SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS FOR LOW COST HOUSING

THE LIST BELOW IS OF THOSE MATERIALS WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AS GREEN AND COST EFFECTIVE BUILDING MATERIALS AND ARE AVAILABLE IN THE MARKET. 1. BAMBOO, BAMBOO BASED 9. FERRO-CEMENT BOARDS FOR DOOR PARTICLE BOARD & PLY BOARD, AND WINDOW SHUTTERS. BAMBOO MATTING. 10. FERRO-CEMENT ROOFING 2. BRICKS SUN DRIED. CHANNELS. 3. PRECAST CEMENT CONCRETE 11. FLY-ASH SAND LIME BRICKS AND BLOCKS, LINTELS, SLAB. PAVER GYPSUM BOARD, TILES, STRUCTURAL AND NONPLASTER, BLOCKS, GYPSUM STRUCTURAL MODULAR PLASTER FIBRE JUTE/SISAL AND ELEMENTS. GLASS FIBRE COMPOSITES. 4. CALCINED PHOSPHO GYPSUM 12. LAMINATED WOOD PLASTIC WALL PANELS. COMPONENTS. 5. CALCIUM SILICATE BOARDS AND 13. MARBLE MOSAIC TILES. TILES. 14. MDF BOARDS AND MOULDINGS. 6. CELLULAR LIGHT WEIGHT 15. STONE DUST. CONCRETE BLOCKS. 16. WATER PROOF COMPOUND, 7. CEMENT PAINT. ADHESIVE, POLYMER, POWDER. 8. CLAY ROOFING TILES.

BAMBOO AS A BUILDING MATERIAL

BAMBOO IS A GROUP OF PERENNIAL EVERGREENS IN THE TRUE GRASS FAMILY POACEAE, SUBFAMILY BAMBUSOIDEAE, TRIBE BAMBUSEAE. GIANT BAMBOOS ARE THE LARGEST MEMBERS OF THE GRASS FAMILY. IN BAMBOO, THE INTERNODAL REGIONS OF THE STEM ARE HOLLOW AND THE VASCULAR BUNDLES IN THE CROSS SECTION ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE STEM INSTEAD OF IN A CYLINDRICAL ARRANGEMENT. THE DICOTYLEDONOUS WOODY XYLEM IS ALSO ABSENT. THE ABSENCE OF SECONDARY GROWTH WOOD CAUSES THE STEMS OF MONOCOTS, EVEN OF PALMS AND LARGE BAMBOOS, TO BE COLUMNAR RATHER THAN TAPERING. BACKGROUND AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL
BAMBOO HAS A LONG AND WELL ESTABLISHED TRADITION FOR BEING USED AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL THROUGHOUT THE TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL REGIONS OF THE WORLD. WITH THE RISING GLOBAL CONCERN, BAMBOO IS A CRITICAL RESOURCE AS IT IS VERY EFFICIENT IN SEQUESTERING CARBON AND HELPS IN REDUCTION OF GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. ITS USE THROUGH INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING HAVE SHOWN A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS AND COMPONENTS WHICH ARE COST-EFFECTIVE AND CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY UTILISED FOR STRUCTURAL AND NON-STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSING AND BUILDINGS. MAIN CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES, WHICH MAKE BAMBOO AS A POTENTIAL BUILDING MATERIAL ARE ITS HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH AND VERY GOOD WEIGHT TO STRENGTH RATIO.

PROPERTIES : TENSILE STRENGTH: THE FIBRES OF THE BAMBOO RUN AXIAL. IN THE OUTER ZONE ARE HIGHLY ELASTIC VASCULAR BUNDLES THAT HAVE A HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH. THE TENSILE STRENGTH OF THESE FIBRES IS HIGHER THAN THAT OF STEEL, BUT ITS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONSTRUCT CONNECTIONS THAT CAN TRANSFER THESE TENSILE STRENGTHS. SHRINKING: BAMBOO SHRINKS MORE THAN WOOD WHEN IT LOSES WATER. THE CANES CAN TEAR APART AT THE NODES. BAMBOO SHRINKS IN THE CROSS SECTION CA. 10-16 %, IN THE WALL THICKNESS CA. 15-17 %. FIRE RESISTANCE: THE FIRE RESISTANCE IS VERY GOOD BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CONTENT OF SILICATE ACID. FILLED UP WITH WATER, IT CAN STAND A TEMPERATURE OF 400 C WHILE THE WATER COOKS INSIDE.

