Drivers and their Relationship with Inhibitors Influencing the Adoption of Stabilized Earth Construction to Alleviate Urban Housing Crisis in Zimbabwe

2014 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
pp. 119-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Sharif Zami
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Urban Housing ◽  
Housing Crisis ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Interview Method ◽  
Earth Construction ◽  
Widespread Adoption ◽  
To Come

Addressing urban housing crisis is an enormous challenge for most of the African countries due to the increasing cost of the building material. Zimbabwe is no exception having the same challenges with urban housing crisis. As a matter of fact the conventional construction material is not affordable considering the current economic hardship faced by the majority Zimbabweans. Therefore, an appropriate alternative construction material and technique is essential which can alleviate urban housing crisis in Zimbabwe. The success of the experimented stabilised earth construction projects of urban houses in Zimbabwe widens avenues considering this construction material as an appropriate alternative to the conventional ones and finding out the potential drivers that can help adoption of this technology. This paper aims to refine the drivers and establish its interrelationship with inhibitors with the help of in-depth interview method. First, a critical literature review method is used to come up with a generic list the inhibitors and drivers influencing the adoption of this technology. Second, the identified inhibitors and drivers refined through a series of in-depth interviews to establish drivers and inhibitors influencing the widespread adoption of stabilised earth to address urban low cost housing crisis in Zimbabwe. Third, the analysis of drivers and inhibitors interrelationship understand show the widespread adoption of stabilised earth construction can alleviate urban housing crisis in Zimbabwe.

scholarly journals Effects of repeated hydraulic loads on microstructure and hydraulic behaviour of a compacted clayey silt

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Azizi ◽  
Guido Musso ◽  
Cristina Jommi
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Earth Construction ◽  
Hydraulic Behaviour ◽  
Clayey Silt ◽  
The Impact

Soils used in earth construction projects are mostly unsaturated, and they undergo frequent drying–wetting cycles (repeated hydraulic loads) due to changes in climatic conditions or variations of the ground water level, particularly at shallow depths. After compaction, changes in water content can significantly influence the hydromechanical response of the construction material, which therefore must be assessed for repeated hydraulic loads. This research investigates the effect of such loads on the microstructure and hydraulic behaviour of a silty soil, typically used in the construction of embankments and dykes, with the aim of providing a better understanding of the consequences of drying–wetting cycles on the response of the material over time. Experimental tests were performed to study the impact of drying–wetting cycles on the water retention, hydraulic conductivity, and fabric of compacted specimens. Fabric changes are documented to take place even without significant volumetric strains, promoting an irreversible increase in the hydraulic conductivity and a reduction in the capacity to retain water compared to the as-compacted soil. The fabric changes are interpreted and quantified by means of a hydromechanical model, which accounts for the evolving pore-size distribution at different structural levels. The proposed model reproduces quite well the microstructural observations, together with the evolution of the water retention behaviour and hydraulic conductivity.

scholarly journals Positioning for success: building capacity in academic competencies for early-career researchers in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Merritt ◽  
H. Jack ◽  
W. Mangezi ◽  
D. Chibanda ◽  
M. Abas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Early Career Researchers ◽  
Academic Competencies ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background. Capacity building is essential in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to address the gap in skills to conduct and implement research. Capacity building must not only include scientific and technical knowledge, but also broader competencies, such as writing, disseminating research and achieving work–life balance. These skills are thought to promote long-term career success for researchers in high-income countries (HICs) but the availability of such training is limited in LMICs. Methods. This paper presents the contextualisation and implementation of the Academic Competencies Series (ACES). ACES is an early-career researcher development programme adapted from a UK university. Through consultation between HIC and LMIC partners, an innovative series of 10 workshops was designed covering themes of self-development, engagement and writing skills. ACES formed part of the African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI), a multi-national LMIC-led consortium to recruit, train, support and network early-career mental health researchers from four sub-Saharan African countries. Results. Of the 10 ACES modules, three were HIC-LMIC co-led, four led by HIC facilitators with LMIC training experience and three led by external consultants from HICs. Six workshops were delivered face to face and four by webinar. Course attendance was over 90% and the delivery cost was approximately US$4500 per researcher trained. Challenges of adaptation, attendance and technical issues are described for the first round of workshops. Conclusions. This paper indicates that a skills development series for early-career researchers can be contextualised and implemented in LMIC settings, and is feasible for co-delivery with local partners at relatively low cost.

