Arumala, J. O. (2014, June), Kenaf Building Blocks  Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana. 10.18260/1-2--20729

\bibitem{asee_peer_20729}
  Arumala, J. O. (2014, June), \emph{Kenaf Building Blocks}
  Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana.
  10.18260/1-2--20729

Joseph O. Arumala.  "Kenaf Building Blocks".  2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2014.  https://peer.asee.org/20729 Internet.  29 Jun, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_20729}
  Joseph O. Arumala.
  "Kenaf Building Blocks".
  \emph{2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2014.
  https://peer.asee.org/20729 Internet.  29 Jun, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_20729
author = "Joseph O. Arumala"
title = "Kenaf Building Blocks"
booktitle = "2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2014"
month = "June"
address = "Indianapolis, Indiana"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/20729}
number = {10.18260/1-2--20729}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -                                   Kenaf Building Blocks                             Dr. Joseph O. Arumala. PE, F. ASCE University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Department of Technology, Princess Anne, Maryland,                                           USA                                 Email: joarumala@umes.eduAbstract. Kenaf fibers are emerging as promising alternative building materials that will providea much needed boost to the construction industry. The objective of this investigation is to useKenaf, a fast growing sustainable agricultural fiber to produce wall building blocks as analternative to using wood products for wall construction in buildings. The aim is to produce alow-cost wall building material that will provide affordable housing to meet global housing need.The method employed is to use a low-energy and cost effective process to make kenaf blocks bymixing kenaf, an agricultural fiber, with Magnesium Oxychloride cement, an organic binder andwater to produce a matrix that can be placed in molds to produce the blocks. The blocks madeare light weight with an average weight of 10.365 pounds, an average unit weight of 78.79pounds per cubic foot and have an average compressive strength of 2768.68 psi with a maximumstrength of 3515 psi, which is sufficient for walls in one story construction. The blocks gainedcompressive strength steadily attaining about 50% of the target strength in 15 days. The blocksmade are light weight and strong and may be very cost effective when used in one storybuildings. Several undergraduate Construction Management Technology students were involvedin material procurement, mix design, production and testing of the kenaf blocks. These studentslearnt the basic principles of research pertaining to alternative building materials.Keywords: Sustainable Agricultural-based Fibers, Kenaf blocks, Magnesium Oxychloridecement, wood-based fiber products, maximum average compressive strength.
AU  - Joseph O. Arumala
CY  - Indianapolis, Indiana
DA  - 2014/06/15
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Kenaf Building Blocks
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/20729
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--20729
ER  -