1

CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Introduction

Concretes are one of the most extensively used materials in construction

industries as a material for shelters and buildings. It has been utilized by many

countries and has been invented and improved over the years. The exact

measurements for the recipe of making concrete have been missing and unable

to be found. The entire history of concrete is yet to be written, since man’s

knowledge of it is limited. Ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks both utilized

line-based mortars and plasters but the ancient Rome is recognized with

perfecting the form of concretes. Harmon S. Palmer was credited to have

invented the modern concrete blocks according to most concrete historians.

This study aims to find out the comparison of hollow concrete blocks from

three different business shops. Furthermore, the researchers focus on the

composition ratio of material found in the blocks and their durability of their

impact resistance in terms of the shock applied. Lastly, this research aims to

determine how manpower system affects the concrete hollow block production.
 2

Background of the Problem

Building construction plays a major role in the industrial culture, as

it promotes development to the wide-ranging built environment to serve the

diverse needs of society. Its process is also systematic because it comprises of

manufacturers of building products and raw materials, manpower who is

responsible for assembling and setting them up on the building site, contractors

who systematize the workers in the site, and authorities who administer the

whole construction management (Swenson & Chang, 2017).

Concrete blocks being the prime importance and an essential

element in a constructing a building, they make them sturdy and durable be it

residential or commercial (Magicrete, 2015). Vast manufacture of concrete blocks

has already begun in the early 1900s and its demand grew rapidly. Since then,

utilizing concrete blocks already became a practice in terms of constructing

basement walls, residential homes, and commercial buildings and more (Bricks,

Blocks, and Pavers, 2014).

From small scale to large scale of infrastructures, cement has been

one of the most essential construction materials. In addition to Shraddha and

Siddiqui (2014), cement demand has been increased rapidly not only because of

its importance in the development of buildings and establishments, but it is

 3

directly associated with economic growth. Since the widespread of building

construction environment is evident, cement productions have already increased

too.

One of the factors affecting the progression of a building is the

transformation of the construction process where manpower and automation are

present (Swenson & Chang, 2017). Despite the advancement of technology,

manpower is still evident in some manufacturing businesses like in the

production of concrete hollow blocks.

According to UPSC (2015), technology cannot be a replacement

for manpower and vice versa for both of them are interdependent with each

other. As what Paul J Meyer said, “Productivity is never an accident. It is always

the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”

This study will seek to know the comparison of hollow concrete blocks among

three businesses and determine the effects of manpower system on the

production of concrete hollow blocks.

 4

Theoretical Framework

Concrete Block System Theory

Hamid and Ghanem (1995) proposed a theory that is already in use, the

theory block system. It is a system that is already being applied in Masonry

constructions and has proven to be more efficient than the traditional blocking

system. It involves the use of steel rods, concrete blocks, and reinforcing steel.

The blocks containing the recessed channels are stacked on top of each other.

The steel rod is then put in between the blocks of concrete. The mortar then

provides two functions: encase the steel rod and bind the blocks of cement and

the reinforcing steel together.

Inca Stonemasonry Theory

Martin (2015) theorizes that the Inca wall was made by a group of three

working on different sections of the wall simultaneously. He explained his theory

through the use of three different sections and three different types of blocks.

The three sections are called the normal block, the starter block, and the

meeting block. The three slabs are called the front slab, the back slab, and the

end form. The front and the black slab are both irregularly shaped slabs of

stone while the end form is a more straight and angled slab of stone. The

normal section required one of each of the three kinds of the slabs of stone.

The first crew person would have to put stone A and B in position next to each
 5

other in one unit. The second person in the group then proceeds to put slab C

in position creating another section in the wall while the first person in the unit

before finishes and inserts a more straight-edged slab in place between slabs B

and C. The slabs would then be made to stick together by smearing clay in the

spaces between the slabs. This is done while the third crew person and the

second crew person, done with his or her unit, work on the starting block. The

starting block would require two (2) end forms and one (1) of each of the back

and front slabs.

