A Thesis Proposal On Producing Concrete Masonry Unit
A Thesis Proposal On Producing Concrete Masonry Unit
A Thesis Proposal On Producing Concrete Masonry Unit
Caloocan Campus
Submitted by:
EN – 3C
INTRODUCTION
that is used in the construction of walls. The most common composition of a concrete
block is a mixture of powdered Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water. Today,
different alternative materials are used in the production of the said concrete blocks
such as plants and waste materials. According to Commercial Glass (2013), fiber plants
are used to hold the composition in a concrete mixture that is used to produce durable
concrete blocks. In addition, the surface of the concrete block can be coated with glazes
like silica sand to prevent chemical reaction with other unnecessary compositions.
Waste materials, such as glass, have the chemical composition of about 3/4 silica that
can be used to alter the said chemical reactions that causes the blocks to form voids
Studies are conducted in relation to the modified concrete block using some
organic materials found at the environment. Meyer, Egosi and Andela (2001) stated that
a concrete made of glass is quite unsafe because of its tiny structure that may injured
workers. However, adding fiber in the production of glass concrete block is beneficial.
Another study from Xu and Shayan (2006) analyzed the glass powder from mixed color
proportions of glass powder to replace the cement. On the other hand, shown in Yalley
and Kwan (2009), reinforced high-fiber content material to the concrete may enhance
the engineering properties, toughness and tensile strength; and the resistance from
spalling and cracking were improved, as well. Also, Yan and Chou (2014) found that
associates with increasing of flexural strength with the use of short fibers.
economically sufficient are widely spread. On the other hand, the production of the said
materials made from plants and waste materials are not much used because there are
still other sources available. The innovations made in the construction industry
throughout the years are to supply the growing need of humans to have a durable
structure that can withstand the changing weather patterns. However, due to the
growing number of population, the common materials used in construction may not be
sufficient in the coming years. Therefore, using aquatic resources and recyclable
materials as alternative components for construction materials can bring success not
This study aims to produce a concrete masonry unit made from water hyacinth
and waste materials such as glass. The stem of the water hyacinth plant will be dried
and be grinded, as well as, the glass will be pounded. The process that will be
accomplished in the production of the modified block is the same as the standard
process. The additive components will be mixed up with the usual concrete mixture and
This study aims to produce an alternative masonry concrete unit from aquatic
1. What part of the water hyacinth will be used in making a concrete unit?
2. Will the water hyacinth be fresh or dried, and be chopped or grinded before it can
3. Which design of concrete masonry blocks will be used in which they are more
5. What process will the concrete unit undergo to test its durability?
6. What should be the form of the recycled glass before it combines with the
concrete mixture?
General Objective:
This study aims to produce an alternative concrete masonry unit from aquatic
Specific Objectives:
- To dry and to grind the stem of the said plant before it mixes with the concrete
mixture
- To use the specific design of concrete masonry block called hollow block for
- To use the Press and Mould process in producing the hollow block
construction industry. Because of the growing need of human for structures, like houses
and bridges, a lot of construction materials are needed. With this, the usage of such
materials like cements and aggregates can be lessened by using an alternative material
such as water hyacinth. This aquatic plant naturally grows fast specially in a tropical
country like the Philippines. But because of its rapid growth on rivers and canals; it is
becoming a pest to the people living around it. One of the biggest problems it causes is
the blockage of water passageways through the drainage when there is a storm. Even
though it blocks drainages, its stem can be used for enhancing the quality of concretes.
The stem of the water hyacinth has a fiber content, which is also possessed by other
kinds of plants, which can be used in the production of the modified blocks. The only
difference in using water hyacinth plant than any other plant as a fiber source is that it
can be easily found and its growth rate increases faster than the others. Aside from the
reduction of the population of this aquatic plant, it will be used in a way that it can be a
glasses can be lot more practical because the usage of aggregates will be lessened.
The indicated materials to be used are abundant because they are materials that have
no use for others. Thus, it can produce more practical concrete materials that can still
possess the same properties of the concrete blocks that are being used in the
construction industry.
This study aims to produce a concrete block from an aquatic plant and waste
material. Water hyacinth and glass are abundant in the environment that leads to being
pests and junks. In this way, these junks will be used in a useful way. The researchers
will formulate the mixture of the water hyacinth, broken glass, cement, aggregates, and
water. The press and mould process accomplished in the production of commercial
concrete block will be used in the production of the modified concrete hollow block. The
water hyacinth will undergo a natural drying process that will not make the study
expensive for the researchers. Also, the glass will also be pounded manually and be
However, the produced concrete blocks will not show results if can be used as an
alternative blocks that can withstand change in weather patterns and natural calamities
for it will take a long period of time to determine if the deterioration of the modified
blocks are lesser than the normal hollow blocks. Also, the tests that the modified blocks
can undergo will only be limited. Tests like absorption and compressive can be done if
there will be available laboratories nearby that conducts the tests needed by the
researchers in order to prove the positive effects of the water hyacinth and glass as
alternative aggregates.
