigorate local employment and champion environmental conservation. This study juxtaposes the performance metrics of Mini Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (MCSEB) and fire-burned clay bricks, focusing primarily on their compressive strength. The conventional production of fire-burned clay bricks poses notable challenges, especially regarding energy consumption and pollution. Their manufacturing, anchored in coal utilization, directly exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions. Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEBs) emerge as a promising alternative in this context. Crafted by pressure on soil, their production eschews the need for coal or other combustibles, resulting in a significantly reduced carbon and energy footprint. When benchmarked against traditional fire-burned bricks, CSEBs, if demonstrating analogous compressive strengths, emerge as a viable replacement. A pivotal element in assessing compressive strength lies in factoring in the specimen’s dimensions, with platen restraint effects as a crucial metric. This research harnesses the platen test to comprehensively compare the compressive strengths of Fire Burnt Clay Bricks and Mini Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks. This correlation suggests that Mini Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks, when adjusted for size, can be deemed comparable in strength to Fire fire-burnt clay Bricks, making them a promising sustainable alternative in construction.