RURAL MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION INTRODUCTION – EVOLUTION OF BUILDING MATERIALS
BUILDI BUILDING NG materi materials als and techno technolog logies ies,, and !ildi !ilding ng "racti "ractices ces ha#e e#ol#ed thro!gh ages$ Stones Stones,, m!d, m!d, thatch thatch%l %lea# ea#es es and timer timer re"r re"rese esent nt the earlie earliest st !ilding materials !sed &or the constr!ction o& d'ellings$ (ardl) an) energ) is s"ent in man!&act!ring and !se o& these nat!ral materials &or constr!ction$ Disco#er) o& nat!ral inorganic inders li*e "o++olanic materials lead to the !se o& lime"o++olana -L./ cement &or constr!ction "!r"oses$ .ortland cement and steel ro!ght re#ol!tionar) changes in the constr!ction "ractices &rom earl) "art o& 01th cent!r)$ Then "lastics and "lastic "rod!cts entered entered the constr!ction ind!str)$
Historical develo!e"t i" #$ildi"% !aterials
MATERIAL
M!d, stones, 'ood%thatch S!n dried ric*s .otter) "rod!cts B!rnt ric*s Lime Glass Iron "rod!cts Lime"o++olana cement Al!mini!m .ortland cement .lastics
PERIOD .rior 2111 BC 3111 BC 411152111 BC 4111 BC 6111 BC 7611 BC 7681 BC 611 BC5493 AD 7212 AD 7204 AD 7230
&REVAILING ISSUES ON ENERG'( ENVIRONMENT( SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDINGS
.rod!ction o& !ilding materials has slo'l) and steadil) mo#ed &rom &rom highl) highl) decent decentral rali+ i+ed ed and lao!r lao!rin inten tensi# si#e e metho methods ds and "rocesses to centrali+ed, machinede"endent ind!str) mode$ Cent Centra rali li+e +ed d mode mode o& "rod "rod!c !cti tion on nece necess ssit itate ates s ha!li ha!ling ng o& ra' ra' mate materi rial als s and and dist distri ri! !ti tion on o& :nis :nishe hed d mate materi rial als s o#er o#er grea greatt distances$ These acti#ities again re;!ire re;!ire e<"endit!re e<"endit!re o& &ossil &!els &or trans"ortation$
Trans"ortation o& ra' and :nished !ilding materials is another *e) iss!e that can contri!te to cost o& materials, increased energ) re;!irements and en#ironmental iss!es$ S!stainailit) o& the "resent mode o& "rod!ction, cons!m"tion and distri!tion o& !ilding materials and c!rrentl) ado"ted constr!ction "ractices is ;!estionale$
NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES
Steel, cement, glass, al!mini!m, "lastics, ric*s, etc$ are energ) intensi#e materials, commonl) !sed &or !ilding constr!ction$ Generall) these materials are trans"orted o#er great distances$ E
c!lt to meet the e#ergro'ing demand &or !ildings$ (ence, there is a need &or o"tim!m !tili+ation o& a#ailale energ) reso!rces and ra' materials to "rod!ce sim"le, energ) e>cient, en#ironment &riendl) and s!stainale !ilding alternati#es and techni;!es to satis&) the increasing demand &or !ildings$ Some o& the g!iding "rinci"les in de#elo"ing the s!stainale alternati#e !ilding technologies can e s!mmari+ed as &ollo's? o Energ) conser#ation@ Minimi+e the !se o& high energ) materials@ Concern &or en#ironment@ En#ironment&riendl) o technologies@ Minimi+e trans"ortation and macientl), ca!sing minim!m damage to the en#ironment$
IDEAL BUILDING MATERIAL
The ideal !ilding material 'o!ld e orro'ed &rom the en#ironment and re"laced a&ter !se$ There 'o!ld e little or no "rocessing o& the ra' material and all the energ) in"!ts 'o!ld e directl), or indirectl), &rom the s!n$
This ideal material 'o!ld also e chea"$
MUD AS A BUILDING MATERIAL INTRODUCTION – MUD
In contrast to other constr!ction materials, incl!ding cement and steel, m!d does not demand im"orted commercial energies and is there&ore a &a#ored material &or those desiro!s o& li#ing s!stainal)$ Contrar) to "o"!lar "erce"tion, m!d ho!ses are a=ordale to all classes and can e designed to s!it di=erent tastes and &ancies$ The) are en#ironmentall) #irt!o!s and can &ace the elements 'ith as m!ch hardiness as s!""osedl) stronger constr!ctions made &rom concrete$ or those not )et :
OB)ECTIVES OF MUD BUILDINGS
To !"grade the r!ral traditional !tcha ho!ses$ To introd!ce coste=ecti#e and d!railit) ho!ses 5 an alternati#e o& !rnt ric*s$ To demonstrate and "o"!larise the technolog) o& m!d loc*s !sing locall) a#ailale soils%m!ds$ To !"li&t the "oor "eo"le 'ith standard ho!ses o& the technolog) To im"art the technolog) to r!ral artisans &or socioeconom) !"li&tment$
MUD CONSTRUCTION
There are se#eral techni;!es o& ho!se constr!ction !sing m!d 'hich ha#e een tested o#er cent!ries$