Chapter 2
A. Related Literature
the population increases, the need for shelter meant for safety and protection also
increases. With the innovations made by human in the field of construction, the
structural formation of shelters and other infrastructures are being developed to address
conditions. Safety is the main concern of the ones making ang building structures meant
for the usage of people. There are a lot to consider before making changes with the
materials and with the design to be carried out. The danger that may occur can affect
the whole community in which a certain infrastructure is situated. Also, the lives of the
people are at risk if there will be lapses that will not be resolved immediately. With this,
the improvement of the materials used in the said industry will have to go through a lot
of research in order to be used to come up with the best possible structural material.
One of the materials that are mainly used in the construction industry is concrete. The
said material is defined as a strong hard building material. It is a mixture of paste and
aggregates, or rocks. The paste, composed of Portland cement and water, coats the
surface of the fine and coarse aggregates. The paste hardens and gains strength to
form the rock-like mass known as concrete through a chemical reaction called hydration
to be done in order to produce good quality blocks. First is the need to choose for an
excellent set of raw materials. The materials to be used can affect the outcome of the
blocks such as its strength and its formation. Materials such as cement must be stored
in a dry place and aggregates must be stockpiled in such a way that the mixing of
different types would be prevented. The water to be used must be clean to avoid any
chemical reaction which can significantly affect the quality of concrete. The
concrete mixture that can be used to form the blocks. In general, the concrete mixture
used for the formation of these units has a higher percentage of sand and a lower
percentage of gravel and water than the concrete mixtures used for typical construction
purposes. With this, the process called molding can be done. Molding can be done
manually or by the usage of different machineries. One example of the manual molding
process is called a press and mould in which the concrete mixture is placed on a molder
to be pressed in order to form the desired block. In addition to the ways of molding,
there are two types of concrete making machines namely the stationary and the egg-
layer machine. After the concrete mixture has been molded, the last process to be done
is the curing. The curing process is the hardening or solidifying of the made concrete
blocks by drying or cooling. It also involves the hydration of the blocks that is ensured
through moisture maintenance and temperature regulation. The blocks made should be
cured for minimum of 7 days to fully hardened before it can be used. In this process, it is
where it will develop its strength to withstand different circumstances without total
block” was formerly limited to only hollow masonry units made with such aggregates as
sand, gravel, and crushed stone. Today, the term covers all types of concrete blocks -
both hollow and solid—made with any kind of aggregate. According to Mortar Industry
Association (2013), there are 3 types of blocks namely the solid, cellular, and the hollow
blocks. The main difference between the three blocks is its cavity or the holes present in
the block. In a solid concrete block, there is no present hole or void on the material. It is
just mainly a mass of concrete molded to form blocks just like bricks. Rather than in a
cellular and hollow block, there are one or more cavities present on it. The said units are
modular, constructed with standardized units or dimensions that allow flexibility and
variety in use. The most common size is a nominal 8-by-8-by-16-inch concrete unit.
unit such as compressive strength which is the most important engineering property of a
concrete (Lee, Koh, Wang & Zhang, 2015). In addition to this, Jablonski (1996) stated
that “the right mix proportions can improve the CMU’s durability and appearance.”
Apart from the aforementioned materials enumerated above that could improve
the physical properties of concrete, there is also recent addition to those materials; one
characteristics of concretes. Fiber reinforcements such as natural fibers and glass fibers
are used to control the formation of cracks in the concrete. It also helps in avoiding
other problems such as water penetration in the concrete that could lead to corrosion.
The performance of fiber reinforced concrete shows better quality than plain concrete
increase in ductility is due to the capability of the fibers to transfer tensile stresses
throughout a cracked section, leading to the decrease in crack widths. The fibers are
used to reduce shrinkage cracking. These fibers are used in slabs and pavements that
have large exposed surface leading to high shrinkage crack. The crack-width reduction
depends on the fibers added as well as their physical properties such as surface
roughness and chemical stability and mechanical properties such as tensile strength
From a structural aspect, the main reason for adding fibers is to improve the
fracture characteristics and structural behavior through the fibers ability to bridge
cracks. Fiber bridging over the cracks leads to increased shear, moment and punching
resistance, increased dowel effect, reduced crack spacing and crack widths, increased
p.2) implied that “a more general utilization of fiber reinforced concrete in structural
concrete structures require more detailed design rules, combined with guidance
regarding choice of fiber types, concrete composition, execution rules and test
methods.”
