THERMOGRAVIMETRIC AND DIFFERENTIAL THERMAL ANALYSIS STUDY OF INTERLOCKING COMPRESSED STABILIZED EARTH BLOCK AND ITS MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION

Abstract: The search for alternative building and road construction material in a strained economic situation is critical for socio-economic activities to thrive. The Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) has keyed into the technology of making interlocking compressed stabilized earth block (ICSEB), as an alternative building materials. Nevertheless, parameters such as decomposition process and its microscopic properties have not been studied for the user comfort as friendly building material. This paper, examine “the time dependency thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA- DTA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) of the already made ICSEB” based on the 95% laterite and not less than 5% cementing stabilization, with compaction pressure of 3 KN/mm2. Results revealed that, the ICSEB TGA takes 41.45 minutes, 33.33 minutes and 29.58 minutes to decompose at 10 oC/min, 15 oC/min and 20 oC/min heating rates and the combined TGA-DTA is endothermic process decomposition. SEM morphology showed heterogeneous phase formation with visible cracks, EDX detected 15 elements at 537 µm, having 41.37% carbon, 24.06% silicon, 21.35% aluminium, 5.14% Iron, 3.04% calcium, while others are in traces. These results imply that low aluminium and silicon content with greater carbon was responsible for early decomposition of the block in less than 1 hour heating. This therefore, suggests that the block has low-bearing capacity which requires optimization for its sustainability being an affordable and economical material within the reach of low-income earners.