Effect of Soil Characteristics on the Physico-mechanical Properties of Non-stabilized Compressed Earth Blocks

In an attempt to investigate the effect of soil characteristics on the physico-mechanical behavior of non-stabilized Compressed Earth Blocks (CEBs) produced in Cyprus, four types of locally sourced soils, with different mineralogical/granular composition and plasticity characteristics, have been examined and used for CEB production. A series of tests, including particle-size analysis, Atterberg limits determination, shrinkage and compaction measurements, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses have been carried out to determine the characteristics of the raw materials selected. In addition, compression and three-point bending tests, capillary absorption measurements, thermal conductivity analyses, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses have been conducted to assess the physico-mechanical properties of the CEBs produced. The results indicate that, despite the different granular composition of the soils used, all CEBs produced demonstrate adequate mechanical properties in terms of compressive (over 5 MPa) and flexural (over 0.5 MPa) strength. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirm that the soils investigated are mainly composed of carbonates and silicates at different ratios, in line with their geological origin. The thermal conductivity of all specimens tested ranges between 0.60–0.85 W/mK, while capillary absorption measurements have shown higher sorptivity in the specimens with extended micro-cracks and voids.