Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite

Alternative Building Materials

A Research Paper

Submitted to the Faculty of Department of Architecture

College of Engineering, Computer Studies, and Architecture

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

Building Technology 5 – Alternative Building Construction Systems

By

Abaño, Shiela Louisianne Mari

Arch 401

Submitted to:

Ar. Eugene Aguilar, uap

Instructor

October 2021
Introduction

Alternate building materials are those which can be used economically by replacing the
conventional building materials. Alternate building materials are made from waste products and
thus it even minimizes environmental pollutions. These alternate building materials can be used
when it meets the respective specifications in the code of practice. 

The following are the advantages of using Alternative Building Materials over Conventional
Materials:

1. Better functional efficiency

2. Cost effectiveness
3. Better durability
4. Ease of construction
5. Better finish
6. Minimum waste
7. Less maintenance cost
8. Minimum defects
9. Less energy intensive

List of Alternative Building Materials:

 Hollow Concrete Block (as brick)

Concrete block is primarily used as a building material in the construction of wall. It is

sometimes called a concrete masonry unit (CMU). A concrete block is one of the several precast
concrete products used in the construction. The term precast refer to the fact that the block is
formed and hardened before they are brought to the job site. In use, concrete blocks are stacked
one at a time and held together with fresh concrete mortar to form the desired length and height
of the wall.
Advantages of using Hollow Concrete Blocks:

 Low Maintenance, color and brilliance of masonry withstands outdoor elements

 Load bearing, strength can be specified as per the requirement
 Fire resistant
 Provide thermal and sound insulation: The air in hollow of the block, does not allow
outside heat or cold in the house. So, it keeps house cool in summer and warm in
winter.
 Economical
 Environment friendly, fly ash used as one of the raw materials

Disadvantages of using Hollow Concrete Block (according to Civil Jungle.com)

 Hollow blocks have a poor bearing capacity as the average mass of wall decoration
materials is decreased and the load-bearing capacity is often reduced.
 It is risky to hang large things on walls like this

Application of Hollow Block:

 Such blocks can be found in load-bearing towers, moderate apartment complexes,

office buildings. Farmhouses, rural housing shelters, tall buildings, institutional
buildings, factories, etc.
 It is found in facilities such as elevated apartment complexes, office houses,
market premises, hospitals, and hotels, etc.
 It could be used as ground-level units including roadside walkways, garden
walkways, interlocking pavement blocks for road-moving areas close to
curbstones, exhibition grounds, petrol pumping stations, bus, and train stations,
and so forth.
 Often used areas of use, including such tree guard frames for roadside as well as
backyard plantations.
 Fly Ash Bricks

Fly Ash Bricks Fly Ash bricks are made of fly ash, lime, gypsum, and sand. These can
be extensively used in all building constructional activities like that of common burnt clay
bricks. The fly ash bricks are comparatively lighter in weight and stronger than common clay
bricks.

Advantages of using Fly Ash Bricks (according slideshare.net):

 Saves Construction Cost - Due to the uniform shape and size of the fly ash brick, it
saves labor in laying bricks by about 15%. This translates into reduction in labor cost
in laying each brick, which is quite substantial.
 Less Water Seepage and Dampness in wall - Due to high strength and less water
absorption of fly ash bricks there are less water seepage and dampness in walls of
building.
 Less Energy Consumption - Huge Energy is consumed in heating clay bricks in
kilns. By using fly ash bricks much energy is saved in brick manufacturing
 Reduction in Air Pollution - Much fossil fuel is used in heating clay bricks in kilns.
Burning such fuel generates air pollution and greenhouse gas (CO2), contributing to
global warming.

Advantages of using Fly Ash (according to Concrete Construction):

 Saves Construction Cost

 Reduction in Air Pollution
 Good Compaction
 High range of OMC
 High internal angle of friction
 Free draining (less interruption due to rain)
 No large lumps to be broken (easy to spread)
 Light in weight (can be used on weak sub-grades)

Advantages of using Fly Ash (according to Engineering Discoveries.com)

 It reduces the dead load on structure due to lightweight

 Same number of bricks will cover more area than clay bricks
 High fire insulation
 Due to high strength, practically no breakage during transport and use

Disadvantages of using Fly Ash Bricks (according to Engineering Discoveries)

 Mechanical strength is low, but this can be rectified but adding marble waste or
mortar between blocks
 Limitation of size. Only modular size can be produced. The large size will have
more breakage.
 It is only good for places like subtropical area or area where the climate is warm
because it doesn’t absorb heat. But during the cold, it is not helpful.
 Rice Husk Ash / Pozzolanas