According to Ferreira and Banco (2007), one of the most concerning problems of
glass reinforced concrete was the resilience of the glass fibers which became fragile
with time because of the alkalinity of cement mortar. Since then, innovations in
progresses have been made, and at present, development of new types of alkali-
resistant glass fibers with mortar additives practically solved the problem to prevent the
embrittlement of the reinforced concrete. The fibers are uniformly distributed in three-
dimensions making an efficient load distribution. The fibers are less sensitive to
corrosion than the reinforcing steel bars and it can reduce the labor cost of placing the
several chemical varieties, such as; binary alkali- silicate glass, boro- silicate glass, and
ternary soda- lime silicate glass. Soda- lime silicate variety is manufactures in various
colors, mostly green, amber and clear, but as domestic waste, soda- lime silicate glass
becomes a stream of mixed colors. Researches on the use of crushed glass as a partial
replacement for aggregate dates back as early as 1970s. This was highly due to the
Moreover, researchers saw that waste glass is potentially a very useful material and
appropriate economical applications need to be found for it. However, there are still
concerns about the use of glass aggregates in concrete due to its susceptibility to alkali-
aggregate- reaction (AAR) in concrete. This aspect was also recognized in earlier
literatures, which is now the focus of present studies; for according to researches, it is
important to recognize the reactivity of glass depending on its type, composition and
physical features, such as the presence of pores and separate solid phases in the
glass.
Another type of fiber reinforcement is natural fiber. Recently, the use of natural
engineering has stirred attention. One of the widely- known type of natural fibers are the
ones found in water plants such as the water hyacinth. Water plants have increased in
number very rapidly in different waterways which causes subsequent problems. Even
though the source of natural fibers has become rampant due to high growing rate of
water hyacinth plants, water hyacinth plants are not being used outstandingly to be
industrialized being commercial products. Furthermore, the abilities of these plants such
as being absorbent and being flexible organisms are lowly acknowledged by people
(Abral, Kadriadi, Rodianus, Mastariyano, Ilhamdi, Arief, Sapuan and Ishak, 2014).
Yet, they added that as an example of natural fiber. Water hyacinth fiber is an
Water hyacinth is a tropical aquatic plant having spikes of large blue flowers
illumination, pH, sanity, wind, current and drought. The dark green leave blades of the
water hyacinth plants are circular to elliptical in shape attached to a spongy, inflated
petiole. The root of the water hyacinth is heavily branched and fibrous. It is an
aggressive invader and can form thick mats. If the dissolved oxygen in the water is
lower than a standard limit, water source can be considered polluted. Furthermore,
water hyacinth covering the water area can block the water transportation. Khatun and
Sutradhar (2014) pointed out that in areas that are predominantly influenced by aquatic
life, the fast spread and congested growth of water hyacinth lead to serious problems in
various ecological niches. It is one of the most intellectually productive aquatic plants
which grows and spreads at an alarming rate. Water hyacinth has emerged as a major
weed in more than 50 countries in the tropical and subtropical regions in the world.
Water hyacinth has also been labeled as the world’s worst water weed and has
UNEP Global Environmental Alert Services. The said plants are considered pests
because its uses are only limited. Water hyacinths are plants that cannot be eaten for it
said that it contains chemicals that can harm human beings. Also, there are minimal
studies that these plants can be used and transformed into medicines (Zhang, 2010 in
UNEP Global Environmental Alert Services [UNEP GAES], 2013). Also, climate change
and global warming may allow the spread of water hyacinth to higher latitudes for it
grows largely on rivers and lakes of tropical countries mostly on Asia and Africa and
countries on Southern America. The said countries are mostly the ones searching for
solutions to eradicate or somehow lessen its population (Patel, 2012 in UNEP GAES,
2013).
Water hyacinth is challenging the ecological stability of the fresh water bodies in where
it increases its number (Pyšek and Richardson, 2010 in UNEP GAES, 2013). The said
aquatic plant is posing a threat to aquatic biodiversity for it is out-winning all other
species also living in the area in which they are growing. Other disadvantages of the
water hyacinth include the clogging of waterways due its rapid reproduction and
propagation rate and the killings of fishes because of the imbalanced oxygen level in the
water for it prevents the transfer of oxygen from the air to the water surface. However,
these plants also have its advantages. People found ways on how to reduce its
population while using it in a manner in which it can be a source of income. The first
step adopted for the solution of this problem was control by known methods. Many
years ago various kinds of herbicides such as 24-D, Dalapon, Diquat and others were
used in some other rural places. But the ecological problems created by these
herbicides were obvious. The herbicides are a chemical agent that destroy plants or
inhibits their growth; however, it also kills the lives of the other organisms living on the
same body of water where these weeds are cultivating. The water in which these plants
are abundant could not be used for irrigation or human consumption for long periods of
time, and the fauna in the eco-system were seriously affected. The pests are growing
fast, and so do the determination of the people to find ways on how to eradicate these
plants or use its contents to be able to produce materials that can help to lessen the
population of the said plant. A lot of materials such as bio-gas were developed for it is
rich in methane gas. Also, alternative feeds which are mainly composed of these plants
were made that did not affect the growth of the animals (Bressani and Lareo, 2010).
