CHAPTER I

1.1 Introduction

A brick is building material used to make walls, pavements and other elements in

masonry construction. Nowadays, people adds different materials to increase the strength of

the bricks, there are those who adds burnt rice husk, crushed glasses and other crushed and

burnt materials, trying to search for the right mixture that will fully increase the strength of

the material. In this study, the researchers believe that anything in this world can be utilized

and use to create something, that’s why the researchers are going to use dried pulverized cow

dung and coconut husk, two things that are almost thrash for some of the people.

Cow dung and coconut husks are both fibrous materials. Mixing fibers to concrete creates

Fiber-Reinforced Concretes which are, according to research, has higher structural integrity.

Cow dungs have naturally processed fibers, produced by cows through eating grasses which

is a fibrous material, it is under natural fiber. Fibrous materials are used to control cracking

due to plastic shrinkage and to drying shrinkage. They also educed the permeability of

concrete and thus reduce bleeding of water.

This study will provide further information as to how much increase in strength, the

fibrous materials to be used, can give the concrete block. This study is important for us to be

able to determine whether adding more amount of fibrous materials can further increase the

properties of the brick or if there is a specific amount or ratio to be follow. The researchers

also think that this study can help those who are taking care of cows, that instead of throwing

the dungs, they can make profit out of it. This study was not new to everyone, because there

are previous researchers who already conduct this kind of study. What’s new to this study is
 that we are going to mix pulverized cow dung and coconut husk and add it to the concrete

mixture. This will not cost the researchers a lot because cow dungs are always available and

coconut husk can be found in almost every part of the Philippines due to its tropical weather

that the coconut requires to be able to grow.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem targets to the address the following question “How does

cow dung and coconut husk help to improve a brick in construction?”

The researcher aims to address the following specific questions pertaining to the methods

and processes that take place:

1. What are the components of the cow dung and coconut husk that can provide the needs in

improving bricks?

2. Amount of cow dung and coconut husk to be added for a single brick.

3. Lifespan of a brick with cow dung and coconut husk.

4. Specific species of cow that produce cow manure.

5. Specific kind of coconut husk to be used in the material.

6. Are there any components of the materials to be minimized?

7. Advantages and disadvantages of using these materials in brick.

8. Criteria for a brick to be acceptable for using it in construction.

9. Does this modified brick affect the health of the user?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to prove that adding cow dung and coconut husks,

which are fibrous materials, can increase the strength of the common concrete block.

Specifically, the proposed study aimed:

 To design a brick that has a higher strength test than the normal bricks in the

industry.

 To create something useful out of things that are almost thrash for all people.

 To test the performance limits of the modified brick in terms of compressive,

shearing, and flexural stresses.

 To evaluate whether the brick will be utilized according to its function, to test

whether it’ll be reliable in terms of constructions and how efficient and effective

this modified brick will be whenever used in the normal constructions.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The population of the Philippines have increased in high rate which has led to an increase

in the number of residential, educational, hospitals, public utilities, commercial, small scale,,

medium industry, infrastructural structure and multi-storeyed apartments. In our country

construction materials are quite expensive and some of us especially in the provinces that

some poor people lives. They intended to use lumbers from forest to construct their own

house that we cannot assure the life span and strength to fight weather and any phenomenon

that can destroy it. So this study is made to provide help to others to have a simple

construction material to help them in their own needs.

1.4 A. Environmental
 Cow dung and coconut husk are known as biodegradable material and in our country it is

considered as waste and cannot be used. This material is a eco-friendly because this country

produces tons of coconut every day and there is no specific place to dump those husk but

even thou some people use it as “bunot”. When this research is prove to be useful it can help

this waste to be lessened. For the cow dung, other used it as an fertilizer and it is good also

because it they recycled the cow manure into new material but this concept is good because

the material to be made is for long term use.

1.4 B. Social

The beneficiary of this research in society is the people because we can find an

alternative uses of those materials that are known waste. It can help them because they can

used cow dung and coconut husk n making bricks that can find everywhere instead of the

pure mixture of the concrete. For the farmer it can be extra income for them because they

have cow that produce manure and others are farmer in a coconut farm.

