RESUME Background: Among other materials, earth is still mostly used in construction. Objectives: This purpose aimed to determine the usefulness of lateritic soil in confection of compressed earth block. Methods: Soil samples were collected from Ambatomirahavavy. Rectangular masonry mud-bricks and cylindrical compressed earth blocks CEB were made by mixing the soil sample with sand, ox dung and egg white in different ratios. Engineering and durability testing, which includes sieve analysis method, sand equivalent test, Proctor test, liquid and plastic limit tests were performed to characterise the soil sample, the soil based mixtures, the confectioned mud-bricks and CEBs. Results: A plasticity index of 17.3%, unit weight of 26.89 kN/m3, dry unit weight of 19.03 kN/m3, an optimum water content for compaction of 14.6% and a California Bearing Ratio of about 28% are found for the tested soil sample. Within 14.8% of water content, the dry density and the unit weight of the produced CEBs are 95.1 and 18.78 kN/m3, respectively. These values change to 11.4% for water content and 18.26 kN/m3 for unit weight, after the imbibition assay. High level of fine sand and low plastic index 14.1% are observed after addition of 33% of sand to the soil sample. The CEB control made with this mixture supports a maximum load of 7.25 kN and had a low compressive strength of 1.24 MPa. The addition of ox dung and egg white improves the resistance to compression. The mud-brick based on a similar mixture which has a Minimum Breaking Load of 26,8 kN, a high mechanical resistance for compression of 4.37 MPa and good flexural strength of 2.339 MPa exhibits 4.3 cm of abrasion loss at the end of the abrasive test and 10.32% of water absorption after the immersion assay. Conclusion: From these results, it is concluded that hard and resistant CEBs and masonry mud-bricks can be manufactured with the laterite earth from Ambatomirahavavy by taking advantage of its physical and mechanical characteristics. These findings contribute to valorise the lateritic soil of Ambatomirahavavy. Keywords: Compressed Earth Brick, Ox Dung, Egg White, Mechanical and Physical Characteristics.
Affiliation. 1. University of Antananarivo | Faculty of Sciences | Department of Processes and Industrial Ecology | Antananarivo | Madagascar 2. University of Antananarivo | Faculty of Sciences | Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et Chimie Organique Biologique (LCSN/COB)| Antananarivo | Madagascar | 3. University of Vakinankaratra | Institut des Hautes Etudes en Science de la Société | Antsirabe | Madagascar | 4. Ministry of Public Works | Department of Researchs, Development and Materials | Laboratoire National des Travaux Publics et du Bâtiment (LNTPB) | Antananarivo | Madagascar |
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