AAR 308 - HOUSING

SEM-VI

UNIT-2

ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

By HUDCO

Dr. Dibya Jivan Pati

GITAM Deemed to be University
Visakhapatnam
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MUD BLOCK STRUCTURE

Traditionally ADOBE technology of un-burnt sun-dried bricks made out

of mud was used for building walls, over many centuries in the past.
The ADOBE brick making process is converted into block making process
here.
Mud block making is very simple. By using a small box or a mould,
blocks are made out of fine mud mixture.
 After drying blocks can be stored until they are required for
construction.
It is an economical option for millions of homeless people to build a
small home without restoring to use of energy intensive material.
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MAIN FEATURES:

Masonry with mud blocks made with locally available earth – a cost
effective method.
One side terracotta tile faced mud blocks to make the external wall
face water resistant.
Cost effective and eco-friendly fly ash brick used for columns with
vertical bars.
Arch roofing using conical tiles with broken tile chips for water proofing
the roof.
Seismic features- horizontal plinth and lintel level bands.
Bamboo panelled door and window shutters.
IPS flooring with colored oxide.
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DEVELOPMENT OF MUD BLOCKS:

Good durable walls are expensive and also difficult to build.

It was impossible to build a mud wall with locally available black cotton
soil because it could not last long.
CVS of Wardha solved this problem by providing a tough, non-
erodible, terracotta tile support to the outer portion of the wall that is
built with locally available soils.
CVS then used burnt clay tiles keyed into the mud block at the green
stage itself. The rear portion of the tiles was given a protruding shape
of dovetail to fix it into the wall tiles firmly.
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CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

FOUNDATION
• The site being rocky and sloping, un-coursed rubble masonry with
boulder murrum filling is laid to prepare a flat ground.
• At plinth level, 100 mm thick RCC Damp Proof Course is provided to
counter earthquake pressures. Sill level is taken at 900 mm i.e. almost
a metre and finished by PCC band.

SUPERSTRUCTURE

FLY ASH BRICK COLUMN

• Fly ash brick columns are constructed as per design specifications over
the plinth band. The size of the column may be taken as 230 X 230
mm. After completion of brick columns, one RCC lintel band of 230 X
200 mm size is cased over the columns.

.
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WALLING
• For internal walls, mud blocks of 300 X 230 mm size are made without
terracotta tiles.
• Mud block wall is rain proof and rodent proof. No need for any other
binding material

ROOFING
• No steel and wood is used for roofing. The roof consists of a series of
arches to be placed as a formwork from the conical tiles made out of
burnt clay inserted into one another.
• Cement mortar of proportion 1:3 is applied over the tiles to cover the
gaps in between conical tile arches.
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MAIN FEATURES:

• Cement is used as stabilizer.

• Foundation based on stilts and random rubble masonry.
• Flooring of verandah made from locally available wood.
• Columns constructed using stabilized rammed earth block
technique employing ‘ram rod’ technique.
• Walls made of bamboo mats plastered with mud or lime
mortar. RAMMING OF EARTH
• CGI sheet roofing over space frame truss instead of wood. IN THE MOULD
Bamboo CGS can be used.
• Roof water harvesting shows syntax water tank connected to
a cost effective sanitation model.

TO HAVE VERTICAL
REINFORCEMENTS, PVC PIPES
ARE PLACED AROUND THEM
AND CONCRETE IS POURED.
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CONSTRUCTION PROCESS:

FOUNDATION ANDCOLUMNS:
• The foundation is in random rubble, except for the verandah
which is on stilts.
• The soil should be tested for its quality and bonding
characteristics and then sieved through a wire mesh.
Recommended mixture of soil and cement is 92-93%: 7-8%.
• Steel moulds or wooden frame work are assembled.
Homogeneous mixture of sand and cement is poured in the
moulds layers and rammed with a rammer weighing 15-
20kg.
• For vertical reinforcement in foundation 2-12 mm rods are
placed in vertical manner. PVC pipes are placed around the
steel bars and concrete is poured in it.
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WALLING
• In this technique, mud is used as plaster to cover thin
panels of cane, split bamboo or other stalks that are
woven together and held in place by wooden or
bamboo posts and beams. This called WATTLE AND
DAUB UNIT.
• DAUB is a mix of clay: cow dung, bhusa in the
proportion of 10:3:3. Red clay is soaked in water and FIXING BAMBOO NET ON WALL
thoroughly mixed to break down bigger lumps.
• Sand is also added to improve the clay content of the
soil. This mixture is kept for one day prior to use. If
some coal tar is added to the above mix, it serves as
water proofing agent.
• The DAUB mixture is applied simultaneously on the
bamboo mat. Ensure that the mud pack is properly
compacted within the grooves of the bamboo mat.
Allow it to settle for one day before second coating.
Give the finishing coat of coal tar.