The form blocks are then put together with the two end forms in between

and bound together by the same clay smeared between the slabs. After this,

the second and the third separate while the first crew member and the third

crew member meet to make the meeting block. The meeting block requires only

one (1) set of back and front slabs. The same process is done and it is

imagined that this block lacks the ending form to give the ending form to the

second crew member who will start on another starting block. When two starting

blocks have been completed, the one made by the first and third crew member

and the second one made by the second crew member, they would all then

meet to finish the meeting block in between connecting them through the

normal blocks.
 6

Conceptual Framework

Figure 2 shows the conceptual framework of the study. The independent

variable is the three different hollow concrete block brands. Meanwhile, the

dependent variables are the hollow concrete block’s composition ratio, durability,

and how manpower system affects the concrete hollow block production.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Hollow Concrete Block’s

Composition Ratio,
Three Different Hollow Durability, and How
Concrete Block Brands Manpower System Affects

the Concrete Hollow Block

Production

Figure 1. Conceptual paradigm of the study

 7

Statement of the Problem

This study is conducted to compare three different businesses of concrete hollow

blocks that use the manpower system. It seeks to understand the durability of the

blocks and how manpower system affects the production of concrete hollow

blocks. It specially seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference of the composition ratio of

a) Store 1 (R&B Sand and Gravel)

b) Store 2 (Kennnoi Enterprise)

c) Store 3 (Dafort Hardware)

2. How different are the durability of the three brands on their impact

resistance?

3. How does manpower system affect the concrete hollow block production?
 8

Significance of the Study

The goal of this study is to find out the comparison of hollow concrete

blocks among the three businesses based on the composition ratio, and

durability of impact resistance in terms of shock applied. Through this research,

the benefits of manpower system in a hollow concrete block production will also

be determined. Since the construction of buildings and industries are already at

its peak, this can be a basis of reference for other research regarding the

development of the field of construction.

Scope and Delimitations

This study is focused on comparing three brands of hollow concrete

blocks in terms of the composition ratio, their durability of impact resistance in

terms of shock applied and how manpower system affects the concrete hollow

production. This research confines itself to giving out semi-structured interviews

to only the manager of each brand as they are knowledgeable of the company

and their products. It is also delimited to the northern area of Davao City where

most of the manufacturing sites of hollow blocks that are manually made are

located.
 9

CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

The following pages contain a review of literature as it relates to concrete

hollow block and manpower production. First, a brief exploration on concrete

hollow block made by manpower, its history and the composition ratio found in

producing the blocks will reveal the different materials needed to create one. In

addition, this chapter highlights the importance of the durability and having good

quality products in hollow blocks. This section also determines the factors that

affect the production of hollow blocks and how the market demands the

production of hollow blocks.

Concrete Blocks

Concrete is a building material used for foundation and wall constructions,

concrete slabs, and other masonry structures. It started out as a dry mixture then

becomes semi-liquid material capable of forming into any mold or shape and it

dries into a hard material. Concrete blocks have hollow cavities so that metal

reinforcement will be added for strength to reduce the cracking that can happen

in solid concrete. Concrete blocks are primarily used in construction. It is usually

stacked on top of another and bound together using fresh concrete mortar.
 10

Concrete mortar is a heterogeneous mixture of fine sand, cement, and water. It is

usually bought with the dry materials, premixed and water is normally added to

the mixture in the site (Beaulieu, 2019). Those blocks are materials that are

usually brought to the job site precast. Precast meaning that the material has

been cured, made, and formed, before being brought to the site. The only thing

to do in the site is to stack them on top of one another (“Concrete Block”, n.d.).

