Investigation of micronized laterite sandcrete block compressive strength

The demand for affordable and eco-friendly construction materials is on the increase. Using locally source materials in construction will result in budget and environmentally friendly structures. In this study, the effect of incorporation of micronized laterite in hollow sandcrete block was investigated using a sandcrete block of 450 × 150 × 225 mm size, with mix ratio of 1:6, water-binder ratio of 0.5. The cement was partially replaced with micronized laterite at 0%, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % by volume fraction. The material properties of Micronized Laterite Sandcrete Block (MLSB) including density, compressive strength at room and elevated temperatures were investigated. Results showed a decrease in density and compressive strength with increasing Micronized Laterite (ML) content in the mix, indicating that the micronized laterite did not improve the compressive strength of the sandcrete block. However, compressive strength of sandcrete obtained with micronized laterite replacement up to 20 % is satisfactory and satisfies the standard specified by the National Building Code (NBC) in Nigeria. Furthermore, micronized laterite has shown to be suitable for replacing cement in sandcrete block production and gives better performance over conventional sandcrete block where lightweight walling system is desired.