DESIGN MIX OF HOLLOW BLOCKS IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF

COCONUT SHELL AND SAND

A Thesis Proposal
Presented to
The Civil Engineering Faculty of the College of Engineering
NORTHWEST SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY
Calbayog City

In partial fulfillment of the course requirements in

RESEARCH 1

By

MARVIN DELENA
DANNY BOY GALLARES
MARK ALLAN R. BESTUDIO
JOHN ERIC CANADA
JESON LAUDERES
RAMIL CALAGOS

BSCE 4 – Researchers

DR. ROMEO SANTOS

Thesis Adviser/Supervisor

April 2019
 CHAPTER I

Introduction

The primary concern of civil engineering profession is the construction of

building. In addition, it is most challenging, complicated and articulate work in the

field of construction. It embraces the whole aspects of building a structure from

laying out till the last touch of finishing works.

A wall is usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area.

Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure,

separate space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in an

open area. Walls are usually built by builders and people who are retired builders

and are used to separate rooms. Although the wall of the building are not primary

members to be considered in terms of strengths as it does not carry as much of

the load subjected to it. However, it must stand to various stresses such as the

shearing and the compressive strength.

Building walls are just one of the principal types of structural walls. It has one

main purpose: to support roof and ceilings. Such walls most often have three or

more separate components. In today’s construction, a building’s wall will usually

have the structural elements (such as 2x4 studs in a house wall), insulation, and

finish elements, or surface (such as drywall and paneling). In addition. The wall

may have various types of electrical wiring or plumbing. Electrical outlets are

usually mounted in walls.

Building walls frequently become works of art externally and internally, such as

featuring a mosaic work or when murals are painted on them; or as design foci

when they exhibit textures or painted finishes for effect. It stands through the

concrete hollow blocks that composes it and must be therefore adequate,

serviceable and safe from all force of loads acting on it. It strengths depends

upon the type of material from which it is made, and on the care given to it during

installation process which in turns, depends on the quality of supervision and

inspection. The quality of concrete hollow blocks is best measured through the

determination of its compressive strength. Many types of concrete unit are not

covered by adequate specification. For these units, reliance on their strength is

placed on manufacturer’s specifications.

Nowadays, our governments is facing a problem of increasing of quarrying of

sand as the demand for it continually increases. Sands are non-renewable that

continuous quarrying of these materials located near public and private

structures, has caused to the loss of lives and properties like the bridges, the

national road and etc. To reduce to much use sand that will cause the imbalance

of natural resources, researches have been prompted to achieve a viable

disposal option in saving the depleting natural resources of raw materials as well

as the environment. Its disposal problems could be drastically reduced if coconut

shell could be converted into economical uses as reinforcing additive in the

production of construction materials. In this paper, researchers investigated the

effects of coconut shell used as reinforcing additive in the production of hollow

blocks intended for non-load bearing. The investigation was carries out to
determine the most suitable mix proportion of hollow blocks in terms of

percentage of coconut shell and sand that will yield more number of blocks with

improved quality and that can produced hollow blocks with desirable strength

thereby producing products at lesser cost without compromising engineering

performance and quality. It also investigates if coconut shell could be possible to

be used as pure aggregates in hollow blocks making. Moreover, the study will

also determine if the bonding ability of the coconut shell works well with cement

and water and contributes to an increase in compressive strength of the blocks.

Theoretical Framework

The researchers have formulated design mix proportion using coconut shell and

other materials in accordance with the codes, specification and provisions. After

which, researchers fabricates hollow blocks using, a.) Coconut shell with cement

as binder; b) mix coconut shell and sand with cement as binder. These two

design of mixtures with different proportion will be analyze through testing and

evaluations, testing and analysis, each design mixtures with different proportions

was observed its difference in cost and strength.

Objective of the Study

The objective of the study is to determine the factors that influence the

properties of Concrete Hollow Blocks using coconut shell as replacement

for fine aggregates intended for non-loading bearing.

The objectives of the study were as follows:

1. To determine the design mix of hollow block in terms of percentage

of coconut shell and sand that produces the highest strength in

compression.

