Characteristics of unfired soil blocks stabilized with industrial waste and agricultural waste

The problem of pollution is on daily rise and environment protection is becoming challengeable task due to production of fired bricks and improper disposal of waste materials. This experimental investigation is conducted on unfired compacted soil block stabilized with waste materials. The waste materials utilized in this investigation were paddy straw fiber, sugarcane bagasse ash and marble dust because of their improper disposal and burning of paddy straw is one of them. Marble dust was put on at distinct percentages in the span of 25% to 35%, bagasse ash and paddy straw fibers (75mm length) were also added in varied %age. Experiments were conducted on the blocks to determine the compaction properties and compressive strength of the blocks. The outcome of this experimentation determined that the light weight unfired admixed soil block is achievable with optimum amount of waste materials. Also, inclusion of marble dust in soil block admixed with bagasse ash and paddy straw fiber increases the compressive strength.

Durability and Fire Performance of Charred Wood Siding (Shou Sugi Ban)

Shou sugi ban, also known as yakisugi, or just sugi ban, is an aesthetic wood surface treatment that involves charring the surface of dimensional lumber, such as exterior cladding. The goal of this research is to examine the effect of shou sugi ban on the flammability and decay resistance of wood. Several species and variants of commercially available sugi ban were tested. The flammability was examined from the heat release rate curves using the oxygen consumption method and cone calorimeter. Durability was examined with a soil block assay for one white-rot fungus and one brown-rot fungus. The testing showed that the shou sugi ban process did not systematically improve the flammability or durability of the siding

Antagonistic Properties and Screening of Bacillus Velezensis Nhw-B72 against Wood Fungal Decay

(1) Background: Wood decay is a serious issue that results from the presence of wood-destroying fungi and has a great influence on the international wood industry. The utilization of biological control methods offers good prospects for wood preservation. (2) Methods: The plate-screening experiment, the soil block test of the Chinese stand method (GB/T 13942.1), and the characterization of wood blocks were used to achieve biological control of brown rot and white rot. (3) Results: Through isolation, screening, and identification, the antagonistic bacterium Bacillus velezensis Nhw-B72 strain was obtained. In the plate-screening experiment, the inhibition zone diameter of Nhw-B72 for Gloeophyllum trabeum was 1.68 cm and that for Coriolus versicolor was 2.33 cm. After inhibition, the morphology of mycelia was distorted, malformed, and broken. In the soil block test, the average weight loss percentage of wood blocks in the control group was 61.66%. In the treatment group, the average weight loss percentage of the wood blocks with drying was 28.18% and that of the wood blocks without drying was 34.97%. (4) Conclusions: The strain has an obvious antagonistic effect on the wood-destroying fungi and the sterile fermentative liquid can effectively inhibit wood decay. In addition, compared to the drying of wood blocks, the air-drying of blocks after impregnation with the fermentative liquid had a better inhibition effect.

Finite element modelling of interlocking stabilized laterite soil block walls

This study sought to use the stress–strain relationship of interlocking stabilized soil block (ISSB) masonry to model its behaviour and develop empirical formulae to aid in predicting its compressive strength. A finite element (FE) analysis adopting the Rankine failure criterion was performed using Abaqus software to simulate the deformability behaviour of the wall which was validated through experimental tests. The compressive strength, modulus of elasticity and density of ISSB defined in the FE model were determined by performing laboratory tests on laterite soil blocks stabilized with pozzolanic cement, hydrated lime and rice husk ash. Conversely, the predictive empirical formulae for the compressive strength of the ISSB masonry was developed by performing statistical multiple regression analysis. In addition to the mechanical properties of masonry, the FE simulation results indicated that the deformability behaviour of ISSB masonry is influenced by the type of stabilizer used on the target material. This dictated the stress distribution and vertical displacement on the masonry. A diagonally stepped failure mode was experienced in more brittle masonry while cone failure mode was observed in less brittle masonry assemblage.

Analisis Anggaran Parsial dan Usahatani Teknik Semai pada Budidaya Bawang Merah True Shallot Seed (Partial and Farm Budget Analysis of Some Sowing Techniques in TSS Cultivation)

<p>Penelitian ini diarahkan untuk mendapatkan informasi kelayakan ekonomis berbagai cara semai serta melakukan analisis usahatani budidaya true shallot seed (TSS). Percobaan dilakukan di Brebes, Jawa Tengah, April–September 2017. Rancangan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok dengan enam kombinasi perlakuan metode semai (sebar, garit, dan soil-block) dan umur semai (30 dan 45 hari). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa cara semai soil-block umur 30 hari menghasilkan bobot umbi tertinggi. Produksi per hektar semai soil-block umur 30 hari adalah 29,3 ton/ha (bobot segar) atau 17,7 ton/ha (bobot kering). Indikator B/C ratio tertinggi (0,75) dan tingkat pengembalian marjinal tertinggi (27,769%) mengindikasikan bahwa cara soil-block umur 45 hari merupakan perlakuan yang paling ekonomis. Harga per semaian berkisar antara Rp37,6 – 42,6 sehingga biaya total semaian adalah Rp24,4 – 27,7 juta per hektar. Biaya sebesar ini berpotensi menghapus salah satu advantage penggunaan TSS karena tidak lebih murah dibanding biaya benih umbi per hektar. Walaupun menunjukkan potensi hasil cukup tinggi (18–29 ton/ha), namun karena efisiensi lahan rendah (54%) serta susut bobot tinggi (56%) maka probabilitas mengalami kerugian masih cukup tinggi. Hasil studi menyarankan penelitian lanjutan yang diarahkan untuk menekan biaya produksi semaian, meningkatkan produktivitas, meningkatkan efisiensi lahan, dan menurunkan susut bobot umbi.</p><p><strong>Keywords</strong></p><p>Benih biji botani; Cara semai; Kelayakan ekonomis; Analisis anggaran parsial </p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>The study aimed to assess the economic feasibility of sowing methods and farm-budget of TSS cultivation. A trial was conducted in Brebes, Central Java (April–September 2017). RCBD with six treatment combinations of sowing method and sowing age, and four replications was employed. Results indicate that seedlings from soil block (30 days) produce the highest tuber weight. The fresh yield of using soil-block (30 days) is 29.3 tons/ha, while the dry yield is 17.7 tons/ha. Based on the highest B/C ratio and highest marginal rate of return, the soil-block (45 days) is assessed as the most feasible sowing method. The cost per seedling ranges from IDR 37.6 – 42.6, thus the total seedling cost is IDR 24.4 – 27.7 millions/ha. This may potentially eliminate one advantage of using TSS because the seedling cost is not lower than the cost of purchasing seed bulbs. Producing high fresh yield (18 – 29 tons/ha) could not compensate low land efficiency (54%) and high weight loss (56%), so that the loss probability is still quite high. The study recommends further works needed to lower seedling cost, increase yield, increase land efficiency, and reduce the bulb weight loss.</p>

Innovation in Wood Preservation

The wood preservation industry has depended on toxicity as a mechanism of effectiveness against decay fungi to extend the life of wood used in adverse conditions. An alternative to toxicity, however, is to study and understand the mechanism of fungal attack and stop it before it can start. Knowing that fungi need moisture for colonization, a new approach to wood preservation is to lower the cell wall moisture content below that needed for fungal attack. Acetylation chemistry is known to reduce the moisture content in the cell wall, and it was used to study moisture levels in the bulk cell wall and in the isolated cell wall polymers. Resistance to brown-rot was determined using a 12-week soil block test with Gloeophyllum trabeum. Weight loss was measured and an analysis of what was lost was determined.