ELASTICITY: THE ENORMOUS ELASTICITY OF BAMBOO MAKES IT TO A VERY GOOD BUILDING MATERIAL FOR EARTH-QUAKE PRONE AREAS. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF BAMBOO IS ITS LOW WEIGHT. IT CAN BE TRANSPORTED AND WORKED EASILY, THE USE OF CRANES IS MOSTLY UNNECESSARY.

SCOPES :BAMBOO MATERIAL OFFERS A SURPRISINGLY LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS AND USES. BAMBOO AS A BUILDING MATERIAL IN THE BAMBOO ARCHITECTURE IS USING FOR SEVERAL CONSTRUCTIONS. IN THE FOLLOWING SOME OF THESE CONSTRUCTIONS WILL BE REPRESENTED. ROOFING :THE SIMPLEST ROOF COVERING IS FORMED BY BAMBOO SHINGLES WHICH ARE AS LONG AS THE RAFTERS. TO PRODUCE THE SHINGLES THE BAMBOO CANES ARE HALVED ALONG THEIR LENGTH AND THE DIAPHRAGMS ARE REMOVED. THEY ARE THREADED TO THE RIDGE AND PLACED IN ROMAN TILE FASHION. THESE SHINGLES ARE NIT FIXED AT THE EAVES. THEY ARE HELD IN POSITION BY THEIR OWN WEIGHT.

HALVED BAMBOO CANES IN ROMAN TILE FASHION

BAMBOO CANE ON THE RIDGE & PALM LEAVES ON BAMBOO RIDGE SCAFFOLDINGS :BECAUSE OF THE FAVOURABLE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOAD-BEARING CAPACITY AND WEIGHT, BAMBOO CAN BE USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SAVE SCAFFOLDINGS EVEN FOR VERY TALL BUILDINGS. EVEN AT THEIR CONNECTIONS THE CANES ARE NOT TREATED IN ANY WAY. ONLY LASHED JOINTS ARE USED.

LASHED CANE EXTENSION & BAMBOO CANES USED FOR SCAFFOLDINGS

ADVANTAGES OF BAMBOO : DIVIDED IN NODES AND SEGMENTS. STRENGTHENED BY DIAPHRAGMS AT THE NODES. ALL FIBRES ORIENTATED LENGTHWISE: SOFTER AT THE INSIDE, HARDER AT THE OUTSIDE. LIGHT WEIGHT. TENSILE STRENGTH NEARLY AS HIGH AS STEEL. FAST GROWING NATURAL MATERIAL. BINDING OF CO2. SUSTAINABILITY. AVAILABLE IN LARGE AMOUNTS (COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN). HIGH MECHANICAL STRENGTH. HIGH FLEXIBILITY (EARTHQUAKE-PROOF). INEXPENSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE. PREFABRICATION OF CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS. JOINT CONSTRUCTION TRANSFERABLE FROM OTHER MATERIALS (E.G. MERO / STEEL ETC.) BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE FOR USE OF WHOLE BAMBOO CULMS THAN FOR PROCESSED PRODUCTS. DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AREAS OF APPLICATION FOR BAMBOO IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY. BUILDINGS WITH HIGH SPAN WIDTHS.

MUD BRICK
THE IDEAL BUILDING MATERIAL WOULD BE BORROWED FROM THE ENVIRONMENT AND REPLACED AFTER USE. THERE WOULD BE LITTLE OR NO PROCESSING OF THE RAW MATERIAL AND ALL THE ENERGY INPUTS WOULD BE DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, FROM THE SUN. THIS IDEAL MATERIAL WOULD ALSO BE CHEAP. MUD BRICKS CAN COME CLOSE TO THIS IDEAL. BASIC MUD BRICKS ARE MADE BY MIXING EARTH WITH WATER, PLACING THE MIXTURE INTO MOULDS AND DRYING THE BRICKS IN THE OPEN AIR. STRAW OR OTHER FIBRES THAT ARE STRONG IN TENSION ARE OFTEN ADDED TO THE BRICKS TO HELP REDUCE CRACKING. MUD BRICKS ARE JOINED WITH A MUD MORTAR AND CAN BE USED TO BUILD WALLS, VAULTS AND DOMES.

