Mechanical characterization of adobe with natural fiber in the andean zone of Bolivia

Abstract

Adobe is a material made of soil, natural fiber “Stipa ichu”, (a kind of straw found in the Andean zone of Bolivia, locally known as “Paja Brava”) and water, which is used as a sustainable masonry alternative widely used for housing construction in the Andean region of Bolivia. Currently, in several countries there is a renewed interest in this material for use in ecological social housing construction projects and restoration of heritage buildings with great historical value. The objective of the research is to analyze the mechanical properties of adobe manufactured in the Andean zone of Bolivia using percentages of 0.0, 0.4, 1.0 and 2.0% natural fiber. The appropriate adobe preparation proportions and its mechanical characteristics for the design were achieved, taking into account strength and deformation. The methodology applied consisted of characterizing the soil used, shaping adobe samples both in blocks and in cylindrical specimens, and determining the mechanical properties through simple compression tests, flexural tests, triaxial tests and tests with ultrasound equipment. Finally, comparisons of the results are made in order to determine the relationship between the percentage of natural fiber and the mechanical properties of the samples.