Manufacture of bricks, blocks and pavers from on-site soils and waste materials

AggreBind – Manufacture of bricks, blocks and pavers from on-site soils and waste materials

To meet the housing needs of future generations, and to protect our planets environment, new ways of ‘self help construction’ must be considered and adopted.

For centuries communities have created, in a very creative way, homes from a wide range of locally available materials. Most of these communities relied on clay as the binding force to produce their bricks and blocks. This ‘binding force’ is now provided by AggreBind.

AggreBind offers all communities the opportunity to create soil stabilized structurally sound, permanent and well insulated homes, from on-site materials and crushed construction and mine waste materials, even sand.

AggreBind also offers communities the opportunity to form collective AggreBind manufacturing facilities that could then provide AggreBind soil stabilized bricks and blocks for total community development projects including schools, houses. clinics etc

Companies with waste materials would willingly co-operate as it could reduce their dumping costs and demonstrate their commitment to a healthier planet.

No more firing of bricks that pollute the earths’ atmosphere and no more pollution from the exhaust fumes of brick/block delivery vehicles that threaten to change our worlds’ climate.

AggreBind can even be added to concrete formulations to reduce the cement content and make it less susceptible to water damage.

AggreBind has excellent UV resistance, is not affected by petrol/oil and other spillages and is easily cleaned.

AggreBind soil stabilized bricks blocks and pavers can be produced to meet all the current legislated strength requirements and can also be manufactured in a wide range of different colors.

Soil stabilized AggreBind is harmless to all plants and animals.

With currently available brick and block making equipment we can transform the lives of millions of people , even in the most remote parts of our planet with AggreBind Soil Stabilization.

All you need is soil/sand/waste materials and water, even sea water and AggreBind.

The formula is simple, no stone larger than 20% of the bricks depth and a fines content of 35%+ passing through a 200 sieve and 4 ltrs of AggreBind per cubic mtr of bricks/blocks produced.

AggreBind soil stabilization and dust control

AggreBind Stabilized Soil Bricks using waste materials

AggreBind soil stabilized bricks using waste material

AggreBind is a unique and patent pending formulation. AggreBind is a cross-linked styrene acrylic water-based polymer with proprietary tracers.
With AggreBind and the most basic of material specifications:

  • All sub-soils with a +/- 35% fines content,  material passing through a 0.063 sieve.
  • No stone larger than the 20% on the minimum layer depth being treated.
  • No organic material.  Any contaminated to be fully analyzed prior to use.

One can manufacture soil stabilized bricks, blocks, pavers and roads from on-site soils and waste materials

Earth as a building material is available everywhere and exists in many different compositions. It is most efficiently used in developing and developed countries to house the greatest number of people with the least demand.

Masonry is one of the most popular materials in many countries for construction of houses due to its useful properties such as durability, relatively low cost, wider availability, good sound and heat insulation, acceptable fire resistance, adequate resistance to weathering and attractive appearance(Jayasinghe and Mallawarachchi, 2009).

Recently, the technology of traditional earth construction has undergone considerable developments that have enhanced earth’s durability and quality as a construction material for low-cost buildings (Adam and Agib, 2001).

AggreBind soil stabilization and dust control

Soil Stabilizing Block making with simple machinery and the earth’s resources

Manufacture of bricks, blocks and pavers from on-site soils and waste materials

As discussed by Sadek Deboucha and Roslan Hashim in their article for the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, Buildings made from earth materials can be a way towards sustainable management of the earth’s resources. They can be put in place using simple machinery and human energy.

Mechanically compacted blocks and hand-compacted blocks

AggreBind soil stabilized pavers and bricks

Gernot Minke, in his brilliant work Building with Earth aptly states: Even today, one third of the human population resides in earthen houses; in developing countries this figure is more than one half. It has proven impossible to fulfil the immense requirements for shelter in the developing countries with industrial building materials, i.e. brick, concrete and steel, nor with industrialised construction techniques. Worldwide, no region is endowed with the productive capacity or financial resources needed to satisfy this demand. In the developing countries, requirements for shelter can be met only by using local building materials and relying on do-it-yourself construction techniques. Earth is the most important natural building material, and it is available in most regions of the world.

AggreBind is committed to creating financially viable, environmental
friendly solutions, related to current manufacturing processes,
and products, used in the construction industry.

Soil Stabilized Block Housing can be simple, basic and done manually

Vivienda terminada tipo costa,
designed by Fondo Editorial, Universidad Catolica, Peru

Soil stabilized housing with AggreBind
plan for soil stabilized housing with AggreBind

Or, upscale design, 80m2 with mechanically compacted blocks

The Suggested Retail Cost (AGB-e) to produce blocks using AggreBind at 4 ltrs per m3 is as follows.  The cost, if any, of the in situ material is not included in these prices.  Pricing will vary from country to country.

  1. 440mm x 215mm x 100mm = USD $0.27  or GBP £0.16
  2. 400mm x 400mm x 80mm = USD $0.35 or GBP £0.21
  3. 390mm x 190mm x 140mm = USD $0.27  or GBP £0.16
  4. 390mm x 190mm x 140mm = USD $0.29  or GBP £0.17
  5. 290mm x 215mm x 140mm = USD $0.24  or GBP £0.15
AggreBind soil stabilization and dust control

Example of Soil Stabilized Form Block Moulding

AggreBind brick making with form block moulds

AggreBind soil stabilization and dust control

For out-buildings and low load-bearing

Dilute the AggreBind as follows:

  • 1 part AGB with 5 parts water (starting point for dilution)
  • Minimum amount of AGB is 4 ltrs per cub mtr
  • Measure out 1 cub mtr of soil to be treated.
  • Add 24 ltrs of the diluted AGB:H2O mixture (4 ltr AGB & 20 ltr H2O).
  • Mix thoroughly.

If necessary add additional water with no polymer to bring the soil to OMC and mix thoroughly.

Use the hand-squeeze test to check that the soil is ready for compaction.

Compact the soil and remove from the mould to air-cure for 28 days.

Depending on the specific use of the brick you may consider surface-sealing the brick, in particular if it is to be used as a footer or have direct contact with the ground.

AggreBind is available in COLORS for coloured brick production.

Surface-sealing

Dilute the AggreBind at a ratio of 1:3 AGB:H2O.  The surface-seal can be applied by a brush or roller.

Ensure that the treated bricks are protected from frost or heavy rain during the curing process.

Mortar

To create a joint mortar dilute the AggreBind at a ratio of 1:3 AGB:H2O and add fine soil/sand to obtain a slurry mixture with the required density.

Carry out tests on an Aggrebind stabilised brick first to check the above and adjust as necessary.

This mortar will bond to the treated bricks to create a structurally sound wall.

AggreBind stabilized interlocking soil bricks.  (Indonesia 2012)

Material:
Sub-soil  50%
Sand       30%
Clay        20%

Dosage Rate:
4 ltrs AggreBind is mixed with 20 ltrs water and then added/mixed into the material until the OMC+ moisture level was attained.

The mixture is then mechanically compressed in a standard block making machine.

The blocks are then placed under cover for 28 days to allow the cross-linking elements of the water based polymer to fully cure.

When cured the blocks conform to the standard local strength requirements for  structural bricks.

Blocks, if desired, can be produced in a wide range of standard colors.

The blocks are totally recyclable and can be manufactured from a wide range of sands/soils/ waste materials.

AggreBind soil stabilized interlocking soil bricks example.

AggreBind interlocking soil stabilized bricks

More information on soil stabilization AggreBind, click on the links below:

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