PLASTERING WATTLE AND DUAB WALL

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ROOFING
• Space frame truss roofing is suggested as an
alternative roofing system to the normal wooden
frame work with RCC roofing. This roofing can
withstand medium intensity cyclonic winds.
• It is light weight and cost effective. The assembling can
be done by unskilled manpower also.
FIXING BAMBOO NET ON WALL
• The space frame truss is usually built with simple pipes
of 15-25mm diameter with bolting.
• It can be built over any span and can be formed in any
shape – circular or conical or two slopes or hipped
roofing patterns.
• The structure is detachable and can be reused.
• Bamboo mat corrugated sheets are recommended as
they are eco-friendly and self -sustaining alternative
material.
• Fixing of sheets with J bolts should be done by
bitumen washers on both sides to prevent water
seepage.

PLASTERING WATTLE AND DUAB WALL

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PLASTERING
• Plastering can be done in many cost effective ways.
• Mud and lime plasters were traditionally used.
• Cement mixed with the mud and lime is recommended as a
finishing coat.
• Crush and sieve dehydrated lime.
• Prepare mixture with 50% sand and water, which is kept for
6-8 days.
• Stir the mixture and keep it in a covered space to avoid
dust. FIXING BAMBOO NET ON WALL
• Mix gugal gum to lime mix before application.

STABILISED MUD PLASTER

Stabilised mud plaster consists of mud and cement in the
proportion of 3:1. This mix gives a smooth and polished finish
after the repetitive rubbing process.

ADVANTAGES
• Uses natural material
• Gives better finishing and saves wall painting cost
• Provides thermal comfort
• Use of lime is a livelihood promotional activity PLASTERING WATTLE AND DUAB WALL
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ROOF WATER HARVESTING

• The rain water harvesting system has been incorporated.
• PVC pipes are laid to collect rain water.
• The catchment area of the roof is 31.50 sq. m. and it can collect
around 67000 litres of water in the annual rainfall.
• The water can be used for all purposes. PIPES FOR COLLECTING ROOF WATER

• The structure is totally earthquake resistant as vertical and

horizontal bands are provided.
• The space frame truss is light in weight and easy to assemble.
• The wattle and daub unit involves use of locally available
materials like twigs, wood, bamboo, etc.

TECHNOLOGIES USED
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RAT TRAP BOND CONSTRUCTION

The rat trap bond construction technology is a cavity

walling system, designed to optimise the use of bricks
and cement mortar. In conventional wall construction
bricks are placed flat, while in the rat trap bond
construction technology they are placed on the edges
with cavities between two faces. It results in an
approximate saving of 17% bricks and 54% mortar. The
reduction in overall costs is estimated around 26%. Also,
the building is constructed using brick arch foundation,
LAYING OF BRICK ARCH FOUNDATION
filler slab roofing, brick jallie windows and brickbat
flooring technologies.
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BRICK ARCH FOUNDATION

• Excavate square base as per the design dimensions.

• Lay 150mm thick pcc (1:3:6)
• Cut soil between square bases as per the design profile.
Lay 75mm thick concrete (1:5:10)
• Construct brick arch resting on mud based brick
framework. Cure for 4-7 days before removing brick
frame work.
• Brick masonry arch should be constructed as a monolith

LAYING OF RAT TRAP WALLS

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SUPERSTRUCTURE: WALLING
• Rat trap bond technique of wall construction provides better insulation properties. It is
as strong as the ordinary solid 9” brick wall. It saves around 25% of bricks and 40-50% of
cement and sand.
• The bricks are placed on their edges in 1:4 cement mortar and after the firs layer of
bricks is laid, a gap is left between the bricks in the remaining courses. The gaps in the
bricks help to create thermal insulation.
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BRICK JALLIE WINDOWS

• Wooden windows are costly. 1 sq. ft of a wooden window can cost 20 times the
cost of simple bricks or stone wall it replaces.

• A jallie or a honey comb brick or stone pattern is very effective to serve as a

window as they reduce the cost of materials.

BRICK JALLIE WINDOW

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ROOF- SLOPING FILLER SLAB

• This is a cost effective roofing system for single

floor buildings. It is based on the concept that for
a simple slab with concrete below the neutral axis
takes no tension and is not of much use and clay
tiles can be placed in the slabs to act as fillers.