According to Tajin (2018), “Concrete hollow blocks are easy to install due

to their uniform size and shape. They additionally have less weight which

enables rapid construction work. Even unskilled workers can, without much of a

stretch, work with hollow blocks. Concrete hollow blocks are compacted by high

pressure and vibration, which make the blocks very strong and able to withstand

a high level of loading”. They also have high fire resistance. Another significant

favourable position of concrete hollow blocks is that they offer prevalent seismic

tremor opposition. This is due to their light weight, which reduces the building

load significantly. This gives a steady foundation and makes it strong to natural

hazards like earthquakes.

“Concrete blocks are known throughout because their shape stability, their

pure structure and of course their strength.” Concrete blocks make up the

foundation of numerous structures. Also, these blocks are often being used for
 11

constructing foundations and basement construction. In addition comes from a

very affordable price (Strength and stability in concrete blocks, n.d.).

Manpower Production

Human performance is always directly proportional to the production

output. When a worker’s performance is low, the productivity is also low. The

variation of human performance is based on their capability and duration of work.

Most of the time workers only tend to perform in an average manner that often

leads to less productivity. Less productivity often leads to wastage of the planned

production time. Industrial shop floors cannot function without manpower. They

play a major role especially when meeting target markets. They are also divided

into two categories namely operators on the production line and workers in the

supporting department (Subramaniam, Husin, Yusop, & Hamidon, 2009).

Businesses offer goods or services to society with great value and quality.

The higher the quality of the product or services, the greater is the satisfaction of

the customers. According to Spriegel, “the quality of the product may be defined

as the sum of number of related characteristics, such as shape, dissension,

composition, strength, workmanship, adjustment, finish and colour” ("Factors

Affecting Quality of Products And Services", 2017).

 12

Over the years, the manufacturing environment has changed dramatically

due to rapid innovation of products and competitive intensity between industries.

One of the major resources contributing to the development of manufacturing

industries is versatile manpower. Manpower versatility involves multiple skills,

positive attitude towards work, and carrying out operations with a high level of

expertise (Singh, 2014).

Composition of Concrete Blocks

The mixture of powdered Portland cement, gravel, sand, and water are

commonly used to make hollow blocks. It produces a light gray block with a high

compressive strength and a fine surface texture. A normal concrete hollow block

weighs 34-43 lb. (17.2-19.5 kg). Overall, the sand has a higher percentage and

the gravel and water has a lower percentage in the concrete mixing used for

hollow blocks than the concrete mixing used for construction purposes. Mixing,

molding, cubing and curing are the four basic processes on the production of

concrete blocks. There are two different ways in proportioning of concrete for the

manufacture of concrete hollow blocks. It is by weight or volume but the most

common method is by volume (Swiss Resources Centre and Consultancies for

Development, n.d).
 13

Concrete blocks are regularly made of 1:3:6 concrete with a maximum

size of 10mm or a cement-sand mixture with a proportion of 1:7, 1:8 or 1:9. It

gives concrete block a compression strength that is well above what is required

on a certain building. The blocks may be solid, cellular or hollow. Cellular blocks

have holes with one end closed while in hollow blocks the holes go through. For

lightweight aggregate, cracked pumice stone is sometimes used. The cement

that is usually used is an ordinary Portland cement or any special cement. The

aggregate used is sand or gravel and the maximum particle size of coarser

aggregates is 10mm. Suitable aggregates are usually obtained from natural

sources (river beds, gravel pits, volcanic deposits) or from industrial by process

(granulated blast furnace slag, sintered fly ash). The suitable proportion of

aggregate to cement must be found by testing and its common ratios are 1:6 and

1:8. Only drinking quality water should be used to mix the concrete and 0.5 is the

recommended water-cement ratio (“Concrete Block”, n.d.).

The other composition in making the concrete hollow block is an ordinary

Portland cement, fine aggregates, coarse aggregate, water, and molasses. Fine

aggregates are those fractions from 4.75mm to 150mm. The fine aggregate

conforming used is the river sand and crushed sand. Coarse aggregates are

those fractions from 20mm to 4.75mm. The portable water is used in mixing and

curing. Water cement ratio should be restricted as in case of normal concrete

and it should preferably be less than 0.45 to consider its durability. According to
 14

Aalm and Singh (2016), molasses have water reducing and retarding effect on

concrete. The concrete with molasses shows a slight increase in compressive

strength. Low cost and condition amicable concrete can be created by utilizing

molasses.

