Center for Affordable Housing and Sustainable Built Environment

NED University of Engineering & Technology

Affordable Housing – Materials of Choice

Dr Tehmina Ayub
Associate Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
NED University of Engineering & Technology
LANDSCAPE
OF PAKISTAN

lofty mountains in the north

the Karakoram and the Himalayas

Alluvial plains of the Punjab

Desolate barrenness
of Baluchistan

Hot dry deserts of Sindh

blending into miles and miles of golden
beaches of Makran coast
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The choice of materials would also depend upon the type of construction
adopted for a particular region.
Very Rural

LOCAL MATERIAL
CLASSIFICATION
Semi-Rural
Rural
Semi Urban
Urban

In some cases, special considerations such as effects of natural disasters such as

Earthquakes and flooding would have to be considered.
POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of Choice of
Construction Materials
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Pre cast or pre-

fabricated construction

Hybrid combination of both

 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of
Construction
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Source: World Housing Encyclopedia (WHE) Report  (http://db.world-housing.net/building/176/)

 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of Typical brick kiln
to produce fired
Construction bricks in Punjab

On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Source: http://db.world-housing.net/building/174/
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of
Construction
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Concrete block

Reinfor
ced Concret
e Frame
Red clay brick Spatial distribution of brick masonry buildings in Pakistan
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of
Construction
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))
 LOCAL CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

The combination of adobe/mud walls and strong bamboo is

Multi coated layers of local mud render suitable for rural areas of Pakistan. The bamboo cross braced
(Earthquake Prone Regions of Pakistan) structure with Karavan Roofs employs a very economical
footprint and is thus suitable for the urban areas as
well. (Courtesy: Heritage Foundation of Pakistan)
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of
Construction
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Rural Semi Rural Very Rural

Semi Urban Semi Rural Very Rural

Urban
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of
Construction
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Pre cast or pre-fabricated

construction

Hybrid combination of both

Sourcehttp://meridian.com.pk/
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of
Construction
On site construction
(Also termed as cast in place (CIP))

Pre cast or pre-fabricated

Iron girder with brick
construction

Hybrid combination of both

Asbestos cement sheet Wooden girder over stone

over brick wall wall
POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of Choice of
Construction Materials

Earthen Clay
Cement based
based (Adobe
materials
Construction)

with manufactured without and with

fibers natural fibers
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials

Wheat straw fiber Bagasse fiber extracted

from Sugarcane
Earthen Clay
based (Adobe
Construction)

with manufactured without and with

fibers natural fibers
Jute fibers as soil stabilizer
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of Materials – Adobe vs. Conventional Material
• Adobe-mud brick structures have several advantages and relatively few
disadvantages over other conventional construction techniques.

• Adobe materials are recognized as one of the sustainable building

materials, meaning that they are environmentally friendly and have little
impact on the environment.

• It takes more than 300 times as much energy to produce a commercial

concrete block than a sundried adobe block of the same volume
Source: Rouhi, J., & Hejazirad, F. The Experience of Adobe-Mud Bricks Strengthening in Bam Citadel after the 2003
Bam Earthquake, 3rd International Conference on Applied Researches in Science & Engineering At: Marmara
University, Istanbul-Turkey, 2018
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of Materials – Adobe vs. Conventional Material
• Adobe buildings are very effective in different climatic conditions; they are
an excellent insulator (good thermal insulation) and acoustic properties in
climates typified by extreme temperature fluctuations during both day and
night.

• Adobes are fireproof, biodegradable and non-toxic, detoxifier, durable

and afford great flexibility in the design/color/surface of the construction

Source: Rouhi, J., & Hejazirad, F. The Experience of Adobe-Mud Bricks Strengthening in Bam Citadel after the 2003
Bam Earthquake, 3rd International Conference on Applied Researches in Science & Engineering At: Marmara
University, Istanbul-Turkey, 2018
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials

Plastic fiber

Earthen Clay
based (Adobe
Construction)

with manufactured without and with

fibers natural fibers
Polystyrene fabric
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Type of Choice of
Construction Materials

Cement Earthen Clay

based based (Adobe
materials Construction)

combination with with metallic or

Structural steel Light Gage steel With or without
conventional steel nonmetallic mesh
materials construction (LGS) Waste Materials
reinforcement reinforcement
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials
Rice Husk Ash
Fly ash

Cement based
materials

combination with with metallic or

Structural steel Light Gage steel With or without
conventional steel nonmetallic mesh
materials construction (LGS) Waste Materials
reinforcement reinforcement
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials

Steel fibers

Cement based
materials
Ferrocement (Thin cementetious composites)

combination with with metallic or

Structural steel Light Gage steel With or without
conventional steel nonmetallic mesh
materials construction (LGS) Waste Materials
reinforcement reinforcement
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials
PVA fibers Polypropylene fiber PET fiber
Polystyrene fabric

Cement based
materials

combination with with metallic or

Structural steel Light Gage steel With or without
conventional steel nonmetallic mesh
materials construction (LGS) Waste Materials
reinforcement reinforcement
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials
PVA fibers Polypropylene fiber PET fiber
Polystyrene fabric

Cement based
materials

combination with with metallic or

Structural steel Light Gage steel With or without
conventional steel nonmetallic mesh
materials construction (LGS) Waste Materials
reinforcement reinforcement
 POTENTIAL CONSTRUCTION OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Choice of
Materials
Source: https://fabricon.com.pk/

Cement based
materials

Sourcehttp://meridian.com.pk/

combination with with metallic or

Structural steel Light Gage steel With or without
conventional steel nonmetallic mesh
materials construction (LGS) Waste Materials
reinforcement reinforcement
NED UNIVERSITY’S CONTRIBUTION
TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSONG
THANK YOU