Quality assessment of sandcrete blocks produced in Adeta, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

The durability of a building is determined to a great extent by the quality of materials used in its construction. Sandcrete block is a major building material in Nigeria. This research assessed the quality of blocks produced in Adeta, Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. Eight block factories were selected from the study area and the quality of their blocks were measured for their water absorption ratios and compressive strengths and compared with the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) specifications. Six samples each of size 450mm x 225mm x 225mm per factory were tested. Experimental findings revealed that the absorption rate of the sandcrete blocks were higher than the 12% specification. The compressive strengths of the blocks which ranges from 0.19N/mm 2 to 0.40N/mm 2 fall below the minimum specification of 2.5N/mm 2 . Inadequate mix ratio is a factor that resulted in the poor quality sandcrete blocks produced in the area.