Durability of Concrete Blocks

A durable concrete is one that performs satisfactorily in the working

environment during its exposure conditions during services. The material should

be able to protect embedded metal from corrosion. One of the main

characteristics for a durable concrete is its permeability to the ingress of water,

oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other potential deleterious substances. According to

Dela Paz, et al. (2017), hollow blocks, a hollow and dense cement concrete

blocks, have been developed as an alternative to bricks. Hollow blocks are made

of stone chips, stone dust, cement, and sand”. It is widely use product in

construction activity and it’s not only cheaper than the bricks but have other

specialties as well. Blocks have more tensile strength the wall constructed from

these blocks act as thermal insulators because of their hollowness. As the

construction activity is growing these days, there is a good demand for hollow

blocks.
 15

Drop Weight Impact Test

According to CYR (2013), drop weight impact test is to drop a weight in a

vertical direction like the “free fall.” The height and the weight are identified while

the energy can be calculated with the formula of E=mgh-I. Impact means that

there is a high force or shock applied over a short period when two or more

bodies collide. Impact tests are used to study the toughness and durability of a

material. Also, it evaluates the object’s capacity to withstand high-rate loading

and it is commonly used to determine the service life of a part or material. The

material’s toughness and durability is a factor of its ability to absorb energy

during deformation. Breakable and brittle materials have low toughness and

durability as a result of the small amount of deformation that they can endure

(Glamox, n.d.).

Concrete Block Test

Concrete hollow blocks are commonly made of Portland cement, sand,

additives and water. The raw materials should be checked to verify that they

satisfy the relevant requirements before using to secure the durability of the

cement. Cement building blocks are verified through dimensional requirements,

absorption, compressive strength, wetting expansion and drying shrinkage and

 16

density. These properties are verified to make an evaluation of the structural

stability and durability. It is to make sure that the qualities of the hollow blocks

are good to avoid any danger. The objective of testing construction materials is to

offer an assurance to the clients on the reliability of the materials (Savitha, 2010).

Factors that Affect the Production of Concrete Blocks

The markets for construction materials such as bricks and concrete blocks

have experienced a steady rise throughout the decade. This is due to many

factors. One of these factors includes the increase of the interest of the market in

investing in residential construction and also the improvement of the existing

ones. Another is also the increase of population in the globe. The rise of

population is included in the factors because more people mean that there will be

more housing opportunities. Another factor is the rapid urbanization that a lot of

communities around the world are experiencing, especially those emerging

nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom and more. This is

because urbanization means that more buildings would be needed to support the

progress that is happening. Concrete blocks are and will be needed in the

construction of the different types of infrastructures ranging from the most

complex like skyscrapers to the simplest ones like one story building

(Transparency Market Research, 2018).

 17

Demands of Concrete Blocks

From small scale to large scale of infrastructures, cement has been one of

the most essential construction materials. Its demand has rapidly increased due

to its importance and also in the development of infrastructures and

establishments. It is also directly associated to economic growth and the fact that

growing economies endeavoured for rapid construction development, cement

productions have already increased too (Mishra & Siddique, 2014)

The development of infrastructures and constructions in Davao City is

evident as the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program and some private

sector projects have continued its progression. Because of these, Holcim

Philippines, Inc. is preparing to ramp up cement production and meet the

demands. As what Willam C. Sumalinog, the Senior Vice President for sales

said, “Our investment of P1.5 billion goes to show our commitment that we are

more than willing to support the development not only in the entire Philippines but

particular in Mindanao, and we believe that by so doing to be able to really uplift

somehow the lives especially for the masons, the workers in the construction

industry” (Carillo & Padillo, 2018).