Also, it can be used as a source of fertilizers for use in agriculture. It can also be
a source of raw materials for handcraft making, paper and boards. In addition, the plant
has been found to be useful as a filter worth of solving man created problems of
pollution in water bodies. However, all the potential uses of the water hyacinth do not
promote utilization of the weed that qualifies it as a feasible control option (Oyakawa,
possible uses of these plants. In the Philippines, water hyacinth is dried and used to
make baskets and matting for domestic use. The stalks of the water hyacinth plants are
properly used and dried to be able to produce good quality baskets. Similarly, in
Bangladesh, the fibers from the stems of water hyacinth plants are used to make ropes.
The stalk from the plant is shredded lengthways to expose the fibers and then left dry
for several days. The rope making process is similar to that of jute rope. A jute rope
uses a plant fiber in the production of ropes or sacks. The finished rope is treated with a
certain chemical called sodium metabisulphate prevent it from rotting. However, the
ropes produced are not as strong as the commercially used ropes made from synthetic
materials. The ropes made from the said plant are used by furniture manufacturers as
designs that are placed on furnitures to produce an elegant finished product. Another
wallboard composed of wood chips or shavings bonded together with resin and
compressed into rigid sheets. The usage of water hyacinth as an alternative material
for the production of these boards makes it a low cost roofing material that is accessible
Truly, materials that can be used an alternative in order to produce low cost yet
good quality products are now acknowledge. The availability of materials is becoming
less than the ability to sustain the needs of the growing number of humans. In the
construction industry, the low cost building materials increases the access to buildings
by less fortunate people. The use of low cost alternate building materials also prevents
the rise of construction cost due to use of scarce building materials which is one of the
main reason building houses and bridges are expensive. Construction of low cost
houses and other infrastructures can also be achieved by using alternate construction
environmental friendly. The method of recycling wastes that can be used in masonries
such as for the production of plywood or soft boards can result in the reduction of
pollutants to the environment. The usage of materials for construction such as waste
can help in the reduction of using natural produced materials such as aggregates,
gravel, and sand without risking the quality of the products. The development of such
products, however, should be studied carefully. The lives of the people should not be in
risk just to be able to build low cost houses and buildings. The materials to be produced
should be able to compete with the materials available in the market. Properties such as
its durability and flexibility should be able to match the properties present in normal
The techniques available that can help in reducing the cost in construction
through the usage of locally available materials should not sacrifice the performance
and life of the structure. A huge misconception about low cost is only suitable for only
substandard works and they are constructed by utilizing cheap building materials of low
quality. By proper management of resources, low cost infrastructures and buildings can
Researchers work on their recent studies to improve and reform existing ones.
Commonly in industries like engineering designs and materials are being modified in
order to have a good quality of service. The modifications of materials utilized are
structures-the concrete masonry unit, take its adjustments to facilitate with its
improvements. The best way they think is to use some recycled materials that is rich in
strengthening agent, which includes the fiber-rich reinforcement as a coarse and fine
aggregates. These strengthening materials are blended with the conventional cement-
sand-water concrete mixture. More so, disposal of agricultural waste materials such as
rice husk, groundnut husk, corn cob and coconut shell have constituted an
environmental challenge, hence the need to convert them into useful materials to
could not withstand the extreme weather conditions and intense pressure created by
some catastrophe that could cause concrete cracking. In these cases, robust and sturdy
concretes are necessarily needed. Thus, the commonly used Portland cement concrete
is not that high-technology. In most instances, the cracks are the only aesthetic problem
engineers and architect may encounter but it limits the good quality and durability of the
concrete. Therefore, the idea of adding fibers in concrete, as a solution, was arisen. The
use of fibers helps to modify properties of concrete in plastic and hardened stage; and
reinforce the concrete with their short discrete fibers that are uniformly distributed and
randomly oriented. Now, they are used in concrete to control cracking due to plastic
shrinkage and to drying shrinkage (small cracks). These materials include the steel
fibers, glass fibers, synthetic fibers and natural fibers. However, the strength, durability
and other enhancement of properties vary whether what kind of fibrous materials will be
used. Work with the ones that are relatively beneficial in the modifying concrete and
concrete blocks. Drawing up with some researches could be helpful. With the
environmental concerns, it is better to use the some natural fibers and glass fibers.