Rice Husk Ash / Pozzolanas Pozzolanas are materials containing reactive silica and/or
alumina, which have little binding ability. Yet, when mixed with lime and water it will set and
harden like cement. They are important ingredients in alternative cement compounds. Rice husks
are a large by-product – one ton is produces per five ton of rice paddies, and it is estimated that
120 million tons of husk could be available annually on a global basis.
 Rice husk ash (RHA) plays two roles in concrete constructions. The first role is using
rice husk as a substitute for Portland cement which leads to the reduction of the cost of concrete,
and the other role is as an admixture in the production of high strength concrete. It should be
known that that type of rice husk ash used in concrete is amorphous, which is suitable for
pozzolanic activity, not crystalline. There are many applications of rice husk ash in the
construction such as high-performance concrete, insulation, green concrete, bathroom floors,
industrial factory floorings, waterproofing and rehabilitation, and it is also used ceramic glaze
and roofing shingles.

Advantages of using Rice Husk Ash:

 Increased compressive and flexural strengths

 Reduced permeability
 Increased resistance to chemical attack
 Increased durability
 Reduced effects of alkali-silica reactivity
 Reduced shrinkage due to particle packing, making concrete denser
 Enhanced workability of concrete
 Reduced heat gain through the walls of buildings.
 Reduced amount of super plasticizer - Reduced potential for efflorescence due to
reduced calcium hydracids.

Applications of Rice Husk Ash in Building Constructions:

1. Low-Cost Building Blocks - Ordinary Portland cement is expensive for

undeveloped countries and the need for low-cost building material is high. Since
cement is the most expensive component of concrete, replacing part of cement with
rice husk ash would decline the cost of concrete greatly. It is demonstrated that,
replacing 50% cement with rice husk ash would reduce cost of concrete by 25%. An
Indonesian company has used mix proportion of 10% cement, 50% aggregate and
40% RHA plus water to produce blocks. The average strength of the blocks was
12MPa.
 2. Refractory Bricks - Rice husk ash has been used to produce refractory bricks due to
its insulating properties. It can be used as an organic filler in refractory bricks where
the organic matter is burned out during the firing to produce a lightweight porous
product. Refractory bricks are used in furnaces which are exposed to extreme
temperatures.
3. Lightweight Construction Materials - Higher strength concrete with RHA allows
lighter weight products to be produced, such as hollow blocks with enhanced thermal
insulation properties, which provide lighter walls for steel framed buildings. It also
leads to reduced quantities of cement and aggregate. Rice husk ash is used to produce
lightweight insulating boards.
4. Insulating Materials - It is used as a loose insulant in dwellings, farm structures and
cold storage plants. If desired, they can be flameproofed by soaking in a solution of
boric acid and borax. Insulating value of rice hulls is quite high.
5. Soil Improvement - Rice husk ash in combination with small quantity of cement can
be used for shallow stabilization.
6. Steel Industry - Rice husk ash is utilized in steel industry to produce high quality
flat steel. The rice husk ash is used as insulator due to its desired characteristics such
as low thermal conductivity, high melting point, low bulk density, and high porosity.
It is used to prevent rapid cooling of the steel and ensure uniform solidification.
However, there are health concern regarding the use of rice husk ash in steel
production because its oxides with elements in steel such as aluminum to form
alumina (Al2O3).

 Ferrocement

The term ferrocement is most applied to a mixture of Portland Cement and sand
reinforced with layers of woven or expanded steel mesh and closely- spaced small-diameter steel
rods rebar. It can be used to form relatively thin, compound curved sheets to make hulls for
boats, shell roofs, water tanks, etc. When used in house construction in developing countries, it
can provide better resistance to fire, earthquake, and corrosion than traditional materials, such as
wood, adobe, and stone masonry.
 Properties of Ferrocement:

 Ferrocement is especially advantageous in a particular structure due to its lower cost

and has excellent mechanical characteristics.
 It has better durability than ordinary reinforced concrete.
 Within a specific loading limit. It behaves as a homogenous elastic material, and these
limits are more comprehensive than standard concrete.
 The uniform distribution and high surface area to volume ratio (specific surface) of its
reinforcement result in a better crack arrest mechanism; that is, the propagation of
cracks is arrested, resulting in high tensile strength of the material.
 It is a very durable, cheap, and versatile material
 A low water-cement ratio produces an impenetrable structure
 Less shrinkage and low weight
 Better impact and punching shear resistance
 Undergo large deformations before cracking or high deflection

