Diagnosis of assessment methods for weatherability of stabilised compressed soil blocks

Stabilised compressed soil blocks (SCSBs) in building fabrics are susceptible to deterioration if their choice conflicts with the required functionality. Various investigators to determine the weatherability potential of these materials have applied different assessment procedures, observed to be fraught with limitations. Such procedures have produced results that often conflict with real life situations. The current inadequately defined weatherability performance measurements require more qualitative descriptions of the field conditions. The underlying premise in this paper is to review the practicality or otherwise of the various testing techniques. The paper highlights some generalised framework essential for SCSBs weatherability assessment method that are rational, explicit enough and applicable to specific and almost all intended uses under a broad range of environmental concerns. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.