1.4 C Economic

This can be a big impact for the economic aspect of life of a person because instead of

buying expensive materials for construction we can buy less and have alternative materials

that can use in making bricks instead of pure mixture of sand gravel and cement. Nowadays,

population increases in high rate and the demand of the construction materials increases too

because of the demand that causes the materials to become expensive. Some people needs a

house but they cannot afford because of the expensiveness and this maybe a big help for

them.

1.4D Industrial
 It can help the industry to become more productive because the alternative materials used

can only find in the environment and easily to find. It is abundant in places with farm. The

cost of this material can be cheaper because of being abundant of those materials. The farmer

can make this bricks for their extra income. They will become more productive because their

occupation is the primary source of the materials.

1.4E Academics

The beneficiary of this study are those students, they can improve this research and find other

materials to add to make a more modified bricks. They can also use this study also for their

research projects and thesis.

1.5 Scope and Delimitations

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

 The system will examine the effectiveness of Cow dung and coconut husk as

reinforcements.

 The system will provide economical material for construction.

 The materials are locally abundant and that can reduce the cost of producing bricks.

 The cement industry is responsible for some of emission of carbon-dioxide leading to

global warming, reducing pollution by using this modified bricks.

 The system will provide a functional construction material that is eco-friendly.

DELIMITATIONS

 The researchers limit the study by using only coconut husk fibers and sun dried cow

manure.
  The bricks will be tested by means of compressive and tensile strength only.

 The mixture type will be A, 1 cubic meter of cement and 2 cubic meters of sand.

 Maximum of 8 – 10 percent of cow dung and coconut husk must be on the mixture.

 Durability can’t be tested due to lack of time frame of the study

LIMITATIONS

 Cow manure has different types of water content.

 Water absorption due to rainy weather condition will not be considered.

 The increase in fire conduction is neglected.

 CHAPTER II

2.1 Introduction

Cow dung and coconut husk are very abundant in many places in the Philippines that

can be converted into usable material like bricks, which can be useful as an alternative

construction material. These are proven to be effective. Linda Crampton a writer and a

teacher with an honors degree in biology writes an article titled “ The Many Uses of Cow

Dung: A Natural and Renewable Resources”, “The Uses of Coconut Fibre in the Production

of Structural Lightweight Concrete” a research conducted by Sadiquil Nasal, Habibur

Rahman Sobuz and “Home Constructed With Cow Manure? In Village of the Maasai

People of Kenya, Yes an article written in The Gate by Brian Cohen a Famous adventurer

and reasercher.

Cow dung can be helpful in warm places like Philippines; Linda Crampton said “a

cow dung formed a waterproof layer that avoid heat to enter”. Cow dung is considered as

waste and the only known for being a fertilizer. It contains fibrous components which are

good for binding materials. It is often use by Maasai people in Kenya in building houses due

to lack of materials or maybe poverty. They uses soil and cow dung as an alternative

reinforcement.

2.2 Related Theories and Literature

According to Vandna Sharma, Bhanu M.Marwaha, Hemant K.Vinayakb (2016), “stated in

their article ‘Enhancing durability of adobe by natural reinforcement for propagating

sustainable mud housing’, Low durability and compressive strength of adobe blocks leads to

frequent maintenance problem associated with rural house wall construction. This forms the
main reason of abandonment of vernacular mud housing building technology in rural areas

today. The present paper presents an attempt to improve upon the low durability of adobe

blocks by addition of natural reinforcement of Grewia Optiva and Pinus Roxburghii which

otherwise are treated as waste material in rural areas. Experimental investigations were

carried out for cylindrical and cubical stabilized and unstabilized soil samples. Durability

tests conducted included wetting and drying test, water absorption and expansion test, sponge

water absorption test, spray test, total absorption test, and water strength coefficient tests

carried out as per Indian standards and international research. Results indicated that

durability of stabilized soil samples increases by 72% and 68% for fibers of Grewia Optiva

and Pinus Roxburghii as compared with unstabilized soil samples. The results recommend

that fibers of Grewia Optiva and Pinus Roxburghii can be advantageously added in adobe

blocks for improving durability. This would propagate durable mud housing on a large scale

thereby reducing housing shortage especially in developing countries, economizing use of

natural resources, reducing energy consumption during manufacturing of modern

construction materials and most importantly provide sustainable way of living.”

