Development of Eco-Hollow Block using

Renewable Waste Materials

COC-C2-G12-06-STEM

Cagayan De Oro College

Ms. Daisy Jane De Arca

Adviser
 Chapter I

Introduction

Background of the Study

Hollow block is a type of concrete block used to build interior and exterior

walls. Hollow blocks are utilized in place of conventional bricks while constructing

buildings because it saves wall construction time thanks to their large size and also, due

to its bearing capacity.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reports that the industry's gross domestic

product climbed from 181,395.89 million pesos in the first quarter of 2017 to 240,706.14

million pesos in the second quarter. The industry expanded by 6.3 percent in the second

quarter of 2017. This growth was attributed to increased public and private construction,

business process outsourcing, and public-private partnerships that lead to more

construction facilities. Public and private construction helped sustain tourism. There will

be a greater requirement for construction supplies as there are more initiatives involving

construction. There are many materials to choose from in building construction. One can

either go with cement, brick, wood, or concrete blocks. Due to increased price, primary

binder, such as cement, has become more expensive as well and could hinder low-cost

housing, regional builders face a problem, in terms of construction materials cost.

Many of the wastes that humans produce today have an impact on the land we

live on, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. The majority of the approximately 11.2

billion tonnes of solid garbage collected worldwide, according to the UN, originates from
people. As the issues regarding our environment become more alarming, people have

come up with a way by reducing, reusing, and recycle waste to put them into important

use and use them as materials for other essential needs. In addition to managing this

waste, there is a need to develop methods for doing so in a sustainable manner. In this

study, the renewable waste materials the researchers will use are Wood Ash, Crushed

Waste Glass and Coconut Fibers.

According to Griffin T., (2021), Every year, more than 300,000 tons of wood ash is

produced in this way. One way to dispose of this wood ash is to put it in a landfill. However,

landfill space is getting more expensive and scarcer. Other ash disposal strategies have

been developed as a result. Spreading the ash over fields is one practice that has gained

popularity. Weber, J. (2022) stated that ash has traditionally been utilized as a liming and

low-grade fertilizer by humans. Although wood ash is considered nontoxic. A surprising

number of heavy metals can be found in it (e.g., zinc, nickel, copper, lead, chromium,

arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, among others). There are also studies that mostly

focuses on chemical change in water and stated that wood ash can have negative effects

on people, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, in sufficient concentrations.

Whereas, glass is a transparent material that is used in the manufacture of

materials such as flat glass, bottles, glassware, and any other container glass. It is a non-

biodegradable material that may harm the environment. Therefore, some studies tried to

recycle glass to lessen the waste in our environment. According to the study of Gautam

et al. (2012), waste glass can be an excellent material for recycling and it can be used in

different forms in various fields such as in the construction field. They reused waste glass

to make concrete products. Furthermore, a set of geotechnical and environmental tests

natural aggregates in road construction. The recycled waste glass was found to be

equivalent to or superior to natural aggregates in terms of workability, hydraulic

conductivity, and shear strength within the same soil classification, and it demonstrated

the potential to replace natural sand and gravel mixtures in a variety of road applications

(Arulrajah et al, 2012).

In accordance to Britannica (2022), Coconut (Cocos nucifera) fruits are extensively

grown in tropical countries. Coconut Husks are the least recycled organic material aside

from the fact that they are mostly used as burners and fire starters, or just leaving the

husk for nature to take it apart. But the coconut husk is more useful than one may

perceive, they can be utilized as prominent raw materials for environment-friendly bio

composite production.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to develop an eco-hollow block using renewable waste materials.

More specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What will be the yield of the developed Eco-Hollow Block in terms of kilograms

(kg)?

2. What will be the dimension of the developed Eco-hollow block?

3. What will be the density of the developed Eco-hollow block?

4. How much will the developed Eco-hollow block’s water absorption?

5. Will there be a potential shrinkage characteristics of the developed eco- hollow

block?
 6. What will be the result of the Field Test for the developed Eco-Hollow Block in

terms of:

a. Drop Test

b. Corner Test

c. Chisel Test

d. Nail Test

7. Will there be a significant difference between the Developed Eco-Hollow Block and

the standard concrete Hollow Block using t-test for two independent sample?

8. Will there be a significant relationship between the effectiveness of using

renewable waste materials and the development of an eco-hollow block?

