Mechanical and durability properties of adobe blocks filled with date palm wastes
ISSN: 1708-5284
Article publication date: 19 July 2021
Issue publication date: 20 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Earthen construction does not meet today’s requirements due to certain limitations such as low water resistance and its high vulnerability to cracking damage. The purpose of this study is to improve the mechanical properties and low durability of adobe blocks by incorporating date palm wastes as a natural reinforcement and lime as a stabilizer.
Design/methodology/approach
Soil from the region of Biskra in Algeria was mixed with sand and lime in suitable ratios. Then, date palm wastes were added to the previous mixture at different ratios (0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9%) by dry mix weight to manufacture adobes. Cubical and cylindrical specimens were prepared and tested in a laboratory to investigate the curing time, mechanical and durability characteristics of the formulated blocks. In addition, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests were used to identify the materials.
Findings
It has been observed that the addition of lime to the soil is very beneficial for its stabilization, in particular for an optimum of 12%. The presence of date palm waste in the mixture (soil + lime) generated a significant improvement in tensile strength reaching a rate of about 67%. The same observation was made for the tests of resistance to dry abrasion, resistance to erosion, attack by external sulphate and wetting/drying. However, for cases of compressive strength, water absorption and swelling an unfavorable effect was recorded.
Originality/value
Based on the above-mentioned findings, this paper presents a novel solution to increase the durability of adobe materials using date palm wastes with oven curing at 65°C for about nine days. Adopting such an approach would certainly encourage building durable mud housing on a large scale. This can contribute to solving the acute housing shortage, particularly in poor countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Authors wish to thank the Directorate General for Scientific Research and Technological Development (DG-RSDT, Algeria) for their financial support.
Conflict of interest: The authors assert that they have no acknowledged competing financial interests or personal relationships that would have had any effect on the work reported in this article.
Citation
Zaidi, A., Izemmouren, O., Taallah, B. and Guettala, A. (2022), "Mechanical and durability properties of adobe blocks filled with date palm wastes", World Journal of Engineering, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 532-545. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJE-02-2021-0094
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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