PROPERTIES :APPEARANCE :THE APPEARANCE OF MUD BRICKS REFLECTS THE MATERIAL THEY ARE MADE FROM. THEY ARE THUS EARTHY, WITH COLOUR DETERMINED BY COLOUR OF CLAYS AND SANDS IN THE MIX. FINISHED WALLS CAN EXPRESS THE BRICK PATTERNS VERY STRONGLY AT ONE EXTREME OR BE MADE INTO A SMOOTHLY CONTINUOUS SURFACE. FIRE AND VERMIN RESISTANCE :SINCE EARTH DOES NOT BURN, AND EARTH WALLS DO NOT READILY PROVIDE HABITAT FOR VERMIN, MUD BRICK WALLS GENERALLY HAVE EXCELLENT FIRE AND VERMIN RESISTANCE.

STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY :WITH THICK ENOUGH WALLS, MUD BRICK CAN CREATE LOAD BEARING STRUCTURES UP TO SEVERAL STORIES HIGH. VAULTS AND DOMES ENABLE ADOBE TO BE USED FOR MANY SITUATIONS OTHER THAN VERTICAL WALLS. THE MUD BRICK MAY BE USED AS INFILL IN A TIMBER FRAME BUILDING OR FOR LOAD-BEARING WALLS, ALTHOUGH ITS COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH IS RELATIVELY LOW. TYPICALLY, AUSTRALIAN ADOBE STRUCTURES ARE SINGLE OR DOUBLE STOREY. IN THE YEMEN THERE ARE BUILDINGS 8 STORIES HIGH AND MORE THAT HAVE STOOD FOR CENTURIES. THERMAL MASS AND INSULATION :ADOBE WALLS CAN PROVIDE MODERATE TO HIGH THERMAL MASS. ON AN AVERAGE, MUD BRICK WALLS WITH A MINIMUM THICKNESS OF 300MM CAN PROVIDE EFFECTIVE THERMAL MASS. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF MUD BRICKS ARE NOT GOOD INSULATORS. SINCE THEY ARE EXTREMELY DENSE THEY LACK THE ABILITY TO TRAP AIR WITHIN THEIR STRUCTURE, THE ATTRIBUTE OF BULK INSULATION THAT ALLOWS IT TO RESIST THE TRANSFER OF HEAT. INSULATION CAN BE ADDED TO ADOBE WALLS WITH LININGS BUT IS NOT INTRINSIC TO THE MATERIAL, AND, DEPENDING ON THE BUILDING DESIGN MAY NOT BE NEEDED IN SOME CLIMATE ZONES. A WELL-BUILT ADOBE WALL HAS VERY GOOD SOUND INSULATION PROPERTIES. IN FACT, IT CAN BE ALMOST EQUIVALENT TO A MONOLITHIC MASONRY STRUCTURE IN ITS CAPACITY FOR SOUND ATTENUATION.

DURABILITY AND MOISTURE RESISTANCE :ADOBE WALLS ARE CAPABLE OF PROVIDING STRUCTURAL SUPPORT FOR CENTURIES BUT THEY NEED PROTECTION FROM EXTREME WEATHER (EG. WITH DEEP EAVES) OR CONTINUOUS MAINTENANCE (THE ANCIENT STRUCTURES OF THE YEMEN HAVE BEEN REPAIRED CONTINUOUSLY OR THE CENTURIES THEY HAVE BEEN STANDING). AS A GENERAL RULE, ADOBE NEEDS PROTECTION FROM DRIVING RAIN (ALTHOUGH SOME ADOBE SOILS ARE VERY RESISTANT TO WEATHERING) AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO CONTINUOUS HIGH MOISTURE. BREATHABILITY AND TOXICITY :MUD BRICKS MAKE BREATHABLE WALLS BUT SOME MUD BRICK RECIPES INCLUDE BITUMEN, WHICH POTENTIALLY RESULTS IN SOME OUT GASSING OF HYDROCARBONS. IDEALLY EARTH SHOULD BE USED IN ITS NATURAL STATE OR AS NEAR IT AS CAN BE ACHIEVED. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS :MUD BRICKS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE THE LOWEST IMPACT OF ALL CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. ADOBE SHOULD NOT CONTAIN ANY ORGANIC MATTER THE BRICKS SHOULD BE MADE FROM CLAYS AND SANDS AND NOT INCLUDE LIVING SOIL. THEY REQUIRE VERY LITTLE GENERATED ENERGY TO MANUFACTURE, BUT LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER. THE EMBODIED ENERGY CONTENT OF MUD BRICKS IS POTENTIALLY THE LOWEST OF ALL BUILDING MATERIALS BUT ADDITIVES, EXCESSIVE TRANSPORT AND OTHER MECHANICAL ENERGY USE CAN INCREASE THE DELIVERED EMBODIED ENERGY OF ALL EARTH CONSTRUCTION.

