Development of Structural Design Guidelines for Compressed Stabilized Earth Block Masonry
Advisor Information
Ece Erdogmus
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
3-3-2017 12:30 PM
End Date
3-3-2017 1:45 PM
Abstract
Even though the world’s population growth rate has declined over the years from 2.1% to about 1.2% per year, there still has been an increase in the total population globally. Population analysts predict that if this trend continues, there will be an increase of about 83 million to the overall population annually. Statistics show that within the next 35 years, there will be an addition of 2.5 billion people to the world’s population. According to United Nations Organization in charge of Human Settlement (UN-HABITAT), about 3 billion people lack satisfactory housing today. With the increase in population, the demand for housing will also continue to grow. This problem is largely attributed to lack of availability of building materials to meet the demand and the high cost of obtaining them. Earth construction, which has traditionally been associated with dry climates and depressed socio-economic groups presents a solution if properly engineered. Compressed stabilized earthen block (CSEB) masonry has many benefits as a sustainable, affordable, and locally appropriate material and should be explored for wider use. A National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project conducted at the University of Nebraska dealing with the development of engineered CSEBs for use in tornado-prone regions of the country has provided valuable insight into the feasibility of this material. It is concluded that, when dispersive clays are present, 10% cement stabilization can provide strong and durable masonry blocks. However, even with this information, the material is highly variable and there are no widely accepted building codes or methodology for their design in structures. This project by Luke Dolezal and Dr. Ece Erdogmus looks into developing the relationships between CSEB blocks, earthen mortars, and prisms made of these materials similar to those provided in the governing masonry codes for clay brick and concrete masonry structures. Further, by looking at the CSEBs’ resistance under water and pressure, safety factors are proposed. The study involves an extensive experimental program with 10 specimens each of 3 stack and 8 stack masonry prisms and individual blocks. The data from the compression test on these specimens are then analyzed by statistical methods to assess the variability and probability of failure in a structural setting.
Development of Structural Design Guidelines for Compressed Stabilized Earth Block Masonry
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Even though the world’s population growth rate has declined over the years from 2.1% to about 1.2% per year, there still has been an increase in the total population globally. Population analysts predict that if this trend continues, there will be an increase of about 83 million to the overall population annually. Statistics show that within the next 35 years, there will be an addition of 2.5 billion people to the world’s population. According to United Nations Organization in charge of Human Settlement (UN-HABITAT), about 3 billion people lack satisfactory housing today. With the increase in population, the demand for housing will also continue to grow. This problem is largely attributed to lack of availability of building materials to meet the demand and the high cost of obtaining them. Earth construction, which has traditionally been associated with dry climates and depressed socio-economic groups presents a solution if properly engineered. Compressed stabilized earthen block (CSEB) masonry has many benefits as a sustainable, affordable, and locally appropriate material and should be explored for wider use. A National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project conducted at the University of Nebraska dealing with the development of engineered CSEBs for use in tornado-prone regions of the country has provided valuable insight into the feasibility of this material. It is concluded that, when dispersive clays are present, 10% cement stabilization can provide strong and durable masonry blocks. However, even with this information, the material is highly variable and there are no widely accepted building codes or methodology for their design in structures. This project by Luke Dolezal and Dr. Ece Erdogmus looks into developing the relationships between CSEB blocks, earthen mortars, and prisms made of these materials similar to those provided in the governing masonry codes for clay brick and concrete masonry structures. Further, by looking at the CSEBs’ resistance under water and pressure, safety factors are proposed. The study involves an extensive experimental program with 10 specimens each of 3 stack and 8 stack masonry prisms and individual blocks. The data from the compression test on these specimens are then analyzed by statistical methods to assess the variability and probability of failure in a structural setting.