JEETAS_VOLUME_1_ISSUE_2_NOVEMBER_2023_WENAPERE_Ambakederemo_Dio

ASSESSMENT OF STRESS- STRAIN BEHAVIOUR OF SEA SAND SANDCRETE

BLOCKWALLS WITH DIFFERENT MIX RATIOS

WENAPERE Ambakederemo Dio *, ORUMU T. Solomon**

*(Department of Agricultural / Environmental Engineering,

Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

e-mail: wenaperedio@ndu.edu.ng)

** (Department of Civil Engineering

Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

e-mail: solorumu@yahoo.com)----------------------------------------************************---------------------------------

Abstract:

Irrespective of the wide technical reports on masonry structures, especially concrete structures there

appears to exist a serious gap in research on sandcrete blocks, particularly the stress-Strain characteristics

of failure of sandcrete blockwalls using sea sand. And painfully it appears no such research based on the

structural model of prototype block units, which therefore constitutes the major focus of this research

work. The strength evaluation tests for the physical and mechanical properties of sandcrete block units and

block walls were carried out in accordance with BS 5628(1978) and NIS 74(1976). The compressive

strength of blockwall with model sandcrete blocks varied with the strength of the sandcrete block units, the

mortar strength and the length to height ratio of block wall. The numerical values averaged 9.30N/mm2,

9.10N/mm2, 6.85N/mm2 and 6.40N/mm2 for 1:4, 1:6, 1:8 and 1:10 mixes respectively. Thus, a systematic

analysis of the effects of mix ratio, water-cement ratio, block and mortar strength on the resistance and

failure mechanism of sandcrete blockwall, reported herein, provides good evidence of the reproducibility

of prototype behaviour of sandcrete block wall by its ¼ -scale model. These conclusions open a wider

scope and opportunity for research into sandcrete masonry structures especially, where heavier and

expensive facilities for full-scale tests are not available. This study of investigation of stress- strain

behaviour of sea sand sandcrete blockwalls using different mix ratios is aimed at providing knowledge on

sandcrete blocks usage as walling materials in the construction of buildings.

INTRODUCTION

Keywords — Stress- Strain, River Sand, Sandcrete Blockwalls