The M!d constr!ction egins 'ith :rst 'ith the "rocess o& selecting the soil &or the "ro"osed ho!se and descries ho' to arri#e at the est "ossile mi
Diferent indigenous systems o constructing the most important part o the mud house, that is, the was! "e#era systems are descri$ed% The &co$' system Large l!m"s o& m!d are mo!lded in the sha"e o& a h!ge elongated egg, ao!t 3 inches in diameter and ao!t 70 to 72 inches in si+e$ Ro's o& cos are "laced o#er each other to ma*e a 'all$ Ga"s and holes are :lled and the 'all is slammed do'n at the sides$ The co s)stem is the easiest &or those constr!cting a m!d ho!se &or the :rst time and no s"ecial tools, e;!i"ment or mo!lds are re;!ired$
The system o constructing was $y ramming (ere, one re;!ires 'ooden e;!i"ment, eca!se the "rinci"al merit o& the s)stem is that the earth is "ac*ed hard ) ramming, ma*ing the 'alls e
Ado$e or sun(dried $ric) systems Mo!lds o& ric* are :lled 'ith the right mi< o& 'et m!d$ The mo!ld is then remo#ed and the ric* dried in the s!n$ This is the most "o"!lar &orm o& ric*ma*ing since it !ses onl) solar energ), 'hich is &ree$ Recentl), de#elo"ers ha#e in#ented a machine 'hich can e !sed to "rod!ce com"ressed m!d ric*s$ (o'e#er, the machine is ;!ite e
(o'e#er, the ric*s that come o!t o& the "rocess ha#e a :ne smooth :nish and 'alls !sing s!ch ric*s can ta*e the load o& a threestore)ed ho!se$
*atte and dau$ methods This is !sed "artic!larl) &or meeting ho!sing re;!irements in areas "rone to c)clones or earth;!a*es$
LIMITATIONS OF MUD CONSTRUCTION
It is easil) eroded ) 'ater It has a lo' tensile strength It is s!sce"tile to mechanical damage M!d does not adhere to 'ood "ro"erl) M!d soa*s !" 'ater and ecomes #er) hea#) (igh maintenance re;!irements
These deects are o#ercome $y introducing sta$ii+er to the sois! ence soi sta$ii+ation is one soution! The in"!t o& soil staili+ation allo'ed "eo"le to !ild higher 'ith thinner 'alls, 'hich ha#e a m!ch etter com"ressi#e strength and 'ater resistance$
SOIL STABILISATION
Man) staili+ers can e !sed$ Cement and lime are the most common ones$ Others li*e chemicals, resins or nat!ral "rod!cts can e !sed as 'ell$ The selection o& a staili+er 'ill de"end !"on the soil ;!alit) and the "roect re;!irements? Cement 'ill e "re&erale &or sand) soils and to achie#e ;!ic*l) a higher strength$ Lime 'ill e rather !sed &or #er) cla)e) soil, !t 'ill ta*e a longer time to harden and to gi#e strong loc*s.
STABILI*ED MUD BLOC+S
These are dense solid loc*s com"acted !sing a machine 'ith a mi
These loc*s are 0$8 to 0$2 times igger in #ol!me 'hen com"ared 'ith locall) a#ailale con#entional !rnt cla) ric*s$ Com"ressi#e strength o& the loc* greatl) de"ends !"on the soil com"osition, densit) o& the loc* and "ercentage o& staili+er -cement%lime/$ Sand) soils 'ith 9H cement can )ield loc*s ha#ing 'et com"ressi#e strength o& 654 M.a$ (igher strength &or the loc* can e otained ) increasing the ;!antit) o& staili+er
Ad#antages o "M
Energ) e>cient, do not re;!ire !rning, 91H energ) sa#ing 'hen com"ared to !rnt ric*s, Economical, 01541H sa#ings in cost 'hen com"ared to ric* masonr) .lastering can e eliminated, and Better loc* :nish and aestheticall) "leasing a""earance$
FILLER SLAB ROOFS
iller sla roo&s are asicall) solid rein&orced concrete slas 'ith "artial re"lacement o& the concrete in the tension +one ) a :ller material$ The :ller material co!ld e chea"er or chea"er and lighter$ A n!mer o& alternati#e materials can e tho!ght o&? -a/ ric* or ric* "anel, -/ Mangalore tile, -c/ staili+ed m!d loc*, -d/ hollo' concrete loc*, -e/ hollo' cla) tile%loc*, etc$ Ceiling o& a t)"ical :ller sla roo& !sing SMB :ller$ !antit) o& concrete in the tension +one o& the sla that can e re"laced ) a :ller material de"ends !"on the sha"e o& the :ller material and the thic*ness o& the solid sla$ or e
t)"ical sit!ation, ) !sing a staili+ed m!d loc*, 08H o& the concrete can e re"laced ) a material, 'hich costs one third the cost o& concrete$ This means that 78501H o& the cost o& concrete can e sa#ed ) this o"eration$
SOIL SUITABILIT' AND STABILI*ATION FOR S,S,BLOC+ Not e#er) soil is s!itale &or earth constr!ction and Staili+ed Bloc*s in "artic!lar$ B!t 'ith some *no'ledge and e<"erience man) soils can e !sed &or "rod!cing S$S$Bloc*s$ To"soil and organic soils m!st not e !sed$ Identi&)ing the "ro"erties o& a soil is essential to "er&orm, at the end, good ;!alit) "rod!cts$ A soil is an earth concrete and a good soil &or S$S$Bloc* is more sand) than cla)e)$ It has these "ro"ortions?