Hypotheses

Null Hypothesis (𝑯𝒐 ): There is no significant difference between the Developed

Eco-Hollow Block and the standard concrete Hollow Block.

Alternative Hypothesis (𝑯𝒂 ): There is a significant difference between the

Developed Eco-Hollow Block and the standard concrete Hollow Block.

Null Hypothesis (𝑯𝒐 ): There is no significant relationship between the

effectiveness of using renewable waste materials and the development of an eco-hollow

block.

Alternative Hypothesis (𝑯𝒂 ): There is a significant relationship between the

effectiveness of using renewable waste materials and the development of an eco-hollow

block.
Schematic Diagram

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Usage of Renewable Waste Development of Eco-Hollow

 Wood Ash
 Crushed Waste Glass
 Coconut Fibers

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram: Independent and Dependent Variable

Significance of the Study

This study would be greatly beneficial to the construction field. Furthermore, this

study would give important ideas on the Development of Eco- Hollow blocks using

renewable waste material to the following sectors:

Civil Engineers. The finding of this study helps civil engineers to build strong

structures for their projects since we are testing the durability of the eco-hollow blocks.

Environment. This study would be beneficial to the environment. Since our study

will use renewable waste material, it will help to lessen the waste in the environment.

Hollow Block Seller. They would benefit our study because using recycled

material as an alternative material of making hollow blocks reduces the demand for

natural raw materials.

blocks would be cheaper since the material used in it is renewable waste materials.

Future Researchers. The finding of this study would be of great help to future

Researchers to conduct a similar study that would provide further analysis and broader

scope of study in the durability of Eco-Hollow blocks using renewable waste material.

Scope and Delimitations

This study will be conducted throughout the entire School Year 2022-2023 at

Phinma Cagayan De Oro College and Veronilla’s Residence. This study will focus in

developing an Eco-Hollow Block using Renewable Waste Materials. In regards of testing

the Eco-Hollow Block, the researchers will only conduct the following test; Water

Absorption and Field Test. The data analysis of the study will only use t-test for two

independent sample in comparing the developed eco-hollow block and the standard

concrete hollow block.

Definition of Terms

Crushed Waste Glass. It is a transparent material that is used in the manufacture

of materials such as flat glass, bottles, glassware, and any other container glass. In this

study, it is also one of the ingredients that will be used in making the Eco-Hollow Block

and serves as a replacement for sand.

Coconut fibers. – According to Y. Yan, (2016), is a natural fiber that can be

obtained from the cotton flax plant and is used to make things like floor mats, doormats,

brushes, and mattresses. The fibrous substance known as coir is found in a coconut
between the tough interior shell and the outer layer. In this study, it is one of the

ingredients that will be used in order to create the Eco-Hollow Block and serves as the

fiber reinforcement.

Corner Test. In this study, it is one of the Field Test and will be used to determine

the durability of the Developed Eco-Hollow Block.

Dimension. According to Collins, (2022), A dimension is a measurement such as

length, width, or height. In this study, it is used in knowing the size or measurements of

the developed Eco-Hollow Block.

Drop Test. In this study, it is one of the Field Test and will be used to determine

the durability of the Developed Eco-Hollow Block.

Drying Shrinkage. Drying shrinkage is a consequence of loss of moisture from

hardened concrete to the environment (Di Bella, C., 2016). In this study, it serves as one

of the test for the testing of the developed Eco- Hollow Block and to determine whether

the developed Eco-Hollow Block will shrink or not.

Fiber reinforcement. According to Constro Facilitator, (2020), Fiber Reinforced

Concrete is a composite material consisting of fibrous material which increases its

structural integrity. In this study, it is used as one of the components of the Eco-Hollow

Block.

Nail Test. In this study, it serves as one of the Field Test and will be used to know

the resistance and durability of the developed Eco- Hollow Block.

replenished, generation after generation. In this study, it serves as the independent

variable and it also serves as the main ingredients for the development of the Eco-Hollow

Block.

T-test for two independent sample. According to JMP (2022), The two-sample

t-test (also known as the independent samples t-test) is a method used to test whether

the unknown population means of two groups are equal or not. In this study, it will be

used for the Data Analysis.

Water Absorption. According to Intertek, (n.d.), water absorption is used to

determine the amount of water absorbed under specified conditions. In this study, water

absorption is one of the test that the researchers will use for the testing of the developed

Eco- Hollow Block.

