SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROMOTION IN SEMI-

ARID LANDS OF BAHIA, BRAZIL

G. C. Bruna1, S. H. T. Vizioli1, J. V. Merighi2, R. M. Fortes3

1
Departamento de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Universidade Presbeteriana Mackenzie,
São Paulo, Brasil
2
Departamento de Engenharia Civil, Universidade Presbeteriana Mackenzie, São Paulo,
Brasil
3
Departamento de Propedêutica de Engenharia, Universidade Presbeteriana Mackenzie,
São Paulo, Brasil

ABSTRACT

A sustainable development promotion involves the use of the environmental resources,

without harming them for later utilization by the future generations, and also the choice of
offering an appropriated development. Therefore, this article focuses the housing production,
to consider any development, as the related building materials and techniques will follow as
part of this development “motion engine”. So, according to the physical-geographic location,
one can’t leave aside the use of local materials and techniques simple enough to be used after
a short period of training to know how to use them. This research’s objective is being
developed at the Presbyterian University Mackenzie, with financial support of the
Mackpesquisa, focused at Vila Independência in João Dourado, Bahia. The propose is to
stimulate sustainable development with: a) utilization of natural regional resources without
compromising territorial support capacity, b) technology transference to house building and
training to alphabetize young people and adults; c) implementation of a Learning Center to
centralize the learning activities. Theoretical-conceptual issues were being developed in
parallel to the knowledge and contact with the local and regional reality. Land types analyses
were done to select that one more easily adaptable to the use of soil-cement brick manually
pressed. The soil mine is located at Feitosa hamlet a João Dourado neighborhood. The
projects for the Town House approval and building were detailed and, in July 2003, the
technology transference was started. For conclusion this article focuses this experience,
limitations and potentialities.

KEYWORDS

Sustainable development, soil-cement brick, housing production, resource, tropical soils,

MCT classification.
INTRODUCTION

In some way, to promote the sustainable development means to contribute to the non-
dilapidating use of the environmental resources today, so to stop the negative impacts on the
quality of life for the new generations (MMA, 2000, Barbosa and Mattone, 2002).
Most certainly this concept includes the knowledge of many fields of study, with their
specificities. In that sustainable development the human needs are wide and the communities
should act together in terms of multi and interdisciplinary projects and actions to organize the
quality of environment.

One of the human priorities is housing to shelter siblings, enable growth and interaction in the
society. This is a vital priority, and thus is the first step toward the generation of synergy
among the community’s members that could work together to find solutions for their
environmental troubles. This action that enables people to decide and act is being called self-
help and community participation or community development.

Housing production is peculiar and many times it is not enough to adhere to building
industrialization systems to provide low costs, as it may not be so successful in their
processes, and sometimes there is a return to more traditional building systems, meaning non-
industrialized ones (Bonduki, 1993). Technology improvement in this João Dourado, BA case
tries to incorporate the labor force needs to its new way of life and survival.

Facing these facts the analysis of a community experience is very relevant. The building
material – local soil (earth) – is part of the sustainability aspects above mentioned, that can be
available practically without transportation costs and free from the need to import from a
larger market center of the country. The labor force is composed by local citizens that act
voluntarily in this process, counting on the João Dourado Municipality collaboration, as the
public sector, among others, offering the needed amount of soil, as well as with the costs of
short distance transportation of this soil from the mine to the site. It counts also with the
support of Presbyterian Mission Servir and with the professionals linked with the research at
the Presbyterian University Mackenzie, through its research financial funds - the
Mackpesquisa.

From a large range of soil-cement building possibilities, it was selected a simple construction
technique, similar to that already inhabiting the common people mind: soil-cement brick
pressed by hand in a special machine, to form self-supporting walls (masonry). Thus the
population easily accepts this building system. They only need a small learning period to
produce these bricks, although it requires a professional technical support.

That way, for a human being living in the hinterland, such a possibility of building system to
self built houses, according to Salmar (2002), is a key magnet motivation that generates
satisfaction with the use of the soil-cement technology and may transform these citizens as
they can replicate their experience, and act as a productive builder who works in team.

