Hydric and Durability Performances of Compressed Earth Blocks Stabilized with Industrial and Agro By-Product Binders: Calcium Carbide Residue and Rice Husk Ash
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 33, Issue 6
Abstract
This study investigated the hydric and durability performances of compressed earth blocks (CEBs) stabilized with calcium carbide residue (CCR) and rice husk ash (RHA). Dry mixtures were prepared using kaolinite-rich earthen material and 0%–25% CCR or to CCR:RHA of the weight of the earth. Moistened mixtures were manually compressed to produce CEBs (). Stabilized CEBs were cured at and wrapped in plastic bags for 45 days. The cured CEBs were dried and tested for water absorption and other indicators of durability. Unstabilized CEBs immediately degraded in water. The stabilized CEBs were stable in water, with a very low coefficient of capillary absorption () and excellent durability indicators. They resisted erosion at a standard water pressure (50 kPa) and at a pressure of 500 kPa. The coefficient of surface abrasion improved far higher than the recommended for the construction of facing masonry. It also increased after wetting-drying cycles and correlated with the evolution of compressive strength. This correlation can be used as the nondestructive test of stabilized CEBs.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by the Académie de Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (Belgium)—Commission de la Coopération au Développement (ARES-CCD) as part of an international research and development project Amélioration de la qualité de l’habitat en terre crue au Burkina Faso-Improving the quality of earthen housing in Burkina Faso PRD2016–2021. Burkina Industrial Gas (BIG) generously provided the calcium carbide residue. The first author also acknowledges the comments and suggestions provided by the anonymous reviewers, which greatly improved the quality of the original manuscript.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 33 • Issue 6 • June 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 19, 2020
Accepted: Nov 9, 2020
Published online: Mar 29, 2021
Published in print: Jun 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Aug 29, 2021
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