Materials required for making Ferrocement:

 Mortar (Cement mortar)

 Framework or Skeleton
 Steel mesh or Fiber Mesh

Cement Mortar Mix:

 OPC and the fine aggregate mix can be used

 Sand cover 60 to 75% of the volume of the mortar
 Plasticizers and different admixtures

Mix Proportions:
  Mortar ratio = 1:5 to 2:5 (Cement: Sand)
 Water – Cement ratio = 0.35 to 0.60

Skeleton Steel: (6 to 8mm steel rods can be used to form the structure’s skeleton and sued
in the form of tied reinforcement or welded wire fabric)

 MS wire of 2 to 6mm Ø at 100mm to 150mm interval in a grid form

 Chicken mesh (Gl hexagonal mesh of 10 to 20mm made of wire of 0.5 to 1mm Ø)
 Welded wire mesh has a hexagonal or rectangular opening

Construction Process:

 Fabrication of skeleton or framework

 Tying steel mesh and rods
 Applying Mortar
 Curing

Uses of Ferrocement:

1. It saves cement and steel in the construction of structures, so it is used in

residential buildings
2. Ferrocement is utilized for making overhead water tanks for domestic purposes.
The tank is lightweight and can be transported easily. The tank made with
ferrocement is cheaper than any other competitive materials. The tank can be
made with hopper shaped bottom with a simple arrangement for drawing the
grains.
3. It is a container that can be used in agas holder unit in “Bio-Gas” plants
4. Ferrocement tanks can be used as septic tanks units, but they require few changes
5. It is an appropriate material for boat making
6. It is used in the manufacturing of maintenance hole cover
 7. It is a favorite material for prefabricated roof systems
8. For pressure pipes, it is an appropriate material
9. It is a good material for making benches for gardens, parks, and open-air theater

Advantages of using Ferrocement:

 Low construction material cost - Ferro-cement construction normally has the lowest
material cost of any of the common vessel construction materials. Typically, the
material cost in ferro-cement is about 30% to 50% of that for steel
 Ease of fairing during construction - The fairing of the hull form is done during the
plastering stage of construction. This means that the hull framing does not have to be
as accurate as may be required with other common construction materials
 Low ongoing maintenance - With proper design and construction, ferro-cement
vessels require only minimal ongoing maintenance. If not being moved through the
water, it does not even require antifouling
 Intrinsically safer in the event of grounding -: When subjected to severe impact
(e.g., grounding), ferro-cement does not tear like some other materials. The concrete
cracks but remains mostly secured to the steel mesh substrata. This can restrict the
amount of water that ingresses into the hull
 Long operational life - Well-designed and built ferro-cement vessel has demonstrated
that they have an extremely long economic life. Fifty years or more is not uncommon

Disadvantages of using Ferrocement:

 Ferrocement construction is labor intensive, which makes it costlier for industrial

applications
 The number of labors required for the construction of Ferrocement structure is high
 Structures built with it are susceptible to puncture due to collision with sharp object
  Metal mesh or reinforcing material corrosion due to incomplete coverage of it by
mortar
 Preparing framework is tedious and time-consuming especially binding mesh and steel
rods together

 Tire Veneer (as flooring material)

Rubber tires play an essential role in modern life. Tires are essential globally, at all
levels of development. Millions are discarded annually as they wear out relatively fast – this
product makes use of recycling the material into a usable material for various types of
applications.

Advantages of using Tire Veneer:

 It is as an environmentally responsive flooring material resilient both indoors and

outdoors
 It can be used in areas such as sports and recreation, animal housing and high traffic
areas outdoors
  A variety of consumer products can be made such as vibration dampeners and
furniture surfaces internally

 Plastic Wood

It is made primarily from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), recovered from the waste
stream mainly in the form of used milk containers or recovered plastic bags, and from wood
wastes (often planer shavings) that have been ground to a fine powder. A 50:50 mixture of
plastic and wood is common. Plastic wood is 100% recyclable made of recycled plastic.

Advantages of using Hollow Concrete Blocks:

 100% resistant to rot

 Impervious to cracking and splitting (with correct installation) 
 Environmentally friendly and requires less maintenance
 Waste plastic and wood is used for manufacturing
 Waste plastic and wood is used for manufacturing
 Reinforced Fiber Concrete

Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) is concrete containing fibrous material which increases

its structural integrity. It contains short discrete fibers that are uniformly distributed and
randomly oriented. Fibers include steel fibers, glass fiber, synthetic fibers, and natural fibers.

Advantages of using Fiber-Reinforced Concrete:

 Improve mix cohesion, improving pump ability over long distances

 Improve freeze-thaw resistance
 Improve resistance to explosive palling in case of a severe fire
 Improve impact resistance
 Increase resistance to plastic shrinkage during curing
  Improve structural strength and reduce crack widths and control the crack widths
tightly thus improve durability
 Reduce steel reinforcement requirements
 Improve ductility

 Bamboo

Bamboo has been in wide usage since ancient times as a low-cost material for houses,
bridges etc. They are the largest members of the grass family & are the fastest growing in the
world. It grows approximately 4 feet in a day [in 24 hours’ time]. Bamboos are of notable
economic & cultural significance in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, being use for
bldg. materials as a food source & as a versatile raw product. Bamboo has higher compressive
strength than wood brick / concrete & tensile strength that rivals steel & for height. Bamboo can
resist forces created by high velocity wind and earthquakes. This is a substitute building material
which is renewable, environment friendly & widely available, as the wood resources are
diminishing & restrictions are imposed on felling the natural forests. Due to its rapid growth its
adaptability to most climate conditions & due to its properties Bamboo emerges as a very
suitable alternative. The demand of timber in increasing worldwide at rapid rate but the supply is
depleting. Industrial treated bamboos have shown great potential for production of composite
Materials and components which are cost effective and can be successfully utilized for structural
& non-structural applications in construction. Uses of bamboos in construction: footing, trusses,
walls, scaffolding, tile roofing, reinforcement etc.

 Aluminum

Advantages of using Aluminum:

 More than 3000 commercialized applications.
 35 percent aluminum produced is used in construction.
 Non-Corrosive.
 High durability and low maintenance.
 Can be alloyed.
 Ductile and malleable.
 Aesthetically attractive.

Applications of Aluminum in Construction

 Windows, doors, facades

 Roofs, walls, building superstructure
 Door handles, catches, staircases
 HVAC and waterproofing
 As a support structure for solar
 Panels, solar collectors, and light Shelves
  Wall cladding

 Bitumen Materials – super pave system. Superior performing asphalt pavements system

Advantages of using Bitumen Materials:

 Reduces Permanent deformation

 Fatigue cracking

 Low temperature cracking in hot asphalt mixtures

 Soil Conditioning Agents

 Bentonite Slurry

 Polymer Liquids

 Foams

References

 Singh, J. (February 2015). Alternate Building Materials. Slideshare.net.

https://www.slideshare.net/jaspreetrooprai138/alternate-building-materials
 Basham, K., Clark, M., France, T., Harrison, P. (December 2007). What is Fly Ash?
Concrete Construction. https://www.concreteconstruction.net/how-to/materials/what-is-
fly-ash_o
 Engineering Discoveries. (n.d.). Advantages and Disadvantages of Fly Ash Bricks.
https://engineeringdiscoveries.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-fly-ash-bricks/
 Civic Jungle. (n.d.). Hollowblock | Disadvantages of Hollowblock \ Advantages of
Hollowblock \ Hollow Concrete \ Block size \ Application of Hollowblock.
https://civiljungle.com/hollowblock/#:~:text=Disadvantages%20of%20Hollow
%20Concrete%20Block-%20Hollow%20blocks%20have,dangerous%20to%20hang
%20heavy%20objects%20on%20such%20walls.
 Hamakareem, M. (n.d.). Applications of Rice Husk Ash in Building Constructions.
https://theconstructor.org/building/rice-husk-ash-building-constructions/38303/

 Civil Lead. (n.d.). What is Ferrocement? – Properties, uses, Advantages, Disadvantages.

https://www.civillead.com/what-is-ferrocement/#:~:text=Disadvantages%20of
%20Ferrocemnt%20Ferrocement%20construction%20is%20labour%20intensive
%2C,puncture%20due%20to%20collision%20with%20a%20sharp%20object.
 Joshi, H. (n.d.). Bamboo as alternate building material.
https://doha2020.isocarp.org/paper-platform/abstract/public/39/quot-bamboo-as-
alternate-building-material-quot
 Mishra, G. (n.d.). Alternate Building Materials Used in Construction Industry.
https://theconstructor.org/building/alternate-building-materials/420/