THE SOILS AS CONSTRUCTION’ S MATERIAL

When the man came out of the caves, perhaps, his first house was made of soil. During some
centuries, the man has been improving this technology. Nowadays, it is possible to build
houses more comfortable and safe, because of the advances in the soil mechanical science. In
many places, around the world, there are houses made of soils, mainly in the poverty
communities.

Although the soils are abundant in the planet, they are extremely variable. They have specifics
characteristics like that depth and extension. So, it is very important to know its properties and
classifications. Though the temperature can change the mechanics soils properties, it is better
to use the soil “in natura”. To produce soil-cement brick it is necessary to consider the kind of
soil and its cementation properties, the technology of production, the kind of house and the
specifics regions conditions.

Beyond the weather and technology to be manufactured, in the Bahia’s project, it was
necessary to consider the people and the decision matrix. So that, it was involved two
possibilities: the blocks dry at atmosphere or the blocks dry at pottery oven. The first proposal
had advantages because it was easy to do and this alternative excuses the energy use
consequently the cost was cheaper than the second alternative. In the Bahia’s project, the
solution adopted was the production of the ceramics blocks dried at atmosphere.

CONSIDERATIONS ON TROPICAL SOILS

The soils of tropical regions present a series of climatic peculiarities, therefore, it is necessary
to appraise the genetic tropical soils peculiarities, and genetics soils types founded in tropical
regions. The following soils are found in tropical regions: lateritics, saprolitics and
transported soils. Figure 1 illustrates a schematical profile of the occurrence of these types of
soils.

4 1- 1 - SOLOLateritic soil
LATERÍTICO
6 2- 2 - SOLOSaprolitic soil
SAPROLÍTICO
2 3
3- 3 - SOLO TRANSPORTADO
Transported soil
4 - SOLO TRANSPORTADO
4- Neocenozoic
NEOCENOZÓICO
soil
5- 5 - ROCHA
BedSÃRock
6- 6 - LAGOS,
Lakes,
RIOS,Rivers
MAR
5
and Sea

FIGURE 1. SCHEMATICAL PROFILE OF SOIL OCCURRENCE IN TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT

(Fortes, 2002 a)

Inside of the soil classification, those that present peculiar properties and behavior result from
the typical performance of geologic and/or pedologic process of the humid tropical regions,
are called tropical soil. Amongst tropical soil there are two great classes: the lateritic soils and
the saprolitic soils.

The use of tropical lateritic soils as material of construction allows saving money in the costs
using or not addition of cement. However, not all types of soils can be used as subbase or
stabilized base. There are only some types of lateritic soils with certain mechanical and
hydraulic properties, which guarantee good performance and long useful life.

Traditional systems, when applied to the soil of tropical countries, show severe discrepancies
in the expected geotechnical behavior of the soil. For example, genetically distinct lateritic
and non-lateritic soils may receive the same classification but show completely opposite
geotechnical behavior.

Among the classifications, there are differences: the Unified Soil Classification System
(U.S.C.S) and that classification for road purposes, known as Highway Research Board
(HRB), also called as American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO – ASTM).
However, to use this or that classification, it is important that one knows its limitations if you
don’t want to use this soil in wrong applications. With this purpose, a fast vision of some of
these classifications will be given, as well as its limitations when used for tropical soil (Fortes,
2002b).

In accordance with Fortes et al. (2003) the limitations how much to these classifications they
can be summarized in: tests results repeatabilit and no correlation between the classification
and the geotechnical behavior (mechanical and hydraulical properties) was observed.

Nevertheless, Nogami and Villibor (1981) had considered a test of compactation called mini-
MCV (mini Moisture Condition Value) and a new systematic called MCT classification
(Miniature, Compact, Tropical), aiming at all over the tropical group of tests in accordance
with their peculiarities of behavior under the mechanical and hydraulical point of view.
However for these groups of soils, we lack a quick consolidated procedure such as that
developed by Casagrande. (Fortes et al., 2002b).

