With the high demand for affordable housing in developing nations, locally sourced materials have become a significant focus for cost-effective and sustainable building solutions. This study investigates the durability and water absorption characteristics of sandcrete blocks made from locally sourced materials, including sharp sand, laterite, and ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Blocks were produced with a mix ratio of 1:6 (cement:sand), 1:4:2 (cement:sharp sand:laterite), and 1:3:3, respectively, maintaining a water-cement ratio of 0.5. The samples were cured for 7, 14, and 28 days and tested for water absorption, compressive strength, and visual durability under wet-dry cycles. Compressive strength at 28 days reached 4.57 N/mm² for laterite-enhanced samples compared to 3.88 N/mm² for standard sandcrete. Water absorption was 9.8% for standard mix and 7.3% for laterite mix. Blocks with laterite exhibited better durability under cyclic wetting and drying conditions. Locally sourced sandcrete blocks with laterite are suitable for low-cost housing in rural areas with moderate environmental exposure.
Emekwisia et al. (Wed,) studied this question.