Aside from being eco-friendly themselves, they are also convenient in terms of
Another study by Yan and Chouw (2014), found that natural fibers in different
concrete structures. Since, the steel reinforcement causes corrosion or oxidation that
challenges civil engineers. Also, it creates lots of environmental issues associated with
the significant release of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The tensile and flexural
strength, toughness, and impact resistance can be modified using short natural fibers
when used within cementations. An increase in fiber content and fiber length, the static
and Jalali (2011, in Yan & Chouw, 2014) concluded that vegetable fibers (e.g. sisal,
hemp, coir, banana and sugar cane bagasse, etc.) can be used as reinforcement for
cementitious materials that increases the flexural strength by more than 10 times.
Joong, Woo, Chan, and Jin (2014) stated in their study that steel fiber reinforced
concrete has high tensile and bending strengths, and it controls cracks, as well. Still,
there will be some complications may experience such the occurrence of corrosion and
rebounding of the steel fiber. Hence, they developed polyamide (an organic) fibers with
optimized features for reinforcing concrete, to enhance the mechanical properties and
to steel fibers that are corrosive and gravitated. The macro-sized PA fiber significantly
improved concrete ductility and toughness. The said fiber was fabricated into micro-
sized and air-textured yarn. The bulking and looping texture of the yarn allows the
concrete mixture to pass through the yarn that yields extensive contact between the two
Another material that could produce high-fiber content is the coconut husk.
improve through aggregation of standard concrete mixture with the coconut fibers. The
ability to resist cracking and spalling were enhanced, as well. Conversely, the addition
Depending on the fiber content and on the fiber geometry (diameter and length of fiber),
Thus, various combinations of these parameters would give rise to different strength
characteristics. The results of the tests were shown in Yalley and Kwan (2009). In
addition, Islam, Hussain, and Morshed (2012) found that the addition of 0.5% vol.
coconut husk fibers enhanced the flexural strength of normal-strength concrete by more
the toughness of concrete and mortar after using this fiber as aggregates. However, he
has not yet solved the problem regarding with the long-term durability. The degree of
will be using.
substitute aggregates, coconut shells and fiber. He also compared the conventional
concrete block with the concrete block with coconut shells and fibers. Some distinct
observations are seen during the test that may support the coconut shells and fibers as
aggregates. The concrete blocks undertake property test like sieve analysis, specific
gravity, moisture content and mechanical property test such as compressive test in
accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). One of the
results of those test, stated that the compressive strength of concrete hollow block
(CHB) with coconut shell and fiber attained the highest average loads and stress
compared to commercial CHB. In addition, the modified concrete block goes beyond the
minimum strength of commercial CHB at 28 days that may use as a substitute coarse
Although the water hyacinth plants, also a fibrous plant, have a high rate
production of natural fibers, these still not yet used maximally to develop commercial
products. However, they are very useful as reinforcement in polymer composites. The
said fibers possess interesting characteristics: relative high celluloses and small
cellulose diameter that increase the mechanical properties of such product. The dried
water hyacinth have higher tensile and flexure strength compared to the wet ones.
Abral, Arief, Ilhamdi, Ishak, Kadriadi, Mastariyano, Rodianus, and Sapuan (2014) also
stored the dried water hyacinth in vacuum desiccators to maintain the moisture.
Using the mixture of cement, water and aggregates with little adjustments in the
micro- structure (and probably adding specific materials), it is possible to obtain some of
the special types of concrete such as high performance concrete (HPC), self-
compacting concrete (SCC) and roller compacted concrete, high volume fly ash
concrete (HVFAC) where fly ash is an agricultural waste from coconut (Patil & Chore,
2014). They added that using substitute materials in dry state before thoroughly mixed
by machine, obtains uniform color throughout the unit block. The required percentages
of admixture were added to the water calculated for the particular mix. Their study were
accomplished the compaction factor test and slump test by fresh concrete.
Awwad, Hamad, Mabsout, & Khatib (2012) used hemp fibers as an aggregate of
concrete in their study. They hemp fibers are used only as space fillers and no
improvement in tensile properties is expected. The main objective for using hemp fibers
was to lessen the consumption of expensive but typical aggregate, to lower the block
density, and to improve the thermal and acoustic properties, at the same time.
According to their experimental results, when the hemp fibers added to concrete
mixture, they may intermingle and undergo balling instead of mixing within the concrete
The other eco-friendly and convenient reinforcement material is the glass fibers.
They are embedded in the glass fiber-reinforced concrete in matrix. The fibers provide
reinforcement for the matrix and other useful functions in fiber-reinforced composite
materials. The effect of the fibers in this composite leads to an increase in the tension
and impact strength of the material (Ferreira & Branco, 2007). In the study of Girard
(2013), he stated that having an ample amount of glass fiber in concrete leads to high
Zdenek (2000 in Asi, Batayneh & Marie, 2007) reported that the molecule size of
The smaller the size, the more effective it could be. Thus, the its size is proximately
close with the sizes of the other used materials such the cement, sand and the
aggregates. He added that the Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR) will be eradicated if the size
of the particles is small enough. ASR is one of the concerns in using glass in concrete.