Wood Ash. It is the grey or black powdery substance that is left after a wood is

burnt. In this study, it will be used as an ingredient in making of the Eco-Hollow Block and

serves as a substitute for Cement.

Yield. According to Bridget McCall, (2017), yield is the amount of good product

that makes it to final manufacture from raw material. In this study, it measures the amount

or measurements of ingredients and the production of the developed Eco-Hollow Block.

Review of Related Literature and Studies

This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies in accordance

with Eco- Hollow Block. To be more specific, this review discusses about the development

of Eco-Hollow Block and the usage of Renewable Waste Materials.

Related Literature

Usage of Renewable Waste Materials (Wood Ash, Crushed Waste Glass, Coconut

Fibers)

Wood Ash

Wood ash is a readily available agricultural waste product, according to Chowdhury

(2015), that improves the workability, microstructure quality, and strength of concrete

samples. The pozzolanic effect can improve the essential properties of concrete and,

more crucially, shorten the hydration period. Waste wood ash appears to be a viable

fractional alternative for cement, according to (Ramos et al. 2013), because it enhances

the strength and durability properties of concrete and helps to make it sustainable.

Crushed Waste Glass

Glass, also called shards, is usually found in mixed waste. Statistics even show

that the annual amounts of waste glass are constantly increasing. In 2016, 5% of the

waste that is produced worldwide is used glass (Kaza et al., 2018). Recycling the waste

glass may not be a complete solution therefore finding another use for it could help with

solid waste management. Several studies proved that waste glass can be used as an
alternative aggregate in concrete production. The use of waste glass on concrete not only

recycles waste but also reduces the demand for natural resources. It also contributes to

the reduction of natural aggregate consumption (Upreti, S et al., 2021).

According to Obinna, U. (2022), waste glass and glass powder is effective as

partial replacements for fine and coarse aggregates in concrete. Waste glass can improve

the strength, flexural strength, workability, and tensile strength of concrete. Moreover,

the use of waste glass particles in concrete has also been shown to be more cost-effective

and environmentally friendly than conventional concrete (Malik, M. et al., 2013).

Coconut Fibers

Coco-husk is an excellent acoustical material, as several investigations have

observed and discovered. Coconut husk represents the entire fibrous material enveloping

the fruit constituting both the inner endocarp (liquid and solid food part) and outer

mesocarp (fibrous material).

The husks are made available by dehusking between skin and shell. According to

Gautam Basu (2016) of ICAR- National Institute of Natural Fibre Engineering and

Technology from Kolkata, India; its advantages are agro-renewability, biodegradability,

and a good blend of strength, length, extensibility, moisture regain, and high durability or

resistance against sunlight, saline water, microbes, etc.

Development of Eco-Hollow Blocks

The four fundamental steps of mixing, molding, curing, and cubing must be carried

out in order to create hollow blocks. Finding a suitable location to construct hollow blocks

is the first step. Some plants have an hourly capacity of over 2,000 blocks. Precast
concrete block products, like flat paver stones, are made in other factories. To give the

hollow blocks the required compression strength, curing takes about two weeks.

(Carbonell, 2021)

According to a video of КАК СДЕЛАТЬ ПРОСТО своими руками, (2019) entitled

“How to Make Cement from Wood Ash.” YouTube. The composition of the solution and

its proportions: Wood or coal Ash - 6 kg, Salt -1 kg or NaCl, hydrated lime - 3 liters or

calcareous milk and if you use lime paste then also water H2O. Preference is better to

give wood ash, rather than coal. Although coal ash is also suitable. This geopolymer

concrete or ash mortar adheres tightly to any surface, especially hot or well heated. Also,

see what else can be made of ash.

Related Studies

Local

Making lightweight bricks by using wood ash and polystyrene from ballpen

barrels (Borela, V. et al 2021). The purpose of this investigation was to ascertain whether

polystyrene in ballpen barrels could crush a brick more effectively than regular clay bricks.

In addition to making bricks denser, polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic hydrocarbon

polymer created from the monomer styrene. Gardeners sometimes use wood ash from

burned wood as a rich source of potash. Bricks made with wood ash tend to be lighter

than clay-based ones. More wood ash is preferable to more coal ash since the latter

contains hazardous compounds that could endanger people. The purpose of this study is

to find innovative ways to reduce the amount of wood ash and ballpen barrels that are
not properly disposed of. The potential of polystyrene and wood ash was evaluated using

five tests: the water absorption test, drop test, efflorescence test, compressive test, and

heat resistance test. Based on the information acquired, it was determined that the

polystyrene produced from ballpen barrels and wood ash in the proportion of 50%

cement, 25% wood ash, and 25% ballpen barrels is an efficient addition in the production

of lightweight.

