Adobe Bricks Stabilized With Cement and Natural Rubber Latex
Razia Begum1, Ahsan Habib2, Hosne Ara Begum3
1Razia Begum, Housing and Building Research Institute, Darus-salam 120/3, Mirpur, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh.
2Ahsan Habib, Housing and Building Research Institute, Darus-salam 120/3, Mirpur, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh.
3Hosne Ara Begum, Housing and Building Research Institute, Darus-salam 120/3, Mirpur, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
Manuscript received on February 11, 2014. | Revised Manuscript received on February 15, 2014. | Manuscript published on February 25, 2014. | PP: 36-38 | Volume-2, Issue-4 February 2014. | Retrieval Number: D0655022414/2014©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: This study seeks to assist people in rural areas of Bangladesh by proposing sustainable methods which implement affordable and durable adobe bricks for construction. Adobe one of the oldest building materials in the world, is strong when dry but lacks structural integrity when exposed to moisture. Chemical additives such as cement and natural rubber latex are added into the adobe mixture to protect the brick against moisture decomposition. Once the chemicals are added and the mixture is formed into a brick , a stabilized adobe brick is formed. The tested brick mixes, measured by volume were 1:1:1 (Soil: Fine Sand: Cement) with natural rubber latex 0, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05% (by wt of water). After testing these bricks by water jet, submersion, Water absorption, modulus of rupture and compression, 1:1:1 soil, fine sand, cement with natural rubber latex 05% proved to be viable options for economical and durable bricks. This study explores that cement and natural rubber latex in adobe brick effects optimum compressive strength and low water absorption. The results provide a guideline for producing adobe brick containing cement and natural rubber latex with improved compressive strength and low water absorption. Adobe brick with performance improved in this ways will be beneficial for developing low cost architecture for local people and for building hotels and recreation facilities for the tourism industry.
Keywords: The results provide a guideline for producing adobe brick containing cement and natural rubber latex with improved compressive strength and low water absorption.