It is the reaction between the alkali in the pore solution of concrete and the silica in the
particles of the aggregates such as glass. Blumenstyk (2003, in Asi et. al, 2007) found
out that the chromium oxide used to color glass bottles green can lessen the ASR.
Asi, Batayneh and Marie (2007) conducted a research about the use of waste
materials in concrete mixes. The said materials must be kept clean and segregated by
batches to avoid some contamination. Also start with studying the design details of the
building to ensure the efficient use of materials. The use of materials that are made
from recycled materials and are recyclable should be included in the initial design of the
structure. The researchers found out that the values of the compressive strength,
aggregate in the mixture of the concrete are higher than the mixture of the normal
concrete. The evident change in strength is due to the difference in the surface texture
and strength of the glass compared to the sand. In addition, surface area of the crushed
materials due to its irregular shape affects the workability of the said mix up. However, it
requires increase of water and cement. Hence, irregular shape of materials has
negative effects.
Glass is made of sand, calcium carbonate and limestone which are commonly
found in nature. Shao, Lefort, Moras and Rodriguez (2000) said that the use of waste
glass in concrete give the chemical composition of soda lime glass and fly ash a
stronger output. Several difficulties have seen in the process among glass such melting
down and distortion due to extreme temperature. Production plants that make glass
tend to be large centers located in a limited amount of locations throughout the county.
Energy must be used to transport the waste glass from the collection source over 5 a
long distance to the production plant. These difficulties have led to the search for
engineering projects. The convenient availability has found among the materials and the
asking price is definitely lower compared to glass from plants. The only problem is that
the demanded size of particles is quite hard to achieve, though the waste glass is
According to the study of Ismail and Al-Hashmi (2009), the weight of the concrete
block with waste glass as an aggregate is lighter compared to the conventional masonry
units. The particles of the glass have lesser density and may smaller in diameter
compared to the common aggregate especially whenever they are in powdered form; as
a result they bound to weigh lesser. They used waste glass as very fine aggregates in
their study of various concrete mixtures. Their research used waste glass that had a
specific gravity of 2.19 and fine aggregate with a specific gravity of 2.57.
concrete mixture. Its properties may similar to the usual aggregate such sand, glass has
more unified compositions from various elements that increases the strength and
durability. When Topcu and Canbuz (2004) used waste glass as a coarse aggregate,
the found out that there is about 1.5 cm of slump differences between with more than
50% replacement used and mixture without substitute aggregate. The glass particles
On the other hand, Park, Lee, and Kim (2004) added that there are more
significant decrease slump in their study when they used waste glass as a fine
aggregate. However, the decrease did not severely affect the workability of the
concrete.
Shayan and Xu (2006) considered two factors that may affect the efficiency of
the glass as aggregate: the particle size of glass and alkali content of the mortar or
cement. Their experimental findings resulted that there are no adverse effect on
concrete durability, even if the fine glass powder (GLP) of b10 µm particle size is used
together with the crushed glass aggregate. The implication of their work was that
considerable amounts of waste glass could be diverted from landfill for utilization in
concrete. They also proved that fine glass powder could be used as valued-admixture
expected that one would drop in strength and in particular a reduction of an already low
ductility if it is chosen to employ crushed glass particles with relatively smooth surfaces
rather than natural aggregate with relatively rough surfaces (Meyer et al., 2001).
Indicated in their study are some properties that glass is proven attractive aggregate for
They emphasized that glass is it extremely durable natural material that other
ingredients could rely on. Thus, it has basically zero water adsorption. It may limit the
production of excess water in mixture that causes slumps. The excellent hardness of
glass gives the concrete an abrasion resistance that can be reached only by few natural
stone aggregates or the additional of metallic elements. Furthermore, they said that very
finely ground glass has pozzolanic properties and therefore can serve both as partial
In 2014, Rai and Joshi’s study of applications and properties of fiber reinforced
slightly with an increase in the fibers content. It has obtained an increase of 3 percent in
the modulus of elasticity for each 1 percent increase in fiber. In the same study
conducted, the flexural strength was reported to have increased by about 3 times using
4 percent fibers, and the durability is about 10 to 40 times of the normal concrete. The
addition of 3 percent fiber by volume was reported to increase the splitting tensile
strength of mortar about 2.5 times that of the normal concrete. The brittle mode of
failure associated with plain concrete was transformed into a more ductile one with the
of about 7 percent by volume. The density decreases as the fiber increases for the
reason that it is strenuous for the mix to be compacted and to be dewatered. For most
spray- head - mixed products glass fiber content is generally 4 to 5 percent. The fiber
content tends to be less in amount for batch-mixed products. Adding further fibers in the
mixture makes uniform surfaces hard to achieve. For batch-mixed product applications,
adding more fiber is not vital often. Adding one-fourth fiber to the mixture can attain the
Shakor and Pimplikar (2011) found out that the existence of air reduces the
compressive strength of concrete more than the tensile strength leading to the
difference in the tensile strength to compressive strength ratio of the concrete mainly in
the case of rich and strong mixes. The components found on the concrete are not the
only ones that affects its strength but also the environmental factors. One of the factors
involved is humidity.
