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STRENGTH AND ELASTICITY OF STABILIZED EARTH BLOCKS MASONRY

PRISMS UNDER COMPRESSION

Experiment Findings · September 2018

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.29871.07840

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 Undergraduate Research Symposium’18
CEES/E14/11

STRENGTH AND ELASTICITY OF STABILIZED EARTH BLOCKS

MASONRY PRISMS UNDER COMPRESSION
K. Sajanthana*, B. Balagasana and N. Sathiparana

a
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Jaffna.

* sajakuna93@gmail.com

Graphical Abstract

Keywords: earth block, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, empirical expression, masonry

Department of Civil Engineering 41


1. Introduction
In recent times, there has been an attention to
the use of stabilized earth block masonry for
construction of low story building due to the
scarcity of river sand. Stabilized earth blocks
exploit the use of local soil, whilst providing
comfortable thermal and acoustic insulation
properties. Despite these advantages, however,
the use of cement stabilizes earth blocks is
restricted by limited understanding of some
basic material properties and a lack
appropriate building standards.
Determining the compressive strength
masonry is a major requirement for structural
design. Although the compressive behavior is
well studied for brick masonry and cement block
masonry, but it continues to be a scarceness of
literature on the performance of stabilized earth
block masonry. Also, the information available
on the determination of compressive strength of
cement block or brick masonry may
inadequate for determination of stabilized earth
block masonry. Masonry compressive strength
can be measured experimentally, however, the
tests are intense in material and labor. This leads
to a search for empirical relations to predict
masonry strength based on properties
masonry units (brick or block) and mortar used
for joint layers. Because brick, block and mortar
strength can be collected from manufacturer or
low-level laboratory testing. The present study is
aimed at predicting the empirical expression for
stabilized earth block masonry compressive
strength related to block and mortar
compressive strength.
Even through masonry compressive strength
depends on masonry units (brick or block),
mortar, interfacial bond between masonry units
and mortar, the moisture of the masonry unit at
the time of the laying, thickness of mortar,
slenderness of masonry prism, workmanship etc.;
Department of Civil Engineering
Undergraduate Research Symposium’18
CEES/E14/11
it is mainly influenced by the properties of
masonry units and joint mortar (Gumaste et al.,
2007).
When both the masonry unit and mortar
strength are considered to determine the
compressive strength masonry strength, the
relationship can be in a form such as shown in
Eq. (1) (BS EN 1996-1-1, 2012).
fm = K × fb α × fj β (1)
Where, K, α and β are constant, fb and fm is the
of
mean compressive strength of the brick unit and
mortar, respectively.
of
2. Methodology
Material used
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was used for
the preparation of stabilized earth blocks and
joint mortar. The locally available soil was used
as aggregates for stabilized earth blocks. For the
preparation of joint mortar, in addition to local
be soil, natural river sand was used.
Details of specimens
Solid blocks having size 205 × 105× 65 mm were
cast for the experimental program. Blocks were
prepared using 1:4, 1:6, 1:8 and 1:10 cement-soil
of mortar by volume ratio. For the preparation of
mortar, two types such as cement-river sand and
cement-local soil were used. Mortars were
prepared in a mixer with a 1:5, 1:7 and 1:9
cement: sand or soil ratio by volume.
Hundred and forty-four of masonry specimens
using four different strengths stabilized earth
blocks with six types of mortar (three each for
cement-soil and cement-sand mix mortar) have
been prepared. Prisms using different types of
blocks have been cast using mortar mixes like as
1:5, 1:7 and 1:9 volume ratio of the cement-soil
mix as well as 1:5, 1:7 and 1:9 volume ratio of the
cement-sand mix.
42
 Undergraduate Research Symposium’18
CEES/E14/11

