Making Building Blocks with the ClNVA-Ram Block Press.docx

MakingBuildingBlockswiththeClNVA-RamBlockPress8.OtherEouietNeeded-:1-.-.1Wide-neckedglassjark-inchto3/8-inch(3to10mmmeshwirescreenBox,insidedimensions:24inchesby1%inchesby1%inchesEinesieveSuitablemixingboards-goodsizesare4feetby8feetand8feetby8feet.BottomlessmeasuringboxBottomedmo.zs*uringbox.Shovel:SprinklingcanMountingboard,atleast9feetlong,8incheswideand2inchesthick.4Bolts,atleastfinchindiameterand3incheslong8WashersIIITESTINGFORTEESUITABI1.ITYOFTEESOI1.9.10.11.12.13.NeedforTestingMakingblocksfromstabiIizedearthisasimpleprocess,butitwillnotbesucctisfuiunlessthesoilisproperlytested.Itwouldbeaseriousmistake-*totreatthisstepIightlv.Scarcemoneyandlaborcouldbewastedforanunsatisfactoryresult.Soilisavariable,andplexbuiIclingmaterial.Everysampleisdifferentfromeveryothersample.ButbuildingblockscanbemadesuccessfulIyfromawidevarietyofso+.PurposeoftheTestsThetestsdescribedherewilltellus:(1)Eowmuchsandandhowmuchclayisinthesoi1tobeused(BarticleDeterminationTestandCompactionTest,paragraphs16and17).(2)Howmuchcementorlini.,sho,uldbe*added(BoxTest,paragraph.:.,.f,wItismainlytheclaycbntentwhichgivesthemixturecohesion.StabilizerOneoftheimportantfunctions,ofthestabi1izeristoreducethechangeinthevolume'ofthecl$;whichswells'asittakesupwaterandthenshrinksasitdries,'Portlandcementisthebest:;,i!-4-stabilizer,butslakedlimecanalsobeusedlfnsomeareas,limeisreadilyavailableandcheaperthancement:tiith1ime,ahigherpercentageisneededforstabilizingthanwithcement.1.imcdoesnotworkwellwithal1soils,however,carefulexperimentationisthereforenecessarv.1.imecanoftenbeusedwithexcellentresultsincombinationwithcement.Thiscutsdownontheamountofcementneeded.Butitisimportanttorememberthat1imcdriesmoreslowlyandthereforeneedsalongercuringperiod.Testshaveshowngoodresultswith1/3cement_2/31imemixture.14.OrganicimpuritiesOrganicmaterialisfoundinthesurfacelayerofmostsoils.Soi1usedforblockmakingshouldbereasonablyfreeoforganicmatter,whichhindersthesettingandhardeningofthecement,andresultsinweakblocks.Therefore,thetopsoi1shouldnotbeusedunlessmostorganicmaterialisremoved.15.Mixturewiderangeofsoilsissuitableformakingblocks.Wewant:(1)agoodproportionofsandtoformthebodyoftheblock;and(2)acertainamountofcohesiveorplasticfineparticles(clay)tohindthesandparticlestogether.Goodblockscanbemadewithevenasmal1amountofclay,buttheremustalwaysbesomeclay.Ifasmallamountofstabilizerisenough,saveoncostbyreducingtheamountused.1.earntofindsandbytestingbecausesoiIscommonlyconsideredclaymaycontainagoodpercentaieofsand.SimplifiedFieldTests16.ParticleDeterminationTestThistestanalyzesthesoi1tofindtherat100fsandtoclayand/orsiIt.(1)Passthesoi1throughak-inchscreen.(2)Pour,intoawide-neckedjarenoughsoiltofillthejarhalffull.(3)Fillthejarwithwater.(4)Add2teaspoonsofsalt,tohelptheclay/siltparticlessettlefaster.(5)Shakethejarvigorouslyfor2minutes.(6)Setthejaronalevelspot.Thesoilshouldsettleinabouthalfanhour.Thesandwillsettlequicklytothebottom.Theclay/si11particleswillsettlelast.Measurethelayerstodeterminetherat100fsandandclay/silt(seeFig.3).-5-1.Fillthejarhalf-waywithearth.2.dd2teaspoonfulsofsalt：fillwithwater;coverjarshakefor2minutes.Sand1.'1.argerStone3.1.etsettleforabout30minutes.-.F:ig.3-particleDeterminationTestUsesoi1thatisatleastone-thirdsandandbetween5and30%clay/.Ifthesoi1athandisnotsuitable,itcanbemadesuitablebyaddingsandorclay.Recordthepercentagesofsandandclay/siltinthesoi1used.Thiswillhelpindecidingwhichsoilmakesthebestblocks.17.CompactionTest.Thistestindicatesthepackingqualityoftheearth,whichdependsonthepercentageofclayinthesample.1Takeahandfulofdry,screenedearthandmoistenitunti1itisdampenoughtoformabal1whensqueezedinthehand,butnotsodampthatitwillleavemorethanaslighttraceofwateronthepalm.(2)Droptheballfromaheightofaboutthreefeetontohardground.Iftheballbreaksintoafewsmallerpieces,thepackingquaityisgoodtofair.Ifitdisintegrates,thequalityispoor.18.BoxTestTheBoxTestisaguidetothepropersoil-cementratio.11measurestheshrinkageofsoilwhichcontainsnoStabilieer.Theboxshouldhavetheseinsidemeasurements:24inchesX1%inchesXIy,(seeFig.4).Fig.4-BOXforBoxTest.-6-(2)Packtheboxwellwithmoistsoil(previouslyscreened).Thesoi1shouldbethoroughlymoistenedtopackwell,butit4shouldno+z:.hemuddy._a.,.(3)Tamp1especiallyatthecorinkageJ.'':CementtoSoilRatioNotoverfinch1partto18parts.,'t,Between5inchand1inch.,1partto16parts1:.Between:1inchandIfinches.!,-,1partto,14parBetween1%inchesand2inches1partto12.partsWhenlimeisused.,insteadofcement,usedoubletheamount.Donotusethesoilifithasmanycracks(notjustthreeorfour);ifithasarchedupoutofthebox：orifithasshrunkmorethantwoinches.r,-IVMAKING.BCC.RSANDTI1.BS/._20.Theproportionofcementand/orlimeneededtostahilize,themrehasbeendeterminedbytheBoxTest,i21.Thenumberof,blocksandtilesneeded.shouldbecalculatedfrom.theplansfurwallsandfloors,otik%Threeblq+XS(laidflat)giveonesquarefootofwait;：twotilesgiveonesquarefootofflooring._.':.izquarf+footofwall,;twotilesgiveone.,square.footofflooring._.?1.':-：-:1:.,22.Youmaynotbepresentduringtheblock-making;,一;Goth