BUILDABILITY, AVAILABILITY AND COST :MUD BRICKS PROVIDE A FORGIVING CONSTRUCTION MEDIUM WELL SUITED TO OWNER-BUILDER CONSTRUCTION. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROPRIETARY MUD BRICK MAKERS AND BUILDERS ABLE TO PROVIDE GOOD INFORMATION AND A STRONG OWNER-BUILDER ORIENTED NETWORK. THE MATERIALS FOR MAKING MUD BRICKS ARE READILY AVAILABLE IN MOST AREAS AND MAY BE SOURCED DIRECTLY FROM THE SITE OF THE BUILDING IN SOME CASES. LOW COSTS IN CONSTRUCTION CAN ONLY BE EFFECTIVELY ACHIEVED BY SELFBUILD, REDUCING THE LABOUR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MANUFACTURE AND/OR LAYING OF BRICKS. COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED MUD BRICK CONSTRUCTION CAN BE AS EXPENSIVE, OR EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE, THAN BRICK VENEER.

FOOTINGS :IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE FOOTINGS FROM RUBBLE, BUT UNCONVENTIONAL CONSTRUCTION MAY MAKE IT HARDER TO OBTAIN BUILDING APPROVALS AND THE USUAL METHOD IS TO EMPLOY STRIP OR RAFT CONCRETE FOOTINGS. A RAFT CONCRETE SLAB CAN PROVIDE A CLEAN, FLAT SURFACE FOR MAKING MUD BRICKS. A DAMP PROOF COURSE MUST BE LAID BETWEEN THE FOOTINGS AND BRICK WALL TO PREVENT RISING DAMP. A SPLASH COURSE OF FIRED BRICKS IS ADVISABLE TO PREVENT EROSION OF THE LOWER COURSE OF MUD BRICKS RESULTING FROM HEAVY RAIN.

FRAMES AND LOAD BEARING WALLS :MUD BRICKS CAN BE LOAD BEARING BUT IN ALSO USUAL PRACTICE TO BUILD MUD BRICK WALLS BETWEEN TIMBER OR STEEL FRAMES. LOAD BEARING MUD BRICK WALL CONSTRUCTION REQUIRES PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO GOOD BONDING (AVOIDING CONTINUOUS VERTICAL JOINTS) AND ENSURING STABILITY BY HAVING RETURNS ON THE WALLS THAT BUTTRESS THEM AGAINST SIDEWAYS FORCES. AGAIN, NORMAL, TRADITIONAL MASONRY PRACTICE APPLIES TO THE PATTERN IN WHICH BRICKS SHOULD BE LAID. IT IS POSSIBLE TO CREATE ARCHES, SQUINCHES AND DOMES IN MUD BRICK AND ALTHOUGH THESE HAVE FEATURED IN ADOBE STRUCTURE SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, THEY ARE RARE IN MODERN BUILDING STRUCTURES OF THIS TYPE. FINISHES :LINSEED OIL AND TURPENTINE CAN BE USED TO PROVIDE A FINAL FINISH. THIS IS ALSO A VERY EFFECTIVE METHOD OF PROTECTING WALLS SUSCEPTIBLE TO EROSION. THERE IS EVEN THE OPTION OF USING THE NATURAL PLASTIC OF CELLULOSE, PROCESSED BY BOVINE BEASTS, TO CREATE MUD AND MANURE SLURRY, ALTHOUGH THIS IS SELDOM USED IN AUSTRALIA. FINISHES CAN RANGE FROM RUSTIC TO SMOOTH WITH THIS TYPICAL FLEXIBILITY OF APPROACH BEING ONE OF THE MATERIALS MANY APPEALING QUALITIES.

