Structural behavior of the doubly curved shell structure using mud-concrete (MC)

Abstract

Mud-Concrete is a concrete material which uses soil as its primary binding material. Mud-concrete deviates from typical concrete mixture by replacing sand and granite coarse aggregates with a graded soil. When mud-concrete is used as a walling material, initial cost and operational cost is comparatively low compared with that of cement brick or burned bricks walls. The environmental impact of the mud concrete is significantly low compared with other building materials. This paper presents the possibility of developing a doubly curved earthen slab system using mud-concrete to achieve demands of economy, environment and aesthetics. The work presented in this paper is broadly aimed towards developing an earthen slab system for housing in Sri Lanka. The main objectives of this research are to; • Propose a feasible structural system for an earthen slab system • Develop a practical construction sequence for the proposed slab system • Evaluate economic and environmental viability of the proposed slab system To fulfil both environmental and economical demands in the construction industry; reducing the cost and labour expenses nearly 50% compared with that of traditional reinforced concrete slab systems. A I m x I m prototype mud-concrete slab was constructed to check the potential for modular construction with a square footprint. Poured mud-concrete shell of 50 mm thickness is the primary structural component, while a non-structural mud-concrete filling to a horizontal/eve/ 50 mm from apex was used to create a usable floor surface. Masonry mould method was used as the form work system for the construction considering its cost effectiveness and ease of construction.