Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Abstract:
The determination of two-cell hollow sandcrete block strength requires capping which is a tedious process indispensable to avoid stress concentration. Capping can be circumvented by using the as-cast side surface, which is plane and smooth during compression tests. Then correlation between the two orthogonal surface strengths, which incorporates centre-web to end-web ratio to account for the block geometry effects is made. In order to investigate this, four types of two-cell hollow sandcrete blocks; 30H12.5-30H60; 40.7H12.5-40.7H60; 50H12.5-50H60 and 60H12.5-60H45 were prepared using sand/cement and water/cement ratios of 6 and 0.7 respectively. Curing was by water sprinkling. Analysis of the results using a non-statistical linear equation showed that a good correlation exist between strengths on two orthogonal surfaces and by incorporating the centre-web and end-web ratio into the equation gave a better strength correlation The result showed a better correlation as degree of correlation is between 0.980 and 1.0.

Keywords: two-cell hollow sandcrete blocks, effective strength, apparent strength, Centre-web to end web ratio

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