• The steel in this zone bears the tensile forces

while the concrete is retained above the neutral
axis, and it can take compressive loads very
effectively. INSIDE VIEW OF FILLER LAYING MANGALORE
SLAB TILES AS FILLER
MATERIAL
• The air gap between the tiles makes it a good
heat insulator and the ceiling look attractive.

• On the RCC roof top, opening are provided to get

enough sunlight. These openings are covered
with fiber glass to prevent the entry of rain water.
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ARCHES

• A brick arch is primarily a compressive structural

system. The action of compression develops due to
arrangement of bricks.
• Parabolic arches are 100% compressive.
• Usually for construction flat, semi-circular or segmental
arches are recommended.
• Arches save foundation costs.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Rat trap bond walling: saves around 30% costs- bricks BRICK ARCH
and cement.
• Window jallies: most economical when compared to
windows made out of wood and steel
• Filler slab roofing: saves RCC costs.
 The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited

BRICK PANEL HOUSE

SPECIALITY :

• Use of brick panels for roofing.

• Prefabricated brick panel and partially pre-cast
joists require burnt clay bricks, cement, sand,
coarse aggregate and reinforcing steel as major raw
materials.
• No major plant, equipment and machinery is
required.
• The brick panels are durable, leak-proof, fire-
resistant, thermal-resistant, less noisy in rains and
provide vertical expansion.
• They are very cost-effective and generate
employment opportunities in rural areas for
masons/labour.
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CONSRUCTION PROCESS :

FOUNDATION

• The foundation is made with the un-coursed Random Rubble Stone masonry.
• Locally available materials are used.
• At plinth level, 100mm thick RCC damp proof course is provided to prevent earthquake
movements.

FOUNDATION CAVITY
WORK IN WALL FOUNDATION METAL TIE
PROCESS BEING LAID
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CAVITY WALLS

• Cavity wall consist of two walls built parallel with a hollow space of less than
4” width between them.
• The cavity wall is mainly used in earthquake and flood prone areas.
• It protects the inner wall from dampness and cracks due to earthquake
vibrations.
• The thickness of the outer wall and inner wall may be equal or the inner wall
may be thicker (9” thick) than the outer wall (4” thick).
• The cavity should be uniform throughout the height.
• To hold the outer and inner walls together firmly, metal ties or specially
manufactured bonding bricks are used. The ties are fixed at staggered places at
a distance , not exceeding 1m horizontally and 40cm vertically.
• The bonding arrangement of bricks may be in Stretcher Bond, English Bond,
Flemish Bond or English garden wall bond fashion.
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ADVANTAGES:

• Cavity wall checks the penetration of dampness from outside to inside.

• Decreases the heat transmission considerably.
• Reduces the external noise inside the building.
• The cost of cavity wall is 20% less than the cost of a solid wall having the same
thickness.
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BRICK CORBELS

• Brick corbels are bricks projecting from a wall constructed to

provide a better appearance to support beams, trusses, lintels
and for openings to doors and windows etc.
• The following factors need consideration to ensure the BRICK CORBELLING
stability of a brick corbel:
• Maximum projection of the corbel should not be more than
the thickness of the wall.
• Maximum projection of each corbel course should be limited
to a quarter brick at a time.
• Header bond is used for the construction of brick corbels. BRICK JALLIE
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BRICK JALLIES

• The bricks are arranged such that openings are created between them and thus it acts as a
natural window.

ROOFING

• Roofing is done with brick panels, which can be made on site.

• The dimensions of a brick panel are 1.10m x 0.53m.
• It provides strong, permanent and economical roof/floor consisting of partially pre-cast RCC
joists supporting the pre-fabricated brick panels covered with 35mm thick cement concrete
with sustainable reinforcement.
• Ideal for low cost houses especially for the economically weaker sections of society in
rural/urban areas.
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LIST OF TECHNOLOGIES:

• ½ brick walling and brick column

• Corbelling brick work
• Filler slab
• Exposed brick work

HIGHLIGHTS:

• ½ brick walling and brick column – Cost effective as it is used in between columns.
• Filler slab – Reduce the cost of RCC.
• Exposed brick work – Save plastering costs.
• Pre-fab panel roofing – saves on shuttering costs.
• Hollow wall construction – provide thermal insulation.
• Brick jallie – saves on cost of window.
• Exposed brick parapet.
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BAMBOO HOUSE

WHY BAMBOO?

• Bamboo is a versatile construction material which is

affordable, durable and very suitable for earthquake
prone regions. It is a light weight, long lasting and
renewable building material.
• In case of earthquakes, bamboo house won’t cause
any death if it collapses and is easy to mend and
repair.

