Durability of Sun Dried Clay Bricks Admixed with Cow Cone ash for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Housing has remained a major challenge in Nigeria because of the increasing population and cost of building materials. To tackle the problem of housing deficit in the country, the government of Nigeria for some time now has been clamoring for the use of local materials in the construction industry to limit costs of construction. Thus, this paper looks at the potential of using cow- bone ash (CBA) to improve the durability of sun dried clay brick for sustainable development. Consistency properties, shrinkage, compressive strength and crack behavior of clay-cow-bone ash bricks were investigated in accordance with relevant codes and standards. It was however observed that, consistency properties and shrinkage decreased with increased percentage cow-bone ash addition while compressive strength and crack improved up to 10% CBA addition indicating that buildings made of clay-CBA composite could be more stable and durable than the ones made from clay alone. It is therefore recommended that Cow-bone ash can be used to improve the durability of clay brick at optimum addition level of 10%. Clay brick admixed with cow bone ash strongly contributes to the attainment of 12 out of the 17 sustainable development goals.