Cost

effective
Seminar presentation construction
By-sayali darakh techniques
2nd yr. B.arch
Mit,a:bad
Guided by-ar.prof.madhura yadav
Background -

– The important need and everyone's dream to have there

own home with individual needs.
– Since India is a developing country, the economy haves
importance. The housing is so impacted with the cost
based construction.
– So, there are various cost effective techniques of
construction. Lots of them are also energy efficient and
easily adoptable.
Justification-

– Essential requirement to human existence is a HOME next only

to food and clothing. A breakthrough for application of
sustainable and cost effective technologies for better housing
in rural and urban areas is an urgent need considering spiraling
construction costs.

– There is a need for the adoption of strong, durable,

environment friendly, ecologically appropriate, energy efficient
and yet cost effective materials and appropriate technologies
in construction.
 Introduction-

– ar. Laurie baker is one who worked on cost effective construction

techniques as its best.
– Baker showed, in fact, that sustainable technologies when adopted with
care and creativity, could lead to a unique architectural expression, one
that moved the expert and the layman alike.
– Proper materials is the basic need to develop any construction technique.
– Brick, wood, stone are three major materials which can be used in India for
any type of construction.
 Factors affecting
construction cost estimation-
– Building Cost-
The building construction cost can be divided into two parts
namely:
Building material cost : 65 to 70 %
Labor cost : 65 to 70 %

– Size-The smaller the project in terms of scope or the number

of square feet, the more it will cost per square foot.

– Type-Different types of project have different levels of

complexity and detail.
– Special Construction Complexity can greatly increase the
cost of the project. For exp-Renovation, especially if it requires altering or
moving structural components, can be costly because it necessitates
demolition as well as building.
Special construction may also be necessary to shield surrounding spaces
from noise, fire and other hazards.
– Project accessibility
– Labor Rates
– Material Costs
– General Economic Pressures
– Time of Year
– These were the factors affecting the
budget of making any structure but we
are here to know more about the
construction techniques- the techniques
which helps us in reducing the cost of
structure.
– So, lets move towards the techniques…
Cost-effective building materials and construction
technologies Research and development bodies in
India are-

– Central Building Research Institute (CBRI),

– Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC),

– Centre for Application of Science and Technology to Rural Areas (CASTRA),

– Regional Research Laboratories (RRL),

– National Environmental Engineering Research

Institute (NEERI)
MATERIALS

– a) Stabilized compressed earth blocks are made of

mud stabilized with 5% cement/lime etc. and
compacted in block making machine with no burning.
A good walling material as burnt bricks and is
economical, stronger, energy saving and simple to
manufacture.
–
b) Fly ash gypsum stabilized mud blocks are much
stronger with less water absorption and cheaper
than cement stabilized blocks. With 5 to 10% flyash-
G, 30% saving in cement could be achieved in