ISSUES AND DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNIQUES TO OVERCOME :SOME ONE-THIRD OF THE WORLD POPULATION IS SAID TO LIVE IN MUD HOUSES. IN RURAL AREAS OF INDIA, PARTICULARLY IN MANY SMALL/MEDIUM TOWNS OF SOUTH INDIA IN MAJORITY OF HOUSES MUD HAS BEEN USED IN CONSTRUCTION IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. THAT IS, IN CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS, PLASTERING, FLOORING, ETC. SCIENTISTS HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL TECHNIQUES TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF USING MUD AS BUILDING MATERIAL. THE CENTRAL BUILDING RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ROORKEE, HAS DONE LOT OF RESEARCH AND HAS DEVELOPED A NON-ERODABLE WATER REPELLENT MUD PLASTER TO MAKE MUD HOUSES MORE DURABLE. RESEARCHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED MANY STABILIZING AGENTS, SUCH AS LIME, BITUMEN, RICE HUSK CEMENT TO BE USED IN MUD CONSTRUCTION TO IMPROVE BEARING STRENGTH. DURABILITY HALF OF THE RESIDENTS INDICATED THAT THEIR DWELLING WAS DURABLE, WITH A LIFESPAN OF MORE THAN 20 YEARS. THE OTHER HALF REPORTED A LIFESPAN OF JUST 10 YEARS WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE REQUIRED. AFFORDABILITY ALL RESIDENTS AGREED THAT EARTHEN DWELLINGS WERE AFFORDABLE WHEN COMPARED TO MODERN DWELLINGS. AESTHETICS FOUR INTERVIEWEES APPRECIATED THE APPEARANCE OF EARTHEN ARCHITECTURE, TWO WERE INDIFFERENT BUT FOUR FOUND THE APPEARANCE LESS PLEASING COMPARED TO MODERN DWELLINGS.

FLYASH BRICKS
FLYASH BRICK ARE BUILDING MATERIALS, SPECIFICALLY MASONRY UNITS, CONTAINING CLASS C FLYASH AND WATER. COMPRESSED AT 4,000 PSI AND CURED FOR 24 HOURS IN A 150 F (66 C) STEAM BATH, THEN TOUGHENED WITH AN AIR ENTRAINMENT AGENT, THE BRICKS LAST FOR MORE THAN 100 FREEZE-THAW CYCLES. OWING TO THE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF CALCIUM OXIDE IN CLASS C FLYASH, THE BRICK CAN BE DESCRIBED AS "SELFCEMENTING". THE MANUFACTURING METHOD IS SAID TO SAVE ENERGY, REDUCE MERCURY POLLUTION, AND COSTS 20% LESS THAN TRADITIONAL CLAY BRICK MANUFACTURING. THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLYASH FROM A COAL FIRED FURNACE ARE CONTROLLED BY THE TYPE PF COAL AND PROCESSING CONDITIONS OF THE FURNACE. THESE VARY NOT ONLY FROM ONE PLANT TO ANOTHER BUT ALSO WITHIN THE SAME PLANT. LARGE VARIATION IN THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FLYASHES IS, THEREFORE, NATURAL. FORTUNATELY, HOWEVER, THE POZZOLANIC PROPERTIES OF A FLYASH ARE NOT GOVERNED SO MUCH BY THE CHEMISTRY BUT BY THE MINERALOGY AND THE PARTICLE SIZE OF THE FLYASH. IT MAY BE NOTED THAT MODERN COAL FIRED THERMAL POWER PLANT GENERALLY PRODUCE GOOD QUALITY FLYASH THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY LOW CARBON AND HIGH GLASS CONTENT WITH 75% OR MORE PARTICLES FINER THAN 45 MICRONS.

TYPES OF FLYASH BRICKS :A VARIETY OF FLYASH BRICKS CAN BE PREPARED BY VARIOUS COMPOSITION OF DIFFERENT RAW MATERIALS SUCH AS:
FLYASH SAND OR STONE DUST LIME GYPSUM CEMENT FEW OF THE COMMON FLYASH BRICKS AVAILABLE IN INDIAN MARKET ARE FOLLOWING: CLAY FLYASH BRICKS: MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF CLAY FLYASH BRICKS BY MANUAL OR EXTRUSION PROCESS INVOLVES MIXING OF FLYASH (60 %) WITH CLAY OF MODERATE PLASTICITY. THE GREEN BRICKS ARE DRIED UNDER AMBIENT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS OR IN SHED TO EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE LEVEL OF BELOW 3 PERCENT. DRIED BRICKS ARE FIRED IN TRADITIONAL BRICK KILNS AT 1000 30 C WITH A SOAKING PERIOD OF 5 7 HOURS AT MATURING TEMPERATURE. THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO REDUCE NOT ONLY PRECIOUS TOP SOIL AND CONSUMPTION OF COAL IN MAKING CONVENTIONAL CLAY BRICKS, BUT ALSO REQUIRES MINIMUM CHARGES IN EXISTING SET UP AT KILN SITES AND NOT VERY MUCH SUSCEPTIBLE TO QUALITY OF ASH.