Chapter 3
Methodology
A. Project Description
This project is all about determining the effects of using water hyacinth
and waste materials such as glass on the durability of a concrete hollow block.
The said materials were added on the mixture with different percentages in order
to find out whether the strength of the modified hollow blocks was able to surpass
the strength of a normal hollow block. A test such as compressive was conducted
block that were made and undergone the same process undertaken by the
modified blocks.
a. Water Hyacinth
The collected water hyacinth plants were dried and chopped manually
by the investigators into small pieces that were added on the mixture. The
weight percentages vary on the two modified hollow blocks that were made.
The first block contained a 1/20 kg of water hyacinth. On the other hand, the
b. Glass Powder
containing chromium oxide such as the bottles of Sprite using some tools
found at home such as improvised mortar and pestle. The size of the glass
particles needs to pass through #30 (0.595 mm) sized mesh to make these
particles visible. The content of the glass powder were different on the two
modified hollow blocks. The 1 kg of glass powder was partnered with the 1/20
kg of water hyacinth and the 1 ½ kg of glass powder was partnered with the
c. Cement
The cement brand that was used in this study is Lafarge Republic
d. Moulder
The machine used a process called press and mould in order to form
the desired design and size of the hollow blocks that was used in the study.
Shovels, gloves, and pails were used in the preparation of the mixture
The shapes and sizes of most concrete blocks have been standardized to
measurements for each of the block. The first block, which is the normal block,
has a value of 398 mm (15.67 in) for its length, 119 mm (4.69 in) for its width,
and 127 mm (5 in) for its height. The second block, one of the modified blocks,
has a value of 398 mm (15.67 in) for its length, 120 mm (4.72 in) for its width,
and 127 mm (5 in) for its height. The third block, which is also one of the modified
blocks, has a value of 397 mm (15.63 in) for its length, 118 mm (4.65 in) for its
width, and 127 mm (5 in) for its height. The values might not be the same as the
others because of the molders used, but it was not a problem because the
compressive strength was computed using the dimensions and area of each of
the block.
a. Mixing
The mixture was prepared first without the water hyacinth and the glass
powder. The cement and other aggregates were first mixed dry until the
mixture was mixed manually without the usage of machineries. Once all the
materials were mixed, water was added slowly, while mixing, until the proper
powdered water hyacinth and glass were added directly in three separate
The hollow blocks formed were placed in a horizontal surface that was
free from vibrations and other disturbances that might affect the formation of
the blocks. If possible, place the molded blocks at a place near where it can
be stored during the first 24 hours. The heat of the sun can be an aid in order
c. Finishing
The specimens made should have an even and flat surface. The
blocks produced should not have excess projections with the size of the
molder used. If possible, remove the excess mixture or flatten the surface in
The blocks made are to be dried for an entire day. As soon as it dries, the
hollow blocks were then been removed from the mold. The blocks undergone
the process called curing. The curing process implies the maintenance of the
free water on the entire surface area of the blocks. The processes that the
blocks undergone were to provide the required compressive strength for it would
ensure the continuous hydration of the blocks. The longer the concrete blocks
are to be kept moist, the stronger and durable it were to become. Normally, it
E. Testing Method
durability of the concrete. Sample specimen with mix variations of 1/20 kg (50
g), 1/18 kg (55. 56 g) of water hyacinth, and one with none was used for this
test.
Block Specimens
removal from the curing stage. The moisture of the block was kept during
a.b Procedure
a.b.a Ask for an expert operator of the Compression Testing Machine for
placing horizontally the specimen on the steel plate directly under the upper
bearing block of the machine. Align the axis of the specimen at the center of
rate on the specimen to avoid shock loading. Record the maximum load that
can be applied on the specimen before it fails. Observe the pattern on the
a.b.e Record for the Compressive Strength of the other two specimens.
𝑷
𝝈=
𝑨
Where:
1. What aquatic plant and recycled material will be used in producing modified concrete
unit?
The water hyacinth is a fibrous aquatic plant that obviously seen in its most
structure. Its leaves and stems are broad, thick and ovate which have high nutritive
value. Thus, they are good substitute aggregate in concrete hollow block. The
researchers used them in modifying a concrete hollow block which amend properties
and come up with a better durability result. The fibers serve as the "bonding agent" of
the mixture's particles. They absorb the mixture and water content in it.