According to the "ercentage o& these 4 com"onents, a soil 'ith more gra#el 'ill e called gra#el), another one 'ith more, sand, sand), others silt) or cla)e), etc$
"oi identi.cation A #er) &e' laoratories can identi&) soils &or !ilding "!r"oses$ B!t soil identi:cation can e "er&ormed ) an)od) 'ith sensiti#e anal)ses$ The main "oints to e
Com"ressiilit), to *no' the o"tim!m moist!re content, 'hich 'ill re;!ire the minim!m o& com"action energ) &or the ma
T'&ICAL BLOC+'ARD ORGANISATION The "rod!ction o& S$S$Bloc* is ased on the "rinci"le o& densi:cation o& ra' earth mi
ENERG' EFFECTIVENESS Costs are too o&ten limited onl) to a monetar) #al!e$ Another im"ortant as"ect is the energ) cons!m"tion in#ol#ed in the material$ The "rod!ction o& earthased materials cons!mes m!ch less energ) and "oll!tes m!ch less than :red ric*s$ S$S$Bloc* and staili+ed rammed earth are m!ch more eco&riendl)$ The) ha#e these ad#antages com"ared to :red ric*s? Poution emission /0g o 1O2 3m24 Energy consumption /M54 0$4 times less than 'ire c!t ric*s 4$ times less than 'ire c!t ric*s 9$ times less than co!ntr) :red ric*s 78$7 times less than co!ntr) :red ric*s
COST EFFECTIVENESS CSEB are most the time chea"er than :red ric*s$ This 'ill #ar) &rom "lace to "lace and s"eciall) according to the cement cost$
The cost rea* !" o& a 8 H stailised loc* 'o!ld de"end on the local conte
ADVANTAGES OF CSEB A oca materia
Ideall), the "rod!ction is made on the site itsel& or in the near) area$ Th!s, it 'ill sa#e the trans"ortation, &!el, time and mone)$
A $io(degrada$e materia
Kelldesigned S$S$Bloc* ho!ses can 'ithstand, 'ith a minim!m o& maintenance, hea#) rains, sno'&all or &rost 'itho!t eing damaged$ The strength and d!railit) has een "ro#en since hal& a cent!r)$ B!t lets imagine a !ilding &allen do'n and that a !ngle gro's on it? the iochemicals contained in the h!m!s o& the to"soil 'ill destro) the soil cement mi< in 71 or 01 )ears and S$S$Bloc* 'ill come ac* to o!r Mother Earth
Limiting deorestation
ire'ood is not needed to "rod!ce S$S$Bloc*s$ It 'ill sa#e the &orests, 'hich are eing de"leted ;!ic*l) in the 'orld, d!e to short #ie' de#elo"ments and the mismanagement o& reso!rces$
Management o resources
Each ;!arr) sho!ld e "lanned &or #ario!s !tilisations? Kater har#esting "ond, 'aste'ater treatment, reser#oirs, landsca"ing, etc$ It is cr!cial to e a'are o& this "oint? er) "ro:tale i& 'ell managed disastro!s i& !n"lanned
An adapted materia
Being "rod!ced locall) it is easil) ada"ted to the #ario!s needs? technical, social, c!lt!ral haits$
A transera$e technoogy
It is a sim"le technolog) re;!iring semi s*ills, eas) to get$ Sim"le #illagers 'ill e ale to learn ho' to do it in &e' 'ee*s$ E>cient training centre 'ill trans&er the technolog) in a 'ee* time$
A 6o$ creation opportunity
S$S$Bloc* allo' !ns*illed and !nem"lo)ed "eo"le to learn a s*ill, get a o and rise in the social #al!es$
Mar)et opportunity
According to the local conte
Reducing imports
.rod!ced locall) ) semi s*illed "eo"le, no need im"ort &rom &ar a'a) e<"ensi#e materials or trans"ort o#er long distances hea#) and costl) !ilding materials$
7e8i$e production scae
E;!i"ment &or S$S$Bloc* is a#ailale &rom man!al to motori+ed tools ranging &rom #illage to semi ind!str) scale$ The selection o& the e;!i"ment is cr!cial, !t once done "ro"erl), it 'ill e eas) to !se the most ada"ted