 FLYASH SAND LIME BRICKS: IN PRESENCE OF MOISTURE, FLYASH REACTS WITH LIME AT ORDINARY TEMPERATURE AND FORMS A COMPOUND POSSESSING CEMENTITIOUS PROPERTIES. AFTER REACTIONS BETWEEN LIME AND FLYASH, CALCIUM SILICATE HYDRATES ARE PRODUCED WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HIGH STRENGTH OF THE COMPOUND. THIS PROCESS INVOLVES HOMOGENEOUS MIXING OF RAW MATERIALS (GENERALLY FLYASH, SAND AND LIME), MOLDING OF BRICKS AND THEN CURING OF THE GREEN BRICKS. SOME TECHNOLOGIES CALL FOR USAGE OF CHEMICAL ACCELERATOR LIKE GYPSUM. THESE PROCESSES ARE ALMOST SIMILAR AND VARY SLIGHTLY FROM WATER CURING TO STEAM CURING AT LOW PRESSURE OR AUTOCLAVING AT 10-14 KG/CM2. BRICKS MADE BY MIXING LIME AND FLYASH ARE, THEREFORE, CHEMICALLY BONDED BRICKS. THESE BRICKS ARE SUITABLE FOR USE IN MASONRY JUST LIKE COMMON BURNT CLAY BRICKS. THESE BRICKS HAVE ADEQUATE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AS A LOAD-BEARING MEMBER AND ARE LIGHTER IN WEIGHT THAN ORDINARY CLAY BRICKS. GENERALLY, DRY FLYASH AVAILABLE FROM POWER PLANTS MEETS THE PROPERTIES SPECIFIED IN IS: 3812 AND IS SUITABLE FOR MANUFACTURE OF FLYASH LIME BRICKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF IS: 12894.

PROPERTIES :APPEARANCE :THESE BRICKS HAVE A PLEASING COLOUR LIKE CEMENT, ARE UNIFORM IN SHAPE AND SMOOTH IN FINISH, ALSO, THEY REQUIRE NO PLASTERING FOR BUILDING WORK. THE BRICKS ARE OF DENSE COMPOSITION, UNIFORMLY SHAPED WITH/WITHOUT A FROG, FREE FROM VISIBLE CRACKS, WARP-AGE, ORGANIC MATTER, PEBBLES AND NODULES OF FREE LIME. THEY ARE LIGHTER IN WEIGHT THAN ORDINARY CLAY BRICKS AND LESS POROUS TOO. THE COLOUR OF FLYASH BRICKS CAN BE ALTERED WITH THE ADDITION OF ADMIXTURES DURING THE PROCESS OF BRICK MAKING. THEY COME IN VARIOUS SIZES, BUT GENERALLY ARE SIMILAR TO THE SIZES OF CLAY BRICKS. BUILDABILITY, AVAILABILITY AND COST :THE BLOCKS HAVE AN EASY WORKABILITY AND HIGH COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH ELIMINATES BREAKAGES/WASTAGE DURING HANDLING GIVING A NEAT FINISH, WITH LOWER THICKNESS OF JOINTS AND PLASTER. THE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE REMAINS THE SAME AS REGULAR BRICKS ENSURING EASY CHANGE OF MATERIAL, WITHOUT REQUIRING ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR THE MASONS. THOUGH THESE BRICKS ARE ABUNDANTLY AVAILABLE CLOSER TO THERMAL POWER PLANTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, FINDING DEALERS IN ALL MAJOR CITIES AND TOWNS WOULDNT BE A PROBLEM. THE BLOCKS BEING AVAILABLE IN SEVERAL LOAD BEARING GRADES ARE SUITABLE FOR: LOAD BEARING EXTERNAL WALLS, IN LOW AND MEDIUM SIZE STRUCTURES.