4. Results
For the prisms, block units 205×105×65 mm in
size were used and blocks are kept in normal Compressive strength
environmental condition before preparation of
For the blocks produced with 17.5% of cement
specimens. Each prism consisted of three blocks
content reached a mean value of 12.19 MPa at
and two 10 mm thick mortar joints. Specimens
28 days, while the blocks with 7.8% of cement
were kept in an indoor lab environment for
content reached 4.61 MPa. As expected, the
curing up to a period of 28 days before testing.
compressive strength of mortar decreases with
3. Testing increases in soil or sand fraction of the mortar.
The compressive strengths lie in the range of
Tests on blocks
4.19-6.90 MPa for cement-soil mortar and 1.64-
The compressive strength of the stabilized earth 4.77 MPa for cement-sand mortar.
block was determined through displacement-
Results show that masonry strength increases
controlled method, according to the procedure
with block strength and mortar strength for all
adopted from EN 772-1 (2011). The applied load
the block type and all the mortar types.
was increased at a rate of 2 mm/min until failure
However, the increase is more prominent when
occurred.
block type is changing in masonry prism. For
Tests on mortar cubes stronger blocks (1:4 and 1:6 cement-sand ratio),

The compressive strength of the mortar cubes masonry prims with cement-soil mortar joints
were evaluated according to European standards show greater compressive strength than prisms

EN 1015–11. Mortar cubes were 150×150×150 with cement-sand mortar joints. However, for

mm in size, placed in the universal axial testing weaker blocks (1:8 and 1:10 cement-sand ratio),

machine and the load was applied under prisms with both mortar types show closer

displacement controlled at a rate of 2 mm/min compressive strength. Figure 1 and 2 show the

until failure occurred. The testing criteria and compressive strength of masonry prisms for

strength calculation were similar to the cement soil mortar and cement sand mortar

compression test on the blocks. respectively.

Tests on masonry prisms

In order to obtain the compressive strength,

compression tests were performed according to
EN 1052-1. The testing criteria and loading
displacement rate were similar to the
compression test on the blocks.

During the tests, force-displacement curves were

recorded from load shells and linear variable
displacement transducer data. The masonry
elastic modulus was determined as the gradient Figure 1: Compressive strength of masonry
of the linear part of the stress-strain curve. In this prism with soil mortar as joint mortar
study, the elastic modulus was calculated using
the value of stress and stain between
approximately 40-60% of the ultimate stress.

Department of Civil Engineering 43

 Undergraduate Research Symposium’18
CEES/E14/11

considered as linear, then the modulus of

elasticity of stabilized earth block masonry may
be determined by Eq. (2).

Em ≈ 271 fm (2)

5. Conclusion

Based on the regression analysis, a simple

Figure 2: Compressive strength of masonry prism
with sand mortar as joint mortar
Masonry strength as a function of block and
mortar strength
Based on the experimental test results, empirical
formulae for masonry with all type of joint
mortar, prism cast with cement-soil joint mortar
and prism cast with cement-river sand have been
obtained as given below.
Table 1: Masonry unit equation
Type of masonry Compressive strength
prism of masonry (fm)
relationship has been identified for obtaining the
compressive strength of stabilized earth block
masonry from their corresponding block and
mortar compressive strength. A predicted
expression relating fb, fj and fm in the form of the
Eurocode 6 expression was derived, and constant
K, α and β were found to be 0.25, 1.03 and 0.28
using the normalized mean material compressive
strengths.
The average value of the elastic modulus for
stabilized earth block masonry was satisfactorily
equated to Em ≈ 271 fm. The best function that fits
the full experimental data set is linear, whereas
for prisms with each mortar type’s experimental
data set the best fit is non-linear.
References

with all mortar fm = 0.25 fb1.03 fj0.28 Gumaste K.S, Rao K.S.N, Reddy B.V.V and Jagadis
with cement-soil K.S (2006), Strength and elasticity of brick
fm = 0.16 fb0.93 fj0.22
mortar masonry prisms under compression, Material and
with cement-river Structures, Vol. 40, pp. 241-253.
fm = 0.19 fb1.09 fj0.37
sand mortar
European Committee of Standardization. (1996)
BS EN 1996-1-1:2012, Design of masonry
Elastic modulus
structures. Part 1-1: General rules for buildings-
The elastic modulus of the blocks varies between Reinforced and unreinforced masonry. Belgium,
260-965 MPa and the elastic modulus of the European Committee of Standardization.
mortars vary between 450-1100 MPa. According
European Committee of Standardization. (1996)
to the experimental results, the elastic modulus
BS EN 772-1:2011, Methods of test for masonry
of masonry prisms reached values between 200
unit, Part 1: Determination of compressive
and 370 times its compressive strength. If the
strength, Belgium, European Committee of
expression between modulus of elasticity (Em)
Standardization.
and compressive strength (fm) of masonry is

Department of Civil Engineering 44

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