Energy e9ciency and eco riendiness
Re;!iring onl) a little staili+er the energ) cons!m"tion in a m6 can e &rom 8 to 78 times less than a m o& :red ric*s$ The "oll!tion emission 'ill also e 0$4 to 9$2 times less than :red ric*s$
1ost e9ciency
.rod!ced locall), 'ith a nat!ral reso!rce and semi s*illed lao!r, almost 'itho!t trans"ort, it 'ill e de:nitel) cost e=ecti#e
"ocia acceptance
Demonstrated, since long, S$S$Bloc* can ada"t itsel& to #ario!s needs? &rom "oor income to 'ell o= "eo"le or go#ernments$ Its ;!alit), reg!larit) and st)le allo' a 'ide range o& :nal ho!se "rod!cts$
SOME LIMITATIONS OF CSEB
.ro"er soil identi:cation is re;!ired or lac* o& soil$ Una'areness o& the need to manage reso!rces$ Ignorance o& the asics &or "rod!ction J !se$ Kide s"ans, high J long !ilding are di>c!lt to do$ Lo' technical "er&ormances com"ared to concrete$
Untrained teams "rod!cing ad ;!alit) "rod!cts$ O#erstaili+ation thro!gh &ear or ignorance, O!trageo!s costs$ Understaili+ation res!lting in lo' ;!alit) "rod!cts$ Bad ;!alit) or !nada"ted "rod!ction e;!i"ment$ Lo' social acce"tance d!e to co!nter e
im"l)ing
DIVERSIT' AND SELECTION OF THE &RODUCTS
The de#elo"ment o& CSEB "ro"oses no'ada)s a 'ide range o& "rod!cts, &rom di=erent si+e and sha"es$ To select the most ada"ted "rod!ct to ones need, one sho!ld "a) s"eciall) attention to these &actors? Mod!le o& the loc*? It is the loc* si+e "l!s the mortar thic*ness$ Choose "re&eral) an eas) mod!le$ .ossiilities o& di=erent 'all thic*ness? According to the mod!le o& a loc*, 'hich thic*ness o& 'all can e achie#ed 'ith eas) ondsP According to the thic*ness, one can *no' i& a loc* can e load earing or not$ Area o& the loc*? The igger it is, the 'ea*er the loc* 'ill e$ A large area 'ill re;!ire great com"action Energ)? a man!al "ress 'ith 78 T$ ca"acit) 'ill not e ale to com"ress "ro"erl) more than 311 cmQ$ .lain, hollo' or interloc*ing loc*sP Each o& them has di=erent "ossiilities? "lain ones 'ill e laid 'ith a thic* mortar -7 to7$8 cm/@ hollo' ones 'ill e laid 'ith a thin mortar -1$8 to 7 cm/@ the interloc*ing loc*s 'ill re;!ire a thin mortar -1$8 cm/ and #er) s"ecial details$
DIVERSIT' AND SELECTION OF THE E-UI&MENT
Man) attem"ts 'ere tried to !se concrete e;!i"ment to "rod!ce S$S$Bloc*$ All &ailed, as the re;!irements o& the materials and the 'or*ing conditions are di=erent$ Toda), a#ailale on the mar*et are a 'ide range o& s"eciali+ed e;!i"ment ada"ted to each need and scale o& "rod!ction$ Toda) one can :nd man!al "resses, light or hea#), motori+ed ones 'here the com"ression energ) is gi#en ) an engine$ One can also :nd moile !nits, 'hich also integrates a cr!sher and a mi
Besides a "ress, one sho!ld not &orget all the other e;!i"ment re;!ired? sie#e, ma)e a cr!sher, 'heelarro's, ma)e a mi
Alicatio"s The com"ressed Earth !ilding s)stem can e !sed in a #ariet) o& 'a)s to constr!ct !ildings that are aesthetic, e>cient and eas) to !ild$ The asic design "rinci"les o& a good S$S$Bloc* !ilding are? Strong &o!ndation 'ith s!>cient "linth height$ S!>cient roo& o#erhang and a strong 'all :nish$ Care&!l detailing o& oints and !se o& concrete elements 'here tensile Stresses are acti#e$ In India more than 8 million staili+ed earth loc*s ha#e een !sed to !ild residential and comm!nit) !ildings in oth !ran and r!ral areas$
