B.I.O.

-ECONO HOLLOW BLOCKS

(Breakthrough, Innovative, Organic and Economical Hollow
Blocks)

AN INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

PRESENTED TO:
Miss Deborah A. Luyun
(Research Adviser)

PRESENTED BY:
ANGELICA MAE A. CAMPAÑANO
JENNESY CLAIRE D. RINGOR
NAHRI B. LEE
(Researchers)
 CHAPTER I

PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Hollow blocks are the main material in building infrastructures. It comprises of

natural sand, cement, and water. And increasing its strength, Pozzolan is used. Pozzolan or

Pozolanaare finely divided siliceous and aluminous material that reacts chemically with

slaked lime at ordinary temperature and in the presence of moisture to form strong slow-

hardening cement. The most commonly used Pozzolans today are industrial by-products

such as fly ash, silica fume, from silica melting, highly reactive metakaolin and burned

organic matter residues such as rice husk ash and coconut husk ash. The beneficial effects

of Pozzolan addition in terms of higher compressive strength performance and greater

durability are mostly attributed to the Pozzolanic reaction. The Pozzolanic reaction product

fills in pores and result in refining pore size distribution or pore structure. This results in a

lowered permeability of the binder, (Hornbostel Caleb et al, 1991).

By reading articles on how to strengthen hollow blocks by using Pozzolans, the

researchers came up with an idea of a possible alternative. They found out that Pozzolans

can purposely be found from burned organic matter so the researcher thought of using

firewood ash since they are often thrown away which can harm humans and pollute the

environment. In this study, the researchers want to improve the capability of firewood ash

to increase the compressibility and durability of a hollow block.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Generally, this study aimed to test the capability of firewood ash as an additive

Pozzolan to hollow block.

Specifically, it sought to find answers to the following questions:

1. Is there a significant difference between the three treatments a.) 1.5 kg cement and 9

kg sand, b.) 1.5 kg cement, 9kg sand and 1.5 kg ash, c.) 1.5 kg cement, 9 kg sand and

2.25 kg ash in terms of:

a.) Compressibility b.) Durability

2. Which of the following treatments is more acceptable in terms of compressibility and

durability?

a.) 1.5 kg cement and 9kg sand

b.) 1.5 kg cement, 9kg sand and 1.5 kg ash

c.) 1.5 kg cement, 9kg sand and 2.25 kg ash

HYPOTHESIS

1.There is no significant difference among the ratings of the three treatments a.) 1.5 kg

cement and 9 kg sand, b.) 1.5 kg cement, 9kg sand and 1.5 kg ash, c.) 1.5 kg cement, 9 kg

sand and 2.25 kg ash in terms of:

a.) Compressibility

b.) Durability

2. There is no significant difference among the acceptability of the three treatments

a.) 1.5 kg cement and 9 kg sand, b.) 1.5 kg cement, 9kg sand and 1.5 kg ash, c.) 1.5 kg

cement, 9 kg sand and 2.25 kg ash in terms of compressibility and durability.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The positive result of this study is expected to be of great help to the following:

To the hollow block producers. This will help them to create a stronger and more efficient

product. Through this study, they may now use it as an additive in making sturdy hollow

blocks.

To consumers. They can now ensure that the buildings they constructed are safe and strong.

To construction workers. This will help them in building more durable infrastructures.

To the economy. This will result in economic gain by replacing the substantial component

of the Portland cement by a cheaper pollution-free natural Pozzolans.

To the environment. It will be a great help in minimizing waste since firewood ash are

commonly disposed in most residential/commercial areas.

To the future researchers. It will be their guide in making new discoveries.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study is limited in determining the difference between the acceptability of the

three treatments a.) 1.5 kg cement and 9 kg sand, b.) 1.5 kg cement, 9kg sand and 1.5 kg

ash, c.) 1.5 kg cement, 9 kg sand and 2.25 kg ash in terms of compressibility and durability.

