Study of the Thermal and Mechanical Performance of Laterite Blocks Mixed with Néré Pod for the Thermal Insulation of Buildings

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study on the characterization of local materials used in the construction of buildings. These materials are laterite blocks associated with rates ranging between 0% and 16% with a pace of 4% of Néré pod. We observed that the thermal conductivity decreases and as the Néré pod rate increases. But it gets stabilized at 14-16% with a corresponding value of 0.427W / (m.K). The compressive strength is observed for these same value rates of Néré pod. We found that the compressive strength of the various formulations decrease as the additive rate increases; it decreases by  when we add 4% of Néré pod and by 41.96% when adding 8% of Néré pod. We find that the compressive strength improves when the Néré pod dosing rate is higher than 8%. In this case it is reduced by 19.6%. This rate is 15.63% when we had 12% and 16% of Néré pod respectively. The ripening of the various formulations was also observed. particularly the LG8%; As a result the thermal conductivity and the compressive strength increase with the length of stay of the Néré pod in the laterite. However. the 9th day remains the maximum duration of ripening which improves the compressive strength of the LG8% formulation as it increases from at day 0 to in 1.874 MPa  the 9th day; this value is reduced by at the 12th day of ripening. The decrease in compressive strength in the 12th day is probably due to the decay of plant material i.e. the Néré pod.