Foreign

From the study of Haneusac et al entitled “Experimental Study on Hollow Blocks

with Wastes” published by Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), in 2021,

the researchers concluded that compressive strength, tensile strength and split tensile of

the concretes with waste were determined. The type and dosage of waste influenced the

mechanical properties. For all types of concrete, the value of compressive strength was

lower than that of the control mix without waste. In the case of concrete with polyester

fibers, the flexural strength and split tensile strength were higher than those of all others

mixes. For concretes with saw dust, the lowest values of all mechanical strengths were

obtained. When tested in compression, the hollow blocks presented values of

compressive strength and tensile strength comparable with other types of blocks, which

means the researchers can recommend their use for realizing walls.

The study of Chowdhury, S. et al (2014) entitled “Strength development in concrete

with wood ash blended cement and use of soft computing models to predict strength

parameters.”, concluded that the XRD data showed that WA contains amorphous silica
making it fit as cement replacing material due to its high pozzolanic activity. Thus, use of

WA in concrete helps to transform it from an environmental concern to a useful resource

for the production of a highly effective alternative cementing material.

In 2019, Viet-Anh Vu et al conducted a study entitled “The Effect of Wood Ash as

a Partial Cement Replacement Material for Making Wood-Cement Panels”. Test results

show that increasing ash requires more water, and increasing ash up to 30% results in a

slight decrease in mechanical properties. On the other hand, the heat capacity increases

with the content of wood ash. WCAP has a relatively low thermal conductivity compared

to gypsum board, which helps reduce the rate of heat loss from the walls of the building.

It has been found that changing cement at a level of about 30% by weight gives optimal

results.

This study of Subramaniam P., (2015) entitled “Wood Ash as anEffective Raw

Material for Concrete Blocks” concluded that Wood ash has the potential to partially

replace cement in the cement block manufacturing industry. The results show that the

optimal percentage of wood ash that can replace cement is 15%, resulting in blocks with

high compressive strength. Water absorption capacity reaches 15% of Wood ash

substitute after 21 days curing time. Wood ash is a valuable addition due to its slow heat

release, and 15% exchange showed slow heat release. The block can be modified with

15% wood ash along with other cement materials.

Based on the study of Oluwarotimi Olofinnade et al, (2019) entitled “Sustainable

utilization of crushed waste glass as sand replacement for production of eco-friendly

interlocking paving stones”, This study demonstrates clearly that waste glass can be

adopted to produce eco-friendly interlocking paving stone, and this will help both in the
sustainable management of glass wastes and greening of the environment. In addition,

it is recommended that further studies be carried out on the long term performance and

durability of IPS produced with cement mortar containing crushed glass particles.

For the study of Kshitija Nadgouda , (2015 ) entitled " Coconut Fibre Reinforced

Concrete " published by International Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering

(IJMPE) , coconut fibres were used as they are freely available in large quantities. The

study comprises of comparative statement of properties of coconut fibre reinforced

concrete with conventional concrete based on experiments performed in the laboratory.

The use of coconut fibres will also lead to better management of these waste fibres. The

addition of coconut fibres improved the flexural strength of concrete by about 12%, they

also formed good bonding in the concrete. The study found the optimum fibre content to

be 3% (by weight of cement). Further work is required by changing the fibre content and

aspect ratio to determine the optimum range of fibre content so that fibre reinforced

concrete can be used where high flexural strength is required.

Methodology

The primary components of this chapter includes the description of the research

design, the methods (i.e. research locale, preparation of materials and equipment,

collection of samples and procedures for the development of Eco-Hollow Block), data

gathering and statistical data analysis procedure.

Research Locale

The study will be conducted throughout the school year 2023-2024 at Phinma

Cagayan De Oro College and Veronilla’s Residence. The collection of sample will be

done will be done at the researchers’ residences located at Cagayan De Oro City,

Misamis Oriental with the latitude and longitude of 8.4542° N, 124.6319° E.

