Alternative Building Technology Elective -3

ALTERNATE BUILDING MATERIAL & TECHNOLOGY Syed Abu Taher W

SEM 5

WHAT IS STABILIZEDMUD BLOCK? ◦ Stabilized mud blocks (SMBs) are manufactured by compacting a wetted mixture of soil, sand, and stabilizer in a machine into a high-density block.

Such blocks are used for the construction of load-bearing masonry. Cement soil mortar is commonly used for SMB masonry. ◦ Stabilized mud block (SMB) or pressed earth block is a building material made primarily from damp soil compressed at high pressure to form blocks. If the blocks are stabilized with a chemical binder such as Portland cement they are called compressed stabilized earth block (CSEB) or stabilized earth block (SEB). Creating SMBs differs from rammed earth in that the latter uses a larger formwork into which earth is poured and manually tamped down, creating larger forms such as a whole wall or more at one time rather than building blocks and adobe which is not compressed. Stabilized mud block uses a mechanical press to form block out of an appropriate mix of fairly dry inorganic subsoil, non-expansive clay, aggregate, and sometimes a small amount of cement.

SOIL PROPORTION FOR BRICK COMPOSTION

Soil Identification ◦ 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: ◦ Grain size distribution, to know quantity of each grain size

◦ Plasticity characteristics, to know the quality and properties of the binders (clays and silts) ◦ Compressibility, to know the optimum moisture content, which will require the minimum of compaction energy for the maximum density. ◦ Cohesion, to know how the binders bind the inert grains. ◦ Humus content, to know if they are organic materials which might disturb the mix.

Advantages ➢ A local material ➢Ideally, the production is made on the site itself or in the nearby area. Thus, it will save the transportation, fuel, time and money. ➢A bio-degradable material ➢Well-designed CSEB houses can withstand, with a minimum of maintenance, heavy rains, snowfall or frost without being damaged. ➢The strength and durability has been proven since half a century.  the bio-chemicals contained in the humus of the topsoil will destroy the soil cement mix in 10 or 20 years.

Disadvantages ➢Proper soil identification is required or lack of soil. ➢Unawareness of the need to manage resources. ➢Ignorance of the basics for production & use.

➢ Wide spans, high & long building are difficult to construct. ➢ Low technical performances compared to concrete. ➢Untrained teams producing bad quality products. ➢Over-stabilization through fear or ignorance, implying outrageous costs.

➢Under-stabilization resulting in low quality ➢Traditionally, most roofs were made up of varied parts such as beams, tiles, stones, mud or thatch, where each was lifted into the desired position in a given sequence. ➢ Rarely, except during fixing of domes and vaults, was a full temporary support system called as shuttering or centering..

Clay blocks ➢Clay bricks are man-made materials. ➢ These bricks are made from clay by burning it at high temperatures. ➢The heat is responsible for fusing the clay particles, which leads to extremely strong ceramic bonds in the bricks and making them light weight.

Properties of clay blocks ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

GOOD APPEARENCE STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY HAS GOOD THERMAL MASSING FIRE AND VERMIN RESISTANCE

➢ INCREASE BREATHABILITY AND REDUCE TOXICITY ➢ ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY ➢ EASY AVAILABILITY AND COST EFFICIENT

V A U L T S

• Vaults are generated by the projection of the arch section on a plan, which is most of the time horizontal.

• Domes are basically shaped by the rotation of the arch section around a vertical axis.

They can be built on circular or quadrangular plans

Examples of vaults ◦market place during the reign of TRAJAN ◦ This vault was made of clay bricks and plastered spanning 9 metres. placed in a series

Santa Maria Maggiore a Guardiagrele in Abruzzo Groin vault construction was first exploited by the Romans, but then fell into relative obscurity in Europe until the resurgence of quality stone building brought about

by Carolingian and Romanesque architecture. It was superseded by the more flexible rib vaults of Gothic architecture in the later Middle Ages constructed of clay fire bricks

CATLAN VAULT BARCELONA Catalan vaults consist of a single or series of arches on the ceiling which create a shell structure. Thanks to that both the floor above and the ceiling itself will be able distribute gravity forces equally to the whole construction system thus bringing geometric flexibility and endurance of the structural floor surface

DOMES ◦ A dome (from Latin: domus) is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere; there is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome

DOMES ARE CONSTRUCTED SINCE THE ROMENSQUE AND VARIOUS OTHER ERAS AND EVER SINCE IT HAS BEEN EVOLVING WITH REGARDS TO ITS CONSTRUCTION METHODS USAGE OF MAERIALS AND VARIOUS FORM FACTORS

C O N S T R U C T I O N

DOME AT SANTA MARIA CHURCH • The dome of the cathedral of santa maria del fiore in Florence, Italty, was its supple curves and innovative engineering are a monument to the genius of filippo Brunelleschi • Begun in the medieval era, in 1296, the Florence cathedral is mostly Gothic, with pointed arches and angular vertical spaces.

• THIS DOME WAS COMPLETELY BUILT OF CLAY BURNT BRICKS WITH CONCRETE RIBS IN BETWEEN

OBSERVATORY HOUSE-MAWSYNRAM THESE GUEST HOUSES ARE CONSTRECTED OF BRICKS AND ARE SHAED IN A FORM OF PENDENTIVE DOMES AND ARE USED FOR NIGHT SKY OBSERVATION (STARGAZING)

YAKHCHAL / ICE PIT YAZD,IRAN Yakhchal, or ice-pit. These ancient refrigerators were used primarily to store ice for use in the summer, as well as for food storage, in the hot, dry desert climate of Iran. The ice was also used to chill treats for royalty during hot summer days and to make faloodeh, the traditional Persian frozen dessert.

• Aboveground, the structure is comprised of a large CLAY brick dome, often rising as tall as 60 feet tall.

• These structures were mainly built and used in Persia. Many that were built hundreds of years ago remain standing •

WORKING PRINCIPAL OF YAKHCHAL DOME

ARCH PANEL ROOF ➢ Achieved in long and rectangular plans ➢ At first the rcc beams are casted to the shortest span of the room

➢ A long arch profile is made with mud on ground, to be used as the template base for the panels. ➢ And then bricks are placed with cement mortar burnt clay blocks are most preffered because of its adherence and light weight

➢ Placed flat faced along the curve to achieve the arch shaped panels. The size of the panels would depend upon the blocks we use, which could be between 16 to 18 inch width, 40 to 44 inch length, 4 to 6 inch rise within the curve. The joints get a 6 mm rod in between and are filled with rich mortar min. 1:3 proportion, properly cured with water and carefully stacked.

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