2. To determine and compare the physical requirements of hollow

blocks using coconut shell with that of hollow blocks using mix

coconut shell and sand in terms of;

a. compressive strength

b. Moisture content

3. To determine and compare the advantages of hollow block using

coconut shell with that of hollow blocks using coconut shell and

sand in terms of cost and quality.

Significance of the Study

This study was prompted by the desire to investigate whether

coconut shell would be possible to be used as reinforcing activities in making

hollow blocks or as materials replacement for sand. The researcher fined ways

on how to make it very useful materials and believe that the study will help the

government to reduce the quarrying of sand that causes the imbalance of our

natural resources. The researchers believe that the findings of this study

beneficial of the following:

 Environment. Help to impact in reducing the quarrying of sand

that cause damage to our bodies of water and imbalance our

natural resources consequently, and as an environmental , it also

gives a big help in our sustainable development.

 Government and Industry. To prevent environmental problems

in our industry and to have a better sources of local CHB and to

avoid quarrying of sand so that our government can minimize to

finance the environmental destruction as well as natural disaster.

 Hollow Block Manufacture. This study will serve as challenge to

manufactures to come up with a better quality hallow blocks

which will meet the appropriate standards and specifications of

codes requirements which can be accomplished by following the

 proper procedure of manufacturing them. Thereby, delivering

better services to their clients.

 Researchers. Serve as basis or reference for future related

studies, search for knowledge or in general any systematic

investigation to establish facts.

Scope and the Limitation of the Study

The researcher set limits and bounds in order to focus its target to

the objective of the study and then possibility of attaining within time frame. The

study was delimited to manufacture hollow blocks using coconut shell and sand.

It also deals to determine the compressive strength of each sample and the

design mix in terms of percentage of coconut shell and sand that produces high

strength in compression that will satisfy the requirements of ASTM and also in

costing. The materials and coconut shell to be used for sampling was taken

locally within Calbayog City. The compressive machine or the UTM (Universal

Testing Machine) was the instrument used for determining the compressive

strength.

Definition of Terms

Compressive Strength. Compressive Strength refers to the minimum

compressive strength for non-load bearing concrete hollow blocks which is equal

to 3.45 Mpa or 500 psi. For individual strength.

Non-Bearing Concrete Hollow Blocks. Blocks which are intended for walls,

partitions, fences, or dividers carrying its own weight whose thickness ranges

from 7.5 cm to 10 cm.

Hollow Masonry Units. Is a masonry whose net cross-section areas (solid

areas) in any plane parallel to the surface containing cores, cells or deep frogs in

less than 75 percent its gross cross-sectional are measured in the same plane.

Concrete. Concrete is a hard strong substance made by mixing sand and gravel

or crushed stone cement and water.

Environment. Constructed surroundings that provide the setting for human

activity, ranging from large scale civic surroundings to the personal places.

Moisture Content. Moisture content is the weight of water present in the unit

weight of dry sample.

Curing. Curing is essential process for controlling the condition of humidity and

temperature in which the mix maintained for the right length of the time until it is

fully hardened.

Sieve Analysis. Sieve Analysis is a method used to determine the grained size

distribution of soil.

Unit weight. Unit weight is the weight density, that is, the weight of soil per unit

volume.
 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Some of literature and studies were scrutinized by the researchers to come up

with substances and information needed to substantiate the significance of the

present investigation.

Related Literature

Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound

together by mortar (though the word “masonry” sometimes means the stones,

rather than the act of art of building, particularly in the expression “falling

masonry” used in reports of fires and earthquakes). The common materials of

masonry construction are brick, stone such as marble, granite, travertine,

limestone, concrete block, glass block and tile. Masonry is generally a highly

durable form of construction. However, the materials used, the quality of the

mortar and the workmanship, and the pattern the units are put in can strongly

affect the durability of overall masonry construction.

