Paper Title
Structural Characteristics Of Alternative Masonry Units

Abstract
- Now a day�s stabilized mud blocks & solid concrete blocks are widely used as an alternative to the conventional clay bricks for masonry construction. These blocks are a type of masonry unit manufactured by precast technique. The demand of natural sand in the construction industry has increased a lot resulting in the reduction of sources and an increase in price. Thus, an increased need to identify a suitable substitute that is eco-friendly and inexpensive quarry dust being extensively used as an alternative to the sand in the production of concrete blocks. The paper deals with an experimental study on the influence of soil type and replacing sand by quarry dust for Stabilized mud block and solid concrete blocks respectively.The Stabilized mud block where red soil has been used have been prepared by using 5% cement except in SMB 10and SMB 11. In these SMB 10and SMB 11, 7% and 10% of Cement has been used respectively. Both Lime and combination of Lime and Cement has been used as the stabilizer for preparing the Stabilized mud block of black cotton soil. Four different percentages of lime has been tried (5%, 7.5%, 10% and 12.5%). Further 5% Lime and 2.5% cement has also been used. The present investigation has taken up to know the characteristics of hand moulded solid concrete blocks produced, both hand mixing and machine mixing has been tried. These types of blocks can be produced in remote areas. Two proportions of concrete have been tried without admixtures and both partial (i.e.50% ) and complete replacement of sand has been tried. Key words- Soil, Cement, Lime, Quarry dust, Compressive strength, Stress-Strain relationships,