Effect of hand compaction on compressive strength and water absorption of compressed stabilized earth blocks

Abstract

Stabilized earth is an alternative building material which is significantly cheaper than using conventional concrete, and is also environmentally sustainable. In this research, three types of soil were used: murram, red coffee and black cotton soil. Experimental work has delved into basic material properties, as well as strength tests on specimens. Accordingly, the research work has conducted numerous tests such as atteberg limit, particle density, particle size distribution (both wet sieving and hydrometer method), compaction and linear shrinkage on material as well as strength test on blocks. The percentage of stabilizers used were 4% and 6% for cement, 4% for lime, 63% sand (on black cotton and red coffee soil) then 20% of sand on murram soil. From the result, the blocks made with 6% of cement had a highest strength and when using different method (2 layers of hand compaction before using the compress machine on the third layer) to compress blocks, the compressive strength at 28 days increase from 3 MPa to 4.3 MPa for black cotton soil, from 3.9 MPa to 5.2 MPa for red coffee soil and from 4.4 MPa to 6.2 MPa for murram soil. The blocks using 2 layers of hand compaction before using the compress machine on the third layer were resistant to water than other