According to William C. Sumalinog, the Senior Vice-President for sales,

“There is no shortage of cement despite the increasing number of construction

 18

projects in the country.” “We may not see the shortage in cement (now) but we

are continuously seeing an increase in the demand for cement and steel

considering the ‘Build, Build, Build’ involves big-ticket projects,” he added.

Philippine Market

Sergeeva (2018) posits that the market of concrete blocks have shown a steady

increase from the year 2007 to the year 2017. It has been reported to have

increased an approximation of over 27.8 tons in 2017 and has earned total

revenue of $3.6 billion dollars. With this said, it has shown a positive growth for

the market in the country and it has also been predicted that this will be the trend

that will persist for the years to come. It has attracted the prospect of foreign

investors in this specific market and will continue to persist throughout the

decade. The country has also shown surges in cement imports which has totalled

to a staggering 3,844K units in 2017, which equated to $174M in value. Vietnam,

China, and Thailand have shown to be the main suppliers of the said product in

the country. With Vietnam’s import of 4,488K tonnes, China-1,335K tonnes, and

Thailand-298K tonnes, it has accounted for over 97% of the total imports in the

year 2016.
 19

Global Market

The rise of the demand of concrete blocks has naturally paved the way for

the rise of the production of the said material. An article written by Costello

(2018) has mentioned the marketing report of Concrete Block and Brick

Manufacturing which has estimated the future rise of the production of concrete

blocks due to the increase of the incidences of the use of the product. According

to the article, it has exhibited a steady growth in the year 2016 and has also

exhibited the same movement two years after. The market, as stated by Costello,

is segmented based on different factors. Some of the factors mentioned are the

country or region that it has been made or is being used, product type, and

application. The product type also segments the market into two based on the

purpose of the infrastructure that is going to be built: residential building and

nonresidential building. The market is also segmented based on the application

of the said product. Three were mentioned in the article: Structural, Hardscaping

and, Siding Fireplace. All of the segments have shown a steady increase in

different countries but more so in emerging nations. The market has also been

segmented to the different regions and nations that produce the said product.

The major contributors are the Southeast Asian countries, China, India, and

Africa.
 20

There is a rise of demand for construction materials such as concrete

blocks in the United States. It has been making a steady recovery since its

decline in 2006 due to the collapse of the residential construction and following

economic regression. The country has displayed a rise of demand of over 8.8%

compounded annually from the year 2013 to 2018. This represents over $8.9

billion dollars (Bricks, Blocks, & Pavers, 2014).

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CHAPTER 3

Methodology

Research Design

The researchers used a descriptive comparison study. A descriptive comparison

study aims at describing and explaining the invariances of objects. Therefore, it does

not focus on generating objects, but it usually tries to avoid them. Data can be collected

through interviews or observations. A descriptive comparison study provides a rich data

from the participants’ experiences.

The result of the research aims to know the difference in the composition ratio of

materials, the quality and durability of the blocks, and the amount of demand of hollow

blocks from three different concrete hollow block business. The researchers aim to

identify which business has the good quality products that can satisfy the needs of the

customers and the public.

Research Participants

The participants of the study were the managers of the three hollow block

manufacturing shops. The managers have the knowledge of what is happening in the

business since they are the ones facilitating the output of produce hollow blocks by their
 22

workers. They were given informed consents in which they are asked to accept or

decline for an interview. Each participant willingly answered the interviewers’ questions.

The researcher did not have the chance to interview the owners of the shops as they

were busy and they could not give their time to let us conduct the interview with them.

Sampling Design

The participants of the research are the selected concrete hollow block

businesses located in the northern area of Davao City. The participants were selected

by knowing what businesses made hollow blocks using manpower alone and without

the help of machines. Concrete hollow block businesses were only located in the

northern area of Davao City as it needs bigger space of the production to occur. They

answered the semi-structured interview questions based on their knowledge and

experience of making and handling concrete hollow blocks production.