Masonry is one of mankind’s oldest building materials and also one that is least

understood. Misconceptions regarding its behavior have led, over the years, to

serious misuse of the material through inadequate or even non-existent design

procedures. Added to this, the poor construction practices have worsen the

situation. However, perhaps because of considerable amount of information and

data available today and sound design techniques and improved manufacturing

process, vastly improved construction practices have evolved in the recent years.
Over the years, new forms of hollow structural masonry have evolved from the

traditional bricks. A wall does more than enclosing a building in an attractive

form; it must have strength to support floors and roofs and should resist wind and

earthquake effects. It must give adequate protection against noise, heat/cold and

damage due to fire. Brickwork is inherently brittle and hence needs to be

reinforced if it has to carry tensile stresses.

Load bearing masonry supports its own weight as well as the dead and live loads

of the structure and all lateral wind and seismic forces. Non-load bearing

masonry (including fills) also resist lateral loads and may support its own weight

for the full height of the building or be wholly supported by the structure at each

floor level. Solid masonry is built of solid units and hence is inconvenient to

reinforce. (http://rosarians08.multiply.com/journal/item/31)

Related Studies
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Discussed in this chapter are the chapter are the research design, sampling

procedure, data gathering procedure, test procedure and data analysis and

finally the manufacturing process. These served as guide for further conduct of

the study.

Research Design

The study utilized the descriptive method of research in manufacturing hollow

blocks using coconut shell with cement as binder. To satisfy the objective of the

study. Our manufactured sample hollow blocks will be subjected to testing in

order to obtain and compare each respective cost and strength.

Sampling Procedure

This research study will utilize coconut shell as material use in fabricating non-

load bearing hollow blocks. The researchers will take different coconut shells on

different areas to supply for the require amount during the trial operation

processes. The design mix will be measure by weight using the proportion will be

prepared by the researchers and take one sample from each different design

mixtures for comparison.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers first identify the necessary data procedure and analysis that

must be needed in the conduct of the study. The following are the test

procedures and data analysis.

1. Grading / Sieve Analysis

A. Test Procedure

 Write down the weight of each sieve as well as the bottom pan to be used

in the analysis.

 Record the weight of the given dry sample.

 Make sure that all sieves are clean, and assemble them in the ascending

order of sieve numbers (#4 sieve at top and #200 sieve at bottom). Place

the ban below #200 sieve. Carefully pour soil sample into the top sieve

and place the cap over it.

 Place the sieve stack in the mechanical shaker and shake for 10 minutes.

 Remove the stack from the shaker and carefully weigh and record the

weight of each sieve with its retained soil. In addition, remember to weigh

and record the weight of the bottom pan with its retained fine soil.

B. Data Analysis

 Obtain the mass of the sand retained on each sieve by subtracting the

weight of the empty sieve from mass of the sieve retained sand, and
 record this mass as the weight retained on the data sheet. The sum of

these retained masses should be approximately equals the initial mass of

the sand sample. A loss of more than two percent is unsatisfactory.

 Calculate the percent retained on each sieve by dividing the weight

retained on each sieve by original sample mass.

 Calculate the percent passing (or percent finer) by starting with 100

percent and subtracting the percent retained on each sieve as a

cumulative procedure.

3. Unit Weight of Sand

 Get the weight of an empty container.

 Carefully fill the container with water and get its weight.

 Get the volume of the water itself by subtracting weight of container +

water into the weight of empty container.

 Get the volume of water or container by dividing weight of water over the

unit weight of water which is equal to 1000 kg/cu.m

 Get the weight of the oven-dried sand plus container.

 Get the weight of oven dried sand itself by subtracting oven-dried sand

plus container into weight of container.

 Compute the unit weight of the sand by dividing the oven-dried sand over

the volume of water or container.

4. Moisture Content of CHB Samples:

A. Test Procedure

 Weigh the dry CHB samples.

 Soak the dry CHB samples into a barrel containing fresh water within 24

hours and weigh.

B. Data Analysis

 Obtain the mass of dry CHB samples.

 Obtain the mass of wet CHB samples.

 Calculate the percentage of each CHB samples by subtracting the mass

of wet CHB samples into mass of dry samples times 100%.

 Maximum percentage passing is equal to 45%. Exceeding 45% will be

considered as failed.