Ternary and quaternary blends as partial replacement of cement to produce hollow sandcrete blocks.

Hollow sandcrete blocks constitute more than 90% of residential building construction in developing countries especially in West Africa. Over-reliance on dredged river sands and conventional ordinary Portland cement (OPC) contributes to environmental degradation and post-construction problems such as swelling and shrinkage-induced cracks prevalent in construction projects. The study investigates potential utilization of locally available materials such as laterite, calcite and calcined clay as ternary and quaternary blends to replace cement and quarry dust as 100% replacement of river sand with the aid of Taguchi-Response surface methodology approach. Optimum ternary blend of 24% calcined clay +1% calcite +75% OPC is recommended to achieve volume stability, higher compressive strength and higher flexural load capacity. Alternatively, ternary blends of 24% calcite +4% calcined clay +72% OPC can also be utilized. The improved mechanical properties were attributed to the Na- and Ca-rich aluminosilicates provided by the blended cements. Successful utilization of ternary and quaternary blended cements to produce stronger, durable and eco-friendly sandcrete blocks depends on utilization of high binder-to-aggregate ratio, optimal combination of the constituents, appropriate water-cement ratio and curing/production method. Partial and 100% replacement of river sand with granite dust is possible and contributes to reduction of environmental problems caused by river dredging as well as cleaner, ecofriendly construction. Ternary and quaternary blended cements is recommended to avert post-construction problems such as swelling and shrinkage-induced cracks prevalent in construction projects.

Structural development and stability of rice Oryza sativa L. var. Nerica 1.

The structural development of glasshouse-grown rice Oryza sativa L. var. Nerica 1 was studied in relation to its stability against lodging. The morphology and mechanical properties of both the stem and roots were examined from tillering, 4 weeks after transplantation up to maturity, together with plant weight distribution and anchorage strength. The "factors of safety" against root and stem failure were subsequently calculated throughout development. Rice plants showed similar morphology to wheat, although they possessed around twice as many tillers per plant and 10 times as many coronal roots. The mechanics of anchorage were also similar. The strength and rigidity of individual tillers increased throughout development as the plants grew taller and heavier and were around 15 times greater than in wheat. By contrast, individual root bending strength, the number of roots, and the anchorage strength levelled off earlier, and anchorage strength was only around twice that in wheat. Consequently, while the self-weight safety factor against stem failure was much higher than in wheat, increasing until late on in development from around 30 to 150, the self-weight safety factor against root anchorage failure was similar to wheat, decreasing from around 15 to 5. Consequently, plants subjected to anchorage tests always failed in their root system rather than their shoot system. The results suggest that, in the field, rice plants would be more likely to undergo root lodging than stem lodging, and that breeding efforts to reduce the incidence of lodging should act to strengthen the rather weak coronal roots.