Therefore, it was used the disk method, a quick test to identify and choose the soil according
to the MCT classification used to make the blocks. Then, it was done the tests: Proctor
Compactation Test and Compression Strength to the soil “in natura”, with addition of 6 and 8
percent of cement.

DISK METHOD FOR QUICK IDENTIFICATION OF TROPICAL SOILS

The method is based on the fabrication of small soil disks (20-mm diameter) that are molded
in stainless steel rings of inox and dried. A mini penetrometer is used to determine the
shrinkage and consistency, after soaking these dried specimens. In 1997, Fortes (1997)
presented a proposal to standardize this rapid procedure at the conference of the First
Permanent Chamber of Occurred Technological Development in the Presbyterian University
Mackenzie. The identification proposed is under standardization by the DER-SP and has been
successfully used. (Fortes et al., 2002a, b).

TEST PROCEDURE

Firstly it is molded the sample of soil. It follows the conditioning the filled rings with an
appropriate support to keep them in a vertical position, and move them to dry at a maximum
temperature of 60º C for about 6 hours at least. It can be left to dry in the surrounding air, but
in this case the period of drying is at least 12 hours.
Shrinkage measurement: cool the joint ring-specimens for about 15 minutes, if these were
dried in greenhouse. Place these specimens on a plain and horizontal surface. Measure the
shrinkage directly, using the precision milimetric scale and hand lens and repeating the
measurement at three different points of the disk in about 120º. See Figure 2 a.

Soaking and Penetration measurement: transfer the ring with the respective disk to a porous
plate saturated and covered by a paper filter. See Figure 2 b. Let it rest about two hours. Mark
and schematize if the tablet presents fissuration or expansion in its superior surface. Measure
the penetration of the disks using a standard mini penetrometer. See Figure 2 c.

Nº DESIGNATION
A1 water
(a)
A2 Porous stone
A3 Filter paper

A3 A1
(b)
(c) A2

FIGURE 2. SHRINKAGE (A), SOAKING (B) AND PENETRATION (C). (Fortes et al, 2002a).

To identify the soil behavior under the mechanical and hydraulic point of view, using the
“disk method” (Fortes et al., 2002 a, b) standardized by the Department of Roads of the State
of São Paulo, Brazil, with successful use the João Dourado soil was tested for expansion and
shrinkage, and the lateritic behavior was chosen. The samples which presented LA’ MCT
classification was chosen.

TABLE 1. PROCTOR TEST AND STRENGTH MEAN RESULTS

Sample Proctor Test (normal energy) Strength Mean

Maximum Density Optimum Condition (MPa)
(kg/m3) Value (%)
In Natura 1910 12.4 -
6% Cement 1900 11.5 2.334
8% Cement 1920 11.8 2.777

DOING THE SOIL-CEMENT BRICKS

The bricks were done using soil in 11,8% of the optimum condition value and 8% of cement.
The soil from João Dourado was 9% of the condition value. For each brick it was used about
2,5 kg of soil in this condition value more 62,3 ml of water and 183,3 g of cement. The
sample was mixed and put in mold to do the brick (see Figure 3).
 FIGURE 3. SOIL-CEMENT BRICK

BUILDING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERENCE

Very argillous (clay) and very little sandy soil are not propitious to the production of soil-
cement bricks. This is what is often heard. But why people say so? The fact is that this soil-
cement bricks process enables the development of a cement reaction with the sand existing in
this soil, in order to produce a kind of soil-concrete that become a first category built element.
Therefore, the building system can almost be the traditional one that uses a kind of self-
support masonry, now utilizing the soil (adobe) as raw material plus cement.

It is still standed out that this brick-adobe is essentially a clay object in a brick form in a mix
of proportions of clay and sand and in some regions can be mixed with manure, vegetal fiber
or horsehair to increase its resistance (Lopes, 2002). In this case the soil-cement can be
considered an adobe with cement forming a raw-brick pressed in a machine moved by human
hand. However, the adobe is different from the brick basically because it is not baked in an
oven, but it is dried in the shade. Also the brick is different from the soil-cement because this
one needs to be kept in the shade and watered periodically, stay covered with a canvas (or
other tissue) in order to keep the humidity and so produce a hard soil-concrete.