• Bamboo is used as columns, roof trusses, scaffolding and ladders, acting as a good substitute
for wood.
• Boards made up of bamboo mats are used in wall panelling, roof panelling , door and
window panelling, false ceiling, flooring, etc.
• The use of these boards and other bamboo products makes the house construction not only
cost effective but also offers exotic designs
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MAIN FEATURES:

• Eco-friendly structure.
• Light in weight.
• Wooden stilts and bamboo mat flooring.
• Self sustaining bamboo plantations – livelihood
initiative for rural areas.
• Use of bamboo – columns, walling, roof
framework and corrugated roofing material.
• User friendly in earthquake prone areas of
Northeast and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
• Exotic interior décor.
• Water resistant walls with cement plastering.
• Fire resistant with CuSO4 chemical treatment.
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CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

FOUNDATION:

• The foundation is made with normal un-coursed

rubble stone masonry.
• Wooden / cement / brick stilts with wooden beams FOUNDATION WORK IN
acting as plinth bands PROCESS.
are also used.
• The plinth has been constructed with brick masonry
and plinth band is
provided.
• A pair of treated bamboos are assembled as columns
and inserted at equal
distance in the foundation.
CROSS SECTION OF
FOUNDATION
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ROOF:

• The roof is a combination of trusses in twin bamboo culms,

structurally connected with gusset plates
in bamboo mat boards and nut bolted.
• Purlins of twin bamboos are nut bolted to the truss and then
bamboo mat corrugated sheets are
secured on the purlins with the help of J-bolts.

DOORS AND WINDOWS:

TRUSS JOINED WITH
• The doors and windows are integrated into the walling. GUSSET PLATES.
• Frames are made in the composite of bamboo and teak wood.
• Shutters are made in bamboo mat board.
• It absorbs heat and keeps the interiors cool and greatly
enhances the ambience of the house.

A BAMBOO
DOOR
MAKING A BAMBOO DOOR.
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FLOORING:

• The flooring has been done with IPS (Indian Patent Stone) finished in brick red colour,
with a green separating band at door positions.
• Alternatively, flooring can also be made with mud or terracotta tiles or stone tiles with
finishing, which are cost effective.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Economical in the regions where bamboo is abundantly available locally.

• Ideally suited for earthquake prone areas.
• Highly energy efficient.
• Bamboo mat corrugated sheet roofing is both heat resistant and waterproof, it doesn’t
have any long term
ill health effects.
• The complete bamboo structure is fire retardant and anti-termite.
 STONE
The PATTI CONSTRUCTION
Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited

Climate control only influenced the

design adopted-a central courtyard
surrounded by construction of high
walls with a balcony and small wind
apertures to allow air circulation as
well as preventing dust blow-ins during
sandstorms
Hunnar shaala of Bhuj ,has replicated a
cost effective housing typology based
on using upgraded construction
material, while retaining the design
fundamentals .

MAIN FEATURES:

Stone patti flat and sloping roof-no steel and centring and shuttering
Reconstituted cement concrete blocks masonry used for walling Spacious courtyard and
roof water harvesting facility Solar lighting facility Climate control due to providing of thick
walls.
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Dressed stone masonry

Traditional method of construction in Rajasthan

Natural stones available locally are dressed manually and are laid to create walls
Due to the thickness of the walls it has certain advantages-
Less energy consumption
The thickness is more, so it gives more thermal comfort.
The process is laboUr intensive and promotes local economy
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Windows:

• Openings are smaller to protect the inside from the severe heat from outside
• Small stone slabs are fixed as stone lintels instead of using of RCC.
• No usage of steel or concrete for the lintels or for the slab.
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Reconstituted cement blocks

• To save the usage of cement ,big size

stones are inserted into the concrete in
a rectangular mould.
• After remoulding ,the blocks are cured
for two weeks and used for
construction process.

Material required
• Sand Cement
• Boulder stones
• 6 to 12 mm aggregate
• 15 to 20 mm aggregate
• Water

Tools
• Spade, Pan, Trowel, Wooden
• Planner, Sieve, Mould
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Superstructure :

Roofing:

• The stone patti roofing is a traditional method for making the flat and sloping
roofs.
• It is cheaper than rcc roofing as in Rajasthan the stone slabs are available at a
very low cost and can be used directly without any centring or shuttering as is
required for a normal RCC work
• It is also a faster process as the stone slabs are simply to be lifted to the roof
and placed on the beams
The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited
 The Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited

Rain water harvesting

Rain water harvesting system is done through the roof. A pvc pipe is connected with the
roof outlet and is joined to the collection tank constructed under the flooring of the
verandah.