**3. Experiments with industrial waste as stabilizers for mud concrete**

The initial experiment was conducted to replace cement with raw fly ash, bottom ash and rice husk ash as shown in **Figure 9** as it is and found that those materials cannot improve the strength. The obtained results show that rather than stabilizing the soil, these materials unbound the clay and reduce the strength lower than 2 N/mm2 [14, 16, 28].

The initial mix raw ash experiment was a failure without achieving any strength shown in **Figures 10**–**12**. But then, further study showed that the alkaline activation of ash can build a much better mixture than using it in raw. Therefore, a new experiment was conducted to develop alkaline-activated ash to develop a much stronger mud concrete block. This was invented in 2007 to describe the alumino silicate binders, which is formed by the alkali activation of a source material that is rich in content of aluminum and silicon [29]. These binders have superior properties that promote them as cement replacement materials. Geopolymer can utilize precursors

**Figure 9.** Fly ash, bottom ash, and rice husk ash.

**Figure 10.** Fly ash.

than 2 N/mm2

162 Cement Based Materials

**Figure 8.** Cashew resin.

. In addition to the strength, pines-stabilized mud concrete gives a courteous

[14, 16, 28].

smell and a reddish color. This can lead to developing architectural block. Therefore, these polymers can be developed to make earth blocks. But the issue was the mass production, and

The initial experiment was conducted to replace cement with raw fly ash, bottom ash and rice husk ash as shown in **Figure 9** as it is and found that those materials cannot improve the strength. The obtained results show that rather than stabilizing the soil, these materials

The initial mix raw ash experiment was a failure without achieving any strength shown in **Figures 10**–**12**. But then, further study showed that the alkaline activation of ash can build a much better mixture than using it in raw. Therefore, a new experiment was conducted to develop alkaline-activated ash to develop a much stronger mud concrete block. This was invented in 2007 to describe the alumino silicate binders, which is formed by the alkali activation of a source material that is rich in content of aluminum and silicon [29]. These binders have superior properties that promote them as cement replacement materials. Geopolymer can utilize precursors

**3. Experiments with industrial waste as stabilizers for mud concrete**

there are so many other alternative uses of these polymers and resins.

unbound the clay and reduce the strength lower than 2 N/mm2

**Figure 9.** Fly ash, bottom ash, and rice husk ash.

**Figure 11.** Bottom ash.

**Figure 12.** Rice husk ash.

from many industrial by-products fly ash (FA), bottom ash and rice husk ash. These by-products are usually disposed in landfills, which create serious environmental concerns.

The study shows the use of NaOH, and salt combination can activate the fly ash into the cementitious property. The process of geopolymerization is shown in **Figure 14**. Also known as polycondensation of alumina silicate bonds into jelly particle, they finally create the bond. This is not a novel concept; see Section "Introduction". However, this is the first time geopolymerization is an experiment with mud. The idea of stabilizing mud and developing mud-based mixture is to develop quick flow self-compacting mixture to alter a traditional compressed earth block technology. It was the mother research of this study which has found that utilizing mud can develop self-compacting mixture to alter com-

Alternative Stabilizer for Mud Concrete http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76065 165

The experimental programme started with a varying activator to identify the optimum alkaline solution to stable the mud concrete block as shown in **Table 7**. This is due to the different alumina silicate composition in the soil. However, after that, the salt content to dissolve the activator was identified. The results show that the optimum of 2% of the dry weight of the mixture can get the optimum strength for mud concrete block. And then, a profound mix was developed to test the required moisture content to make the mixture. For the mud concrete, the moisture ratio is critical to making a self-compacting mixture. The idea of self-compacting

**Soil Fly ash Activator Salt Water Number of test blocks** 27,300 g 20% 7000 g 0.00% 0 g 2.00% 700 g 20.00% 6sundry 3ovendry 26,950 g 20% 7000 g 1.00% 350 g 2.00% 700 g 20.00% 6sundry 3ovendry 26,600 g 20% 7000 g 2.00% 700 g 2.00% 700 g 20.00% 6sundry 3ovendry 26,250 g 20% 7000 g 3.00% 1050 g 2.00% 700 g 20.00% 6sundry 3ovendry 25,900 g 20% 7000 g 4.00% 1400 g 2.00% 700 g 20.00% 6sundry 3ovendry 25,550 g 20% 7000 g 5.00% 1750 g 2.00% 700 g 20.00% 6sundry 3ovendry

pressed earth blocks [30].

is to reduce the energy consumption of the mixture.

**Figure 14.** Experimenting with polymerizing mud concrete.

**Table 7.** Experimental mix design for geopolymerizing fly ash-based mud mixture.
