TITLE:
Contribution to the Characterization of Lateritic Soils for the Manufacture of Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks
AUTHORS:
Cherif Bishweka, Marcelline Blanche Manjia, François Ngapgue, Ursula Joyce Merveilles Pettang Nana, Chrispin Pettang
KEYWORDS:
Lateritic Soils, Identification Tests, Characterization, Classification, Earth Construction
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Civil Engineering,
Vol.11 No.4,
December
14,
2021
ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to contribute to the mastery of the physical
characteristics of lateritic soils in order to improve their use for the
manufacture of Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks (CSEB) in the province of
North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The study of the physical
characteristics of lateritic soils was carried out. Samples were subjected to
experimental identification tests on the physical characteristics (water
content, density characteristics, particle size distribution and consistency).
The results of the laboratory analysis of soil samples show that the water
content varies between 5.4% and 36.99%. The density of the solid grains has an
arithmetic mean of 2.5 g/cm3. The apparent density varies from 0.83
to 1.35 g/cm3. As for the dry density, it is in the range of 0.61 to
1.25 g/cm3. These relatively low densities indicate that the
material studied has a significant degree of deformability. From the particle size analysis,
it appears that the material studied contains an
important fraction of fine particles. According to the consistency study, the
soils studied are plastic clay as Ap class according to the Central Laboratory
for Roads and Bridges (CLRB) geotechnical classification system. The particle
size curves of the studied samples are within the preferential range of good
soils for the manufacture of CSEB. The points representing the studied samples
are within the preferential plasticity range of good soils for the manufacture
of CSEB. From the above parameters, it appears that the studied material is
well adapted for the manufacture of the Compressed Stabilized Earth Bricks.