Evaluation of Compressed Earth Blocks as A Sustainable Alternative in Kuwait Construction

A major contributor to the environmental problems and the increased carbon dioxide footprint in the Gulf region is the rapid increase of building construction. Regular construction methods currently require the excessive use of cement in concreting in addition to the material transportation either locally or internationally. One of the sustainable ideas that has been evaluated and used in several countries is the use of Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) in construction. CEB production uses locally available soil with the use of certain stabilizers with minimum amount ofcement. It is considered an environmentally friendly alternative compared to the currently used methods.
This research proposal aims at the evaluation of the use of CEB in the state of Kuwait. This new method uses locally available soil with high percentages of fine aggregates (e.g. Silt and Clay). The expected outcome from the research work can introduce the new method to Kuwait market and. if used, can significantly reduce the building construction environmental impacts. In this work, soils from different locations in the state of Kuwait will be evaluated. Based on the literature review and some preliminary testing, it is expected to find the suitable type of soil in the northern areas of Kuwait (near Boubyan Island). These areas are rich in the fine aggregate percentages and are expected to qualify to produce CEBs. It is also expected to assess several soil stabilizers (from locally available materials) in different mix designs. It is expected to accomplish the evaluation outcomes of this construction technique within two phases. This research proposal will focus on phase I of the overall research study.