A study of Engineering Properties of Cement Modified Termitarium Soil Found within Ado- Ekiti metropolis for bricks production

A study of the Suitability of Cement Modified Termitarium Soil for Brick Production in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria was evaluated. Three Samples of termite soil was collected from four different locations within Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. The soil samples were pulverized, Grain size test, compaction test, and atterberg limit were conducted on the termitarium soil at its natural state to determined its index properties into a class of Inorganic silt of low plasticity and Inorganic clay of low plasticity ( ML, CL, CLand CL) respectively using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). The bricks were molded using the manual method at different percentage of cement ranging from 0% - 50% of the sample measured using the optimum moisture content (OMC %) of each sample for mixing and blending was with cement content by weight of the soil. Ninety Termite soil-cement bricks were produced. The brick was molded of size 100mm × 100mm × 100mm, the bricks were cured under laboratory conditions and subjected to compressive strength test, absorption test, impact test, and Abrasion Test. The average compressive strength was determined from five bricks crushed in each mix at the curing age. The strength of the bricks ranges from 1.3 to 13N/mm², the absorption test varied between 6% -14.5% which is in compliance with the regulatory body. Results obtained showed that the effect of cement on the termitarium soil enhances strength, lowered the absorption, lower shattering effect on the bricks and lower abrasion effect as the cement content increases in the mix, which make them suitable for construction of bungalow and low rise building.