On the other hand, the green glass used in producing modified masonry unit
contains chromium oxide that gives its green color that can lessen the Alkali- Silica
2. Will the water hyacinth be chopped or grinded, and be dried or leave it fresh before it
The gathered water hyacinth is dried and is chopped and ground into tiny pieces
which they could be somehow visible. Being these dried gives more strength compared
to the fresh and wet ones. The excess water produced naturally by the plant may make
the concrete mixture sloppy. Also the dried plant takes in excess water from the mixture
itself. In addition, the modified concrete block still looks presentable if the aggregates
mixture?
The glass was pounded until it became a powder. Proportional to the size of the
ground water hyacinth, the glass also may achieve the required particle size. Aside from
the reason ASR can be eradicated if the size of the particles is small and visible
enough, the pounded glass may virtually mix with the concrete. However, the larger
glass particles may submerge totally at the bottom of the concrete due to their greater
density.
The process that the blocks undergo were mixing, molding, and curing. Mixing is
system with intent to attain being homogeneous. Pounded glass, cement, water
hyacinth, and water were mixed altogether manually until the right consistency is
achieved. The mixed cement will then be placed in a molder. Molding is a process in
construction by shaping a liquid mixture using a frame called matrix or mold. As soon as
it was removed from molder, it will undergo curing. Curing is the process of maintaining
the moisture and temperature inside the concrete after it was molded to develop it
strength and durability. It takes 1 or 2 weeks of hydration before concrete can be used.
5. What processes will the concrete unit undergo to test its durability?
To test the strength and durability of the concrete units, it undergo Compressive
Strength Test. Compressive strength test determines the capacity of the block to
withstand loads before fracturing. A universal testing machine was used to apply a force
on the block until it deforms. The compressive strength was computed by dividing the
force applied to the block’s gross area. Compressive strength of modified blocks having
different water hyacinth and glass content were compared to the compressive strength
of the normal block to determine whether it is more durable than the normal block.
6. Efficiency
Table 1.
Compressive Strength Test of Concrete Hollow Blocks
Sample Gross Machine
Dimension Compressive Strength
Identification Area Reading
Length Width mm2 (KN) psi Mpa
CHB 5” Normal
(1) 398 119 47362 67.4 206 1.42
CHB 5” Modified
(2) 1 kg of glass
& 1/20 kg of 398 120 47760 145.9 443 3.05
water hyacinth
CHB 5” Modified
(3) 1 ½ kg of
glass & 1/18 kg 397 118 46846 127.6 395 2.72
of water hyacinth
Based on the test conducted, both of the modified blocks shows significant
difference in compressive strength compared to the normal block. Modified blocks have
higher compressive strength than the normal block. Modified block with 1 kg of glass
and 1/20 kg of water hyacinth has higher compressive strength than the modified block
with 1 ½ kg of glass and 1/18 of water hyacinth. It can be concluded that adding
moderate amount of glass and water hyacinth to the normal mixture of concrete will
A. Summary of Findings
The produced modified hollow block from aquatic plant (the water hyacinth) and
waste material (lime glass) is certainly efficient and functional. The conducted
compressive test had drawn an excellent result. Both modified blocks have higher
compressive strength than the commercial block. Among the two, the first modified
is the strongest, even the second one contained more substitute aggregate. Hence,
the first modified block acquired more than 100% of the strength of the normal block
which is only 206 pounds per square inches. It concludes that the addition of some
organic aggregate won't damage the structure and durability of the product instead
they made it stronger and more efficient. Moreover, the proportionality of the
substitute aggregates to the main ingredients of the concrete block also affects the
B. Conclusion
The production of concrete masonry unit from glass and water hyacinth is a great
indestructible structures such as houses, buildings, street, and bridges are much
needed. With the need to improve the durability of the structures, the modified
concrete can be a key to this problem since concrete is a common building material
respectively instead of using costly material for the production of the concrete block.
C. Recommendation
The usage of water hyacinth and glass as alternative aggregates have been able
to produce a more durable and flexible concrete blocks. The produced modified
concrete blocks were able to surpass the durability of the normal hollow block that
had undergone the same process of production as the others. However, limited
tests such as compressive were the only one that the blocks, normal and modified,
have undergone and interpreted because of limited time and laboratories available
nearby. The researchers would like to recommend the following to the future
conduct tests for other characteristics of hollow blocks such as its longevity and
The study requires longer time to verify if the usage of plants and waste materials
time needed to be able to determine if the deterioration of the modified blocks are
lesser than the normal blocks are longer than determining its durability. Also, a lot
more tests and processes are needed to be able to prove that the modified blocks
can pass the safety standard in the building of houses and other infrastructures to
be able to ensure the safety of the people that will be living and using the structures
built.
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