Literature studies (Galan et al., 2010; Ogunye and Boussabaine, 2002; Hall, 2007; Ola, 1990;

Walker, 2004) involving different experimental investigations give a comparative analysis of

properties of earth products before and after modifications. Studies by Ogunye and

Boussabaine (2002), Mbumbia and Tirlocq (2000), Ola (1990), Obonyo and Baskaran

(2010), Donkor and Obonyo (2015), Villamizar et al. (2012), Prasad et al. (2012), Yetimoglu

et al. (2005) all ascertain considerable improvement in mechanical and physical properties of

soil after treatment. Table 2.1 gives a literary review of comparative improvement in

properties of soil after treatment (stabilization and reinforcement).

 Table 2.1 Improvement in properties of soil after treatment.

Reference Property Treatment Results

improvement
Stabilizer Reinforcement
Vilane Compressive Ordinary Molasses, cow- Soil samples with molasses
(Vilane, strength Portland dung, sawdust and Ordinary Portland
2010) Cement Cement shown improved
compressive strength
Ngowi Strength of earth Cement, lime, Fibers, cow-dung Specimen of lime and
construction bitumen cement show improved
strength
Heathcote Durability of adobe Cement; – Specimens of 7.5% cement
different show improved durability
proportions
(2.5%, 5%,
7.5%)
Ren Durability of adobe Sodium silicate – Treated specimens show
solution, better durability than
silioxane and untreated samples
silicone
emulsion
Turnali and Structural behavior – Straw, fly ash, Load carrying capacity
Erdogan of adobe plaster increased by addition of
reinforcement straw, fly-ash and plaster
reinforced mesh
Binci et al. Compressive Cement, Plastic fibers, Specimens reinforced with
strength, heat gypsum, straw, plastic fibers showed
conductivity, basaltic pumice polystyrene fabric increased compressive
earthquake strength, thermal
resistance insulation, elasticity and
earthquake resistance
Ramírez et Durability, Lime Sugarcane Specimens with 10%
al. compressive bagasse ash lime + 10% SCBA showed
strength, flexural (SCBA) improved properties
strength
Muntohar Compressive Lime Rice husk ash Specimens with 1:1; lime :
(Muntohar, strength rice hush addition showed
2011) improved compressive and
flexural strength
Kumar et al. Compressive – Plain and Fibers reinforced samples
strength crimped polyester showed improved
fiber compressive strength
Ghavami et Compressive Coconut and sisal Fibers reinforced samples
al. (Ghavami strength fibers showed improved
et al., 1999) compressive strength
Guettala et Durability, strength Cement, lime, – Samples stabilized with 5%
Reference Property Treatment Results
improvement
Stabilizer Reinforcement
al. resin cement and resin showed
better durability
Danso et al. Compressive and Coconut, Addition of coconut and oil
tensile strength bagasse, oil palm palm fibers showed
fibers increase in strength
Taallah et al. Mechanical Cement Date palm fibers Specimen with .05%
properties and fiber + 8% cement showed
hygroscopicity of improved properties
compressed earth
blocks
Tang et al. Compressive Cement Discrete short Reinforced Specimens
(Tang et al., strength and polypropylene both cemented and
2007) mechanical fiber uncemented showed
properties increased compressive
strength, shear strength,
decrease in stiffness and
loss in post-peak strength

Investigation on the Use of Clayey Soil Mixed with Cow Dung to Produce Sustainable

Bricks, D.P. Katale, V.S. Kamara and A.A. Adedeji, (2014)

The strength of the soil cow dung mixture decreases as the percentage of cow dung content

increases. A local maxima in strength was observed at 20% cow dung content. This could

conversely be read as a local minima at 10% cow dung content.

Curing of the soil cow dung mixture did not produce a great deal of difference in strength up

to about 40% soil content. The strength difference became bigger for clay content greater

than 40% and for curing between 14 and 30 days.

This is part of an investigation into the engineering behavior traditional Namibia construction

methods and materials. It would therefore be necessary to extend this study by carrying out

durability testing of the bricks and wall systems made using them. Thermal testing to see,
 how the heat dissipates through the bricks and hence the walls would also be part of this

extended investigation.