Research Method

A semi-structured interview was deployed to conduct the study in the premises of

the manufacturing shops. The researchers began the interview by making informed

consents for the participants that will be involved in the study. During the interview,

participants were asked to provide answers on each question based on the composition

ratio, durability, quality and the quantity produced within three months by each shop.

The researchers gathered and interviewed the participants in whom they have to record
 23

the interview and transcribe afterwards. Results from the interview will be analysed and

interpreted by looking for the similar patterns in the participants’ answers.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following procedure was followed in gathering the data for the research:

1. The researchers gave informed consents to the selected business

managers to be the participant in the study. They have a choice to

accept or refuse their participation in the study.

2. The researchers personally interviewed the participants through a

semi-structured interview and voice recorded the whole

conversation of the participants and researcher.

3. After the interview was recorded, the researchers transcribed the

recorded audio.

4. The researchers observed common patterns in the answers of the

participants from the transcript. Answers that are not common were

also being taken note of.

5. A result was drawn out from the patterns.

24
 25

CHAPTER 4

Results and Discussion

The purpose of this study was to compare three hollow block brands based on its

composition ratio in the making of concrete hollow blocks. This research also studied

how durable a concrete hollow block based on its impact resistance. This study looked

closely on why businesses prefer the manpower system in the making concrete hollow

blocks.

 What is the difference of the composition ratio of:

a.) Store 1 (R&B Sand and Gravel)

The composition ratio of the concrete hollow blocks produce in the R&B

Sand and Gravel business are cement, sand, molasses, and water. The brand of

cement that they used is the Holcim Portland Cement. According to the manager

of the business, she said that they use the Holcim Portland cement because it

has good quality and it easily dries up. Before they tried other cements, but it

takes longer than 3 days to dry up so you can’t let it stand and be piled up. It only

takes one day to let the blocks stand using the Holcim Portland cement and

within 3 days, you can pile it up already. They sell each block at 12.00 php.

b.) Store 2 (Kennnoi Enterprise)

 26

The composition ratio of the concrete hollow blocks produce in the

Kennnoi Enterprise business are cement, sand, molasses, and water. The brand

of cement that they used is the Mega Cement. The cement is an expensive

material so they used the Mega Cement because it is cheaper compared to other

cements. Although they recommend using the Holcim Portland Cement because

it produces better quality than other cement, they still used Mega Cement since it

is also durable. They sell each block at 10.00 php.

c.) Store 3 (DaFort Hardware)

The composition ratio of the concrete hollow blocks produce in the DaFort

Hardware business are cement, sand, molasses, and water. The brand of

cement that they used is the Royal Cement. They sell each block at 9.50 php.

The three businesses use cement, sand, molasses and water in producing

a concrete hollow block. The difference in the composition ratio of each business

in the production of concrete hollow blocks is the brand of cement used. They

differ in terms of quality, which is why other concrete hollow blocks are sold at

lower prices depending on the brand of cement that the businesses are using.

According to the Concrete Block (n.d.), the standard mixture of the

concrete hollow blocks is 1:3:6, 1 part cement to 3 parts sand and 6 parts

aggregates, by 1 volume. The three businesses follow this standard mixture in

their production of concrete hollow blocks. The mixture gives concrete hollow

block a comprehensive strength that is above what is required on a certain

 27

building. The concrete hollow block with molasses shows a slight increase in

comprehensive strength.

 How different are the durability of the three brands on their impact

resistance?

Weight Weight
Trial 1 Height Time (s) Energy (E=mgh-I)
Before After
R&B Sand and
0.5 m 0.79 s 6 kg 5 kg 28.4 J
Gravel
Kennnoi
0.5 m 0.33 s 6 kg 5.5 kg 28.9 J
Enterprises
DaFort
0.5 m 0.27 s 6.5 kg 6 kg 31.35 J
Hardware

Table 1. First Trial of the Drop Test with the Height of 0.5 meters

In the table 1 shown above, the first trial with three different hollow block

businesses has the same height of 0.5 meters. The three businesses show the

variation of the time spent of the three hollow blocks before its impact on the

ground. The R&B Sand and Gravel’s time is 0.79 seconds, 0.33 seconds for

Kennnoi Enterprises and 0.27 seconds for DaFort Hardware. Both hollow blocks

of R&B Sand and Gravel and Kennnoi Enterprises have the same weight which

is 6.0 kg and DaFort Hardware has 6.5 kg. Using the drop test experimentation,

the weight of the R&B Sand and Gravel hollow block changes from 6 kg to 5 kg.

