Role of lime with cement in long-term strength of Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks

Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEBs) are manufactured using stabilizers to provide adequate compressive strength and durability, so, as to make them suitable as building blocks. Though cement is a popular stabilizer used in manufacture of CSEBs, no study has been reported utilizing lime in combination of cement. This experimental study on CSEBs prepared using lime as a replacement to cement in certain proportions has clearly brought out the effectiveness of lime with cement in improving the long-term build-up of strength better than using cement alone. It was observed that blocks prepared with optimum quantity of lime along with cement has led to continuous buildup of strength even beyond 2 years, whereas blocks prepared with cement alone and lesser quantity of lime than optimum quantity have not gained much strength after 6 months from the time of preparation of the blocks. The research findings show a need to relook at the grading of ingredients and quantity of stabilizers for achieving good building blocks. This would be an added benefit not only in reducing the cost of the blocks, but also has serious implications in terms of the reduction of energy consumed in the manufacture of blocks when done in large scale.