Figure 2. Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental

Various materials and equipment will be used in this study as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. List of Materials and Equipment

Materials Equipment

Wood Ash Hollow Block Molder

Crushed Glass Weighing Scale

Coconut Fibers Chisel

Salt Nails

Lime Table

Standard Hollow Block Shovel

Sieve or strainer

Roll meter

Wire Mesh

Mortar and pestle

Manufacturing

1.1 Wood Ash

Wood Ash will be collected from the researcher’s residences located at Cagayan

De Oro City. Wood ash will be sieved through a 75µm sieve to remove the coarse particles

present in the ash, before using it for cement manufacturing (Prabagar S., 2015).
 The method is adapted from a video of КАК СДЕЛАТЬ ПРОСТО своими руками,

(2019) entitled “How to Make Cement from Wood Ash.” YouTube. Filter out the 3 liters of

liquid lime using a strainer. Next, add the 1 kg of salt to the 6 kg wood ash and mix well.

After mixing the salt and wood ash, put the lime to the mixture and mix well using a shovel

until the researchers will obtain the right consistency.

1.2. Crushed Waste Glass

The collected waste glass materials will be thoroughly washed with water to

remove contaminants and impurities, then the researchers will crush and powder the

waste glass using mortar and pestle.

1.3. Coconut Fibers

The coconut fibers had to be extracted from the husk before it could be used.

Fibers were chopped with scissors maintaining the length of 15 to 35 mm with diameter

ranging from less than 0.004 mm to 0.2 mm and oven dried to remove water content.

1.4. Developing Eco- Hollow Block

The researchers will mix properly the 6 kg fined wood ash with 1 -2 liters of water

until obtaining the right consistency. After mixing, the researchers will mix the

Crushed/Powdered Waste Glass and Coconut Fibers to the mixture. Furthermore, the

researchers will mix again the mixture properly. Finally, the mixture of eco-cement will be

put in a Hollow Block molder and let it rest until it is ready to take it off.
Data Gathering

2.1. Dimensions and Density

The researchers will measure the blocks using a roll meter in meters in terms of

its length, width and height. The blocks shall then be weighted in kilograms

2.2. Water Absorption

The experimental and control group will be completely immersed in clean water at

room temperature for 24 hours. The blocks will then be taken out of the water and allowed

to drain for a minute on a wire mesh. Any visible surface water will be wiped away with a

damp towel, and both the soaked and surface-dry blocks will be weighed right away.

Using Sun-Drying method, the researchers will sun-dry the blocks for three days after

being weighed. And the researchers will measure again the block to see if there is change.

2.4. Field Test

The researchers will check the quality of the blocks using the following tests below:

2.4.1. Drop Test

a.) Horizontal Drop

The researchers will hold the block horizontally with the length of the block. Drop

the block on the hard surface from the same chest height. If the block breaks into a certain

number of pieces, such blocks are considered low-quality.

Before dropping the block to the ground, it should be held in a vertical

position. After being crushed over the ground surface, the concrete block should still be

in good shape and be free from any damage. It is best to reject such concrete blocks if

they split into fragments or develop a fracture.

2.4.2. Corner Test

One by one, the researchers will press the corner of the block with the thumbnail

on all eight sides. If the blocks give out or some particles are broken from the edge, such

blocks are considered low quality.

2.4.3. Chisel Test

The researchers will cut the center of the block using a chisel until the blocks

separate into two pieces. If it is broken into many pieces, then it indicates low quality.

2.4.4. Nail Test

The researchers will hammer a nail into the sample blocks on three or more points.

This specific test shows the resistance of the blocks, the more the block resists the

insertion of the nail, then the higher the quality.

The data collected will be analyzed based on the results from the tests: Water

absorption, drying shrinkage, field tests (Drop Test, Corner Test, Chisel Test, Nail Test).

The data that will be gathered and then will be analyze using t- test for two independent

sample where the results of the two groups will be compare to determine if there is a

statistical evidence that can prove that they are significantly different.

(𝐴−𝐵)
Water absorption formula: % = 𝑥 100
𝐵

Where,

A = wet mass of unit in kg.

B = dry mass of unit in kg.

Density in kg/m³ = mass of block in kg / volume of the block (length x width x height)

Drying Shrinkage = pre-dimension – post-dimension

Research Locale

Preparation of Materials
and Equipment

Wood Ash to Crushed Waste

Development of
Coconut Fibers
Eco-Hollow Block

Dimensions
Data Gathering Water Absorption
and Density

Field Test

Data Analysis