LOCALE OF THE STUDY

This study was conducted at Centro West, Ballesteros, Cagayan from June 12, 2018 to

July 30,2018.
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to the Humanitarian Shelter Groups, Concrete Hollow Blocks (CHB),

are one of the most extensively used walling materials in the Philippines. A hollow block

or concrete block is one of the several concrete products used in construction. Most of it

has two cores which allow the insertion of steel reinforcement, lying individual blocks

together is the assembly with the goal of achieving a great strength. This is primarily done

to impart tensile strength to the assembly that will improve its ability to resist lateral forces

such as wind load and seismic forces. The concrete commonly used to make hollow black

is a mixture of Portland cement, water, sand and gravel. In general, the mixture used for

blocks has a higher percentage of sand and a lower percentage of cement and water,

(Hornbostel Caleb et al, 1991).

Hollow block making also requires a Pozzolan which actually acts as a binder. It is

commonly used as a supplementary cementitious material. Artificial Pozzolans can be

deliberately for instance by thermal activation or can be obtained as ways or by-product

from high temperature process such as fly ashes from coal-fired electricity production. The

most commonly used Pozzolans today are industrial by-products such as fly ash and silica

fumes and burned organic matter residues such as rice husk, (Mohamed R. Shatat et al,

2014).

Using Pozzolans have lots of benefits. First is the economic gain obtained by

replacing a substantial part of Portland cement by a cheaper pollution-free, natural

Pozollans or industrial by-products. Second is the lowering of the blended cement and
environmental cost associated by greenhouse gases emitted during Portland cement

production. The third advantage is the increased durability of the end product. Additionally,

the increased blending of Pozzolans and Portland cement offers the opportunity to create

value by converting large amount of industrial and societal waste, (Wardell C, 2002)

Pozollans can be used to control setting, increase durability, affordable cost and

reduce pollution without significantly reducing the final compressive strength or other

performance characteristics. As the researcher continues to study, it was found out that

coconut husk ash is one of the materials that have Pozzolanic property. Thus, it can act as

an additive in making hollow blocks, (Haseeb Jamal, 2017)

Ash is a residue that remains when a substance was burned. If the burning has been

complete, the ash will be entirely organic. The ash from wood or similar plant material

generally consists of sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate; wood ash was for

centuries the principal source of potassium for making such chemicals as saltpeter,

(A.Demeyer et al, 2001)

Wood ash is the residue powder left after the combustion of wood such as burning

wood in home fireplace and industrial power plant. The use of wood ash as partial cement

replacement in concrete reduces the requirement of hydraulic cement to large extent. Wood

ash contains Silica, Aluminum, Iron Oxide, and Quicklime making it highly credible to be

used as replacement for cement, (Frank E. Compton, 1922).

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Hollow blocks are main material in building infrastructures. It comprises of natural

sand, cement and water. Cement, as a binder, is the most expensive input into the

production of hollow blocks with low content of cement that will be affordable to people

with much gain.

In connection with this research, a similar study was also conducted by and was

entitled Rice Husk Ash as Additive to Hollow block, (Hadi Bello, 2013).

For the purpose of this study, 150 mm’ 450 mm’ hollow blocks were produced at

the concrete laboratory of Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of

Technology. The mix ratio used was 1:8 (one part of binder to eight part of sand) at a

different replacement levels, about 18 block samples were cast.

The cement, rice hull ash and sand were mixed together to obtain a homogenous

mixture. The measured quantity of water was then sprayed into the mixture using a bucket.

The mixture was further turned with shovels until a mix of required workability was

obtained.

The researchers tested the compressive strength, chemical composition, particle

size, quality, bulk density, silt content and consistency of the rice hull ash produced and

cement. The researchers concluded that the rice hull ash produced is Pozzolanic and

therefore is suitable to use in block making.

Rice hull is available in significant quantities as a waste and can be utilized for

making blocks. This will go a long way to produce the quantity of waste in our

environment.
 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Independent Dependent
Variable Variable

Firewood Ash as Additive Compressibility

Pozzolan to Hollow Block Durability