The weight of the Kennnoi Enterprises block changes from 6 kg to 5.5 kg. The

weight of the DaFort Hardware block changes from 6.5 kg to 6 kg. The energy of

the R&B Sand and Gravel hollow block is 28.4 J. The energy of the Kennnoi
 28

Enterprises hollow block is 28.9 J. The energy of the DaFort Hardware hollow

block is 31.35 J.

Weight Weight
Trial 2 Height Time (s) Energy (E=mgh-I)
Before After
R&B Sand and
1.0 m 1.53 s 7.5 kg 4.5 kg 70.5 J
Gravel
Kennnoi
1.0 m 1.59 s 6.5 kg 5 kg 62.2 J
Enterprises
DaFort
1.0 m 1.58 s 5.5 kg 5 kg 53.4 J
Hardware

Table 2. Second Trial of the Drop Test with the Height of 1.0 meter

In the table 2 shown above, the second trial with three different

hollow block businesses has the same height of 1.0 meter. The three businesses

show the variation of the time spent of the three hollow blocks before its impact

on the ground. The R&B Sand and Gravel’s time is 1.53 seconds, 1.59 seconds

for Kennnoi Enterprises and 1.58 seconds for DaFort Hardware. The R&B Sand

and Gravel hollow block has a weight of 7.5 kg, 6.5 kg for Kennnoi Enterprises

and 5.5 kg for DaFort Hardware. Using the drop test experimentation, the weight

of the R&B Sand and Gravel hollow block changes from 7.5 kg to 4.5 kg. The

weight of the Kennnoi Enterprises block changes from 6.5 kg to 5 kg. The weight

of the DaFort Hardware block changes from 5.5 kg to 5 kg. The energy of the

R&B Sand and Gravel hollow block is 70.5 J. The energy of the Kennnoi

Enterprises hollow block is 62.2 J. The energy of the DaFort Hardware hollow

block is 53.4 J.
 29

Weight Weight
Trial 3 Height Time (s) Energy (E=mgh-I)
Before After
R&B Sand and
2.0 m 1.90 s 6.5 kg 5 kg 125.9 J
Gravel
Kennnoi
2.0 m 1.86 s 6.5 kg 4 kg 124.9 J
Enterprises
DaFort
2.0 m 1.61 s 5 kg 5 kg 98 J
Hardware

Table 3. Third Trial of the Drop Test with the Height of 2.0 meters

In the table 3 shown above, the third trial with three different hollow

block businesses has the same height of 2.0 meters. The three businesses show

the variation of the time spent of the three hollow blocks before its impact on the

ground. The R&B Sand and Gravel’s time is 1.90 seconds, 1.86 seconds for

Kennnoi Enterprises and 1.61 seconds for DaFort Hardware. The R&B Sand and

Gravel hollow block has a weight of 6.5 kg, 6.5 kg for Kennnoi Enterprises and 5

kg for DaFort Hardware. Using the drop test experimentation, the weight of the

R&B Sand and Gravel hollow block changes from 6.5 kg to 5 kg. The weight of

the Kennnoi Enterprises block changes from 6.5 kg to 4 kg. The weight of the

DaFort Hardware block changes from 5 kg to 5 kg. The energy of the R&B Sand

and Gravel hollow block is 125.9 J. The energy of the Kennnoi Enterprises hollow

block is 124.9 J. The energy of the DaFort Hardware hollow block is 98 J.