2.3 Related Studies

The Uses of Coconut Fiber in the Production of Structural Lightweight Concrete (Noor

Md.Sadiqui Hasan, Haabibur Rahman Sobuz, Md.Shiblee Sayed and Md. Salful Islam)

There is currently a great deal of interest in developing the technology for using natural fiber

materials in cement composites. Natural fibers exist in reasonably large quantities all over the

world and natural vegetable fibers are produced in most developing countries. Natural fibers

have been used to reinforce inorganic materials for thousands of years. Examples include

straw for bricks, mud and poles, plaster and reeds. During this century other fibers such as

coconut, bamboo, wood cellulose fibers, wool or chips, bast fibers, leaf fibers, seed and fruits

fibers have been used in cement-sand based products Fibers may be classified as either

natural or man-made, and the natural fibers further divided into different groups. The use of

natural fiber as reinforcement in concrete (cement-sand matrix) has been comprehensively

investigated in many countries. The natural fiber reinforced materials, which can be used in

the production of building materials, are presently mainly those based on coconut, bamboo,

cane, henequen and sisal. The main reasons for the use of natural fibers are abundantly

available and are comparatively cheap. Natural fiber composites are also claimed to offer

environmental advantages such as reduced dependence on non-renewable energy/materials

sources, lower pollutant emissions, lower greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced energy

recovery and end of life biodegradability of components.

Using Cow Dung as a Building Material (Linda Crampton)

A mud and cow dung paste is often applied to the floors of rural homes in India and may be

applied to the walls as well. The mixture reportedly forms a waterproof layer that helps to

insulate the house from heat entry or loss and doesn't smell unpleasant. A relatively new

process is to make building bricks from cow dung mixed with straw dust. The bricks are

much lighter than conventional ones.

It's been suggested that the manure residue from biogas production could be used instead of

sawdust to make fiberboard. The manure, which contains fibers, would be sterilized and then

mixed with resin to make the board. Fiberboard has many uses. It's used to manufacture

furniture and floors in homes, for example.

The high fiber content of cow dung also enables people to make paper from the dung. The

dung is washed to extract the fibers, which can then be pressed into paper on a screen. Some

people make cow dung paper as a hobby. The paper can also be bought commercially.

2.4 Theoretical/Conceptual Framework

The study wanted to prove the mixture of bricks by using cow dung and coconut husk as

an additive. It exhibits a high compressive strength and can be of high durable using compressive

test.
 INPUT PROCESS OUTPUTS

Materials • Preparation of Materials • Recommendation for

• Mixing Ratios of Cement the adequate mixing
• Cow dung
to Cow dung and Coconut proportion obtaining
• Coconut Husk Husk high compressive
• Cement • Test strength material.
• Sand -Compressive Strength • Comparison whether
• Water Test the mixture of cement,
Equipment’s coconut husk and cow
dung as bricks are
• Mixer more economical to
• Molds other bricks.
• Weighing Scale • A functional and eco-
• UTM (Universal friendly construction
Testing Machine) material.

• ASTM Procedures
& DPWH BlueBook

if necessary

2.5 Summary of Related Theories, Literature and Studies

To summarize things up, these theories, literatures and studies are all related to the

research. Most of them are about how the two materials react to the way that the material

handles the different experiments that it has undergone, some of them are about how the
researchers came up with the idea that these two materials can strengthen a certain concrete

mixtures.

One of the researchers includes a table under the related theories. This table shows a list

of works that are almost related to the topic, most of the published works listed used the

same fibrous materials and the cow manure as the strengthening agent. On the 5th column,

listed are the results of each theory, whether the authors succeeded or not and as to how or

in what aspect of strength the added materials increases/affects.

A part of this chapter also shows that the usage of cow dung as a strengthening material

in terms of construction was already known way back 1990’s. This proves that there are this

people like the researchers who wants to utilize almost everything around this environment,

that even the dirtiest things like the cow dung can be turned into a special strengthening

agent that may fix issues regarding strength and durability of a material.

The theories, literatures, and studies indicated above do validate this research, that there

is a possibility that the researchers can conduct a successful outcome regarding the matter.