scholarly journals Effect of Different Mineralization Modes on Strengthening Calcareous Sand under Simulated Seawater Conditions

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8265
Author(s):  
Shiyu Liu ◽  
Bowen Dong ◽  
Jin Yu ◽  
Yanyan Cai ◽  
Xingqian Peng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Strength ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Calcareous Sand ◽  
Sand Column ◽  
Sporosarcina Pasteurii ◽  
Phosphate Mineralization ◽  
Filling Water ◽  
Simulated Seawater

Calcareous sand, as a blow-fill or construction material, is widely used in island and reef construction projects in marine environments after treatment. When microorganism-induced mineralization is used to strengthen calcareous sand, salinity and other conditions in the marine environment will adversely affect microorganisms or their mineralization process. For this reason, the two environmental conditions created by deionized water and simulated seawater were introduced to explore their effects on the growth and urease activity of Sporosarcina pasteurii. Then, the changes in the permeability and mechanical strength of calcareous sand under different mineralization methods were compared by one-dimensional sand column tests. Finally, the reinforcement mechanism was compared and analyzed based on the results of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction tests. The results show that Sporosarcina pasteurii can induce carbonate and phosphate precipitation and mineralization to strengthen calcareous sand in simulated seawater. The mineralized products greatly reduce the permeability of calcareous sand and significantly improve the mechanical strength by wrapping calcareous sand particles, filling water seepage channels and cementing adjacent particles. The reinforcement effect of carbonate mineralization is better than that of phosphate mineralization, but phosphate mineralization has less impact on the environment during the treatment process.

scholarly journals Design Optimisation Strategies for Solid Rammed Earth Walls in Mediterranean Climates

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Giada Giuffrida ◽  
Maurizio Detommaso ◽  
Francesco Nocera ◽  
Rosa Caponetto
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Base Material ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Rammed Earth ◽  
Earth Construction ◽  
Material Choice ◽  
Earth Walls ◽  
Raw Earth

The renewed attention paid to raw earth construction in recent decades is linked to its undoubted sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and low embodied energy. In Italy, the use of raw earth as a construction material is limited by the lack of a technical reference standard and is penalised by the current energy legislation for its massive behaviour. Research experiences, especially transoceanic, on highly performative contemporary buildings made with natural materials show that raw earth can be used, together with different types of reinforcements, to create safe, earthquake-resistant, and thermally efficient buildings. On the basis of experimental data of an innovative fibre-reinforced rammed earth material, energy analyses are developed on a rammed earth building designed for a Mediterranean climate. The paper focuses on the influences that different design solutions, inspired by traditional bioclimatic strategies, and various optimised wall constructions have in the improvement of the energy performance of the abovementioned building. These considerations are furthermore compared with different design criteria aiming at minimising embodied carbon in base material choice, costs, and discomfort hours. Results have shown the effectiveness of using the combination of massive rammed earth walls, night cross ventilation, and overhangs for the reduction of energy demand for space cooling and the improvement of wellbeing. Finally, the parametric analysis of thermal insulation has highlighted the economic, environmental, and thermophysical optimal solutions for the rammed earth envelope.

scholarly journals Innovative Use of Low-Cost Digitisation for Smart Information Systems in Construction Projects

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Mostafa Babaeian Jelodar ◽  
Feiya Shu
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Expert Interviews ◽  
Human Intervention ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Implementation Processes ◽  
Is Development

The low-level application of digital tools and information systems in construction implies that many projects cannot meet modern requirements and standard of work of advanced industries. This study adopts a practical and diagnostic approach to identify key attributes and implementation processes of information systems in construction and logistics. To have triangulation of knowledge, a three-step methodology is adopted. Initially an exploratory analysis of previous literature is performed. Secondly a diagnostic analysis of IS applications in construction is achieved by case studies. Finally, expert interviews are performed to examine and consolidate the findings. The study illustrated practical and innovative applications of low-cost digital tools in IS development and created a framework for documentation of these discrete and mostly unshared practices. It is recommended that the construction sector should embrace more advance technologies to minimise human intervention and enhance real-time capabilities. The practicality of how different low-cost and off-the-shelf tools and digital platforms can be combined is discussed and demonstrated. The study provides a clear distinction for practitioners and academics as to what is being practiced in comparison to the dominant theories.

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