The energy that each block has in each trial is their energy when collided

with other material or the impact of the block to the floor. Among the three

concrete hollow block businesses, the R&B Sand and Gravel shows the most

durable block since it has the most energy in the three trials. The energy of the
 30

Kennnoi Enterprises block shows that it is the second durable block among the

three. The energy of the DaFort Hardware block shows that it is the least durable

block among the businesses.

According to Glamox (n.d.), those blocks that have low energy are low in

toughness and durability so they are brittle and breakable as a result of the small

amount of deformation that they can endure during the drop weight impact test.

Also stated by CYR (2013), the impact tests are used to study the toughness and

durability of a material because it evaluates the material’s capacity to withstand

high-rate loading.

According to Dela Paz, et al. (2017), as construction activity is in demand;

there is a need of a good quality concrete hollow block. Since the researchers

seek a good quality concrete hollow block, testing the durability is important in

order to verify that the blocks satisfy the relevant requirements. To secure the

durability of the cement, it is verified through dimensional requirements and to

make an evaluation of the structural stability and durability. The importance of

having a drop test of the blocks is to make sure that the quality of the blocks is

good to avoid any danger. The purpose of testing construction materials is to

offer an assurance to the clients on their reliability of the materials.

 How does manpower system affect the concrete hollow block production?
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The use of manpower in producing concrete hollow blocks is better than a

machine at some factors. It is natural for debris to fall when you pinch the blocks,

but if a machine was used in creating one, it will be more durable and stronger

than those that are manually made. Some business still follow the manual

process of producing concrete hollow blocks because when using a machine, it

needs electricity to start and the blocks might be sold at a higher price. The

machines have lesser amount of hollow blocks produces because it uses too

much sand. In manpower, one bag of cement can produce 100-120 blocks, but in

machines, one bag of cement can only produce 70-80 blocks which are lesser

than manpower system. Also, machines produce loud noises that can affect the

nearby houses. It might be hard and tiring for the workers to mix the concrete

mixture, but there is a big difference in the number of products produce.

According to Swenson and Chang (2017), the process of building

construction comprises of raw materials and manpower that is responsible for

assembling and setting the materials up on the building site. Despite the

advancement of technology, manpower is still evident in some manufacturing

businesses like in the production of concrete hollow blocks. According to UPSC

(2015), technology cannot be a replacement for manpower and vice versa since

both of them are interdependent with each other.

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Chapter 5

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. The businesses in concrete hollow block production follow the standard mixture

of 1:3:6, which is 1 part of cement is to 3 parts of sand and 6 parts of aggregates.

The difference of the three concrete hollow block business is that they used

different brand of cement. The brand of cement used affects the price of a

concrete hollow block since the cement is an expensive material.

2. The materials used in making the concrete hollow block can affect the durability

of the block. The best material has the high quality concrete hollow block. The

block which is sold at a higher price has a high-quality and durable product. The

impact of the block shows the durability of the concrete hollow block.

3. Many businesses still use the manpower system in producing concrete hollow

blocks because it produces more blocks than machinery. A manpower business,

in making concrete hollow blocks is more efficient than the machinery for it does
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not need to consume much preparation in making the materials such as the

electricity, cement and sand.

Recommendations

In line with the findings, the following are recommended:

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1. The customers should know the materials that they used, to know if its a

quality concrete hollow blocks for the price of a block varies from different

businesses. The brand of cement, that businesses in this industry should use is

the Holcim Portland Cement since it produces a high quality concrete hollow

blocks.

2. The recommended concrete hollow block should have the best materials to

produce a durable and high-quality blocks. Also, the concrete hollow block is

dependent to what type of cement used by the business. Lastly, the concrete

hollow blocks which have the higher price have the best quality because of the

materials used.

3. The concrete hollow block businesses should use the manpower system than

machinery. It is recommended that they use this system because it is cheaper,

they produce more hollow blocks and the preparation is achievable. Lastly,

having a manpower system is practical and the businesses can earn more

income.