With these characteristics this technology consists of the production of soil-cement brick and
the transfer of this production as well as the other one of how to build. In this system it is
distinguished in importance: a) the housing prototype and that of the learning center, as
proposed by the research project; b) the citizens training to qualify to teach the alphabet to
young people and adults. Nevertheless this paper deals with the building technology with soil-
cement brick, focusing the housing prototype.

Both these transferences of technology and of qualification for teaching are done like a kind
of laboratory practice training. The follow up of this learning period is done by professionals
– those professors engaged in this research – and by the students that while being participants
become simultaneously assistants in this qualification process and apprentices in these
building activities. The figure 4 illustrates the soil-cement brick production, using a special
compactation machine. The convenient mixture of soil, cement and water must be put inside
the machine’s recipient and then, the human force format the brick while pressing the
“machine’s arm”.
 FIGURE 4. SOIL-CEMENTE BRICK MACHINE IN JOÃO DOURADO - BA

With this housing prototype this research intends to organize the community around a
common objective – the low cost own-house production. To accomplish this as a goal in the
Vila Independência neighborhood it is important to count on the organization of the
community so that its citizens can incorporate the work needed for houses production as well
as self-management in terms of economic results, what means to foster a democratic housing
development managed in a transparent way by an entity formed by the future residents of a
product appropriated for them.

Such building technology was similarly done, although in an isolate way, by individual
initiatives in João Dourado town itself. Nevertheless the result of such experiences practically
had no effect, as there wasn’t any community organization to implement it as a social project.
Self-management indeed together with the citizens’ participation and collaboration in building
each ones’ house (what is called mutirão in Brazil) are vital factors to the success of building
new housing units in a community. As a matter of fact this research brings up a new
unexpected factor: building a house prototype that will stay like a building that is part of the
Vila Independência Student Center, being an asset of the community. Indeed this new factor
interfered in the labor force organization once this “population of builders” won’t be the unit
owner, and so the voluntary collaboration of the Vila Independência dwellers didn’t occur as
estimated in the previous meetings to organize the research project, although these meetings
had been done counting on the participation of the representatives of the community, the
public administration and the Presbyterian University Mackenzie’s professors.

Another topic focused in this project is the housing unit design itself, which specially attends
the community cultural conditions (see Figure 5). For decades several housing studies were
developed to improve the minimal housing unit, so that the poor population could have its
needs satisfied. As an example, the Housing and Urban Development Company of the State of
São Paulo (CDHU in Portuguese) developed a popular housing pattern that is being
implemented in different regions of the State. However, in the Bahia State where João
Dourado lies, there are specific climate characteristics that added with the folk’s culture,
guided this project researchers to modify the original housing design, creating a veranda in
front of the housing entrance (living room and kitchen), as the house daily activities are
commonly done outside, i.e., there is the habit of sowing, chatting and even cooking outside
the house. Thus the veranda adopted in the design assumes the role of an intermediary
environment between the street public space and the private house interior space.

Another design modification done was to include the roof eaves. These almost never are
included in the local low cost housing, although the hot climate of a yearlong sun shinning
should demand such eaves in order to increase the dwelling internal thermo comfort.

FIGURE 5.HOUSE WITH SOIL-CEMENT BRICK AT JOÃO DOURADO - BA

In general terms the building process is guided by executives designs detailing the distance
among the vertical iron bars of the structure that forms the self-sustainable soil-cement
masonry, the horizontal structural braces (like belts), the hoof structure and other basic
information like the places of windows, doors, openings. There are proper designs for the
hydraulic and electric installations, as well as for the foundations.

Approaching the building process itself through the detailed designs done, for the foundation
it was adopted a 0.30 m footing marking the house frame on land, as the soil type allowed.
The whole foundation thus made should be waterproof, so that the soil humidity doesn’t enter
the soil-cement brick walls that have specific absorption characteristics. Still, besides the
structural pillars, at each 1.5 m the wall was strengthened by vertical iron bars like small
pillars in the wall that were built throughout one of the soil-cement brick holes (each brick of
these have two holes). These are elements that join the wall together as these bricks are fit one
at another through special brim joints. The beams, slates and rafters are used with the gutter-
bricks. The roof is a wooden conventional one using beams, rafters and slates on wood and
ceramic tiles. The hydraulic and electrical installations that on a first study were to be
apparent, in reality were built in the walls, through one of the soil-cement brick holes, as the
local dwellers cultural way of life takes them to link the apparent installations with a low
housing pattern. As said before, the soil-cement brick have two holes, and all the vertical
installations were done through them, and the design should provide only for the horizontal
installations, using the soil-cement brick-gutters.

Also another solution adopted is very commonly present in the southeast part of the country
residential designs – the separation of the washstand and the bathroom, Figure 6, what allows
that two persons utilize the premises at the same time – which was very well accepted by the
João Dourado community as an innovation. Another design decision was done to increase the
sense of extent of the living room and the kitchen environments, instead of separate them by a
wall – like it is conventionally done in the region – the design provided only a half wall to
divide and support the sink. This joint of living room and kitchen spaces, very used in the
median income urban residential dwellings’ pattern, may enable the modification of the
Northeast family uses, as it has been well accepted by the local community.

Roof Projection

Bedroom 1 Living
Room

Kitchen

Bedroom 2
WC
Porch

FIGURE 6. SOIL-CEMENT BRICK HOUSE´S PROJECT AT JOÃO DOURADO - BA

There is a regional issue that also deserves attention when building the house: it is the
presence of the barbeiro fly that biting people transmit the incurable disease of Chagas. The
João Dourado existing adobe houses roughly built by the poor inhabitants have many
openings like holes in their walls, where these flies live. So, in order to avoid these kinds of
holes the soil-cement bricks were re-jointed with a soil-mortar applied with a sponge. After
that, the external walls must receive a waterproof finishing (there are tests with satisfactory
results done with the aquela product).

The construction itself is being developed as soon as these soil-cement bricks reach the
appropriate hardness degree – they need about 7 days (minimum) – and then it is possible to
set a routine of activities at the site. During the building process the soil-cement bricks are
stocked in 1.0 m high piles. The remaining rubbish that cannot anymore be used in the walls
was used to fulfill the house internal ground floor level and thus to regularize its level. As
soon as this basic knowledge is transferred and the community of participating citizens sees
the work they have done, people gain confidence in their power as builders. Therefore,
similarly to what is known as Community Architecture Movement in Great Britain, it is
possible to say with reason that Local communities should be more fully involved in the
decisions that affect them (Wates & Knevitt, 1987).
CONCLUSIONS

Processes of sustainable development like this here described are socially rich, as they are
creative. They enable citizens to perform in services to them and to other communities, thus
being free from the pernicious idleness and then being able to contribute to reduce crime,
vandalisms and other aggressive behaviors that happen very often in urban areas.

This project in João Dourado, focused on building a prototype house and an Educational
Center, allows the improvement of the knowledge about the soil-cement brick. For that
purpose, this research has been focusing and studying the kind of soil and its properties and
classifications, the technology of production, the kind of house and the specific regions
conditions.

The professionals involved and even the public power become true enablers and educators
and, in such role they stimulate the organization of public-private partnerships. Therefore,
practically the traditional paternalistic actions suppling facilities, housing and planned urban
space are references that almost never satisfy those who demand them, and don’t know nor
how to maintain neither how to control their local quality of life. And these situations must
become remaimbrances of the past.

As the communities become more self-confident societies, innovating with the organization of
new cooperative forms, they can give birth thus to the spring out of a new culture: being
proud of their citizenry, responsible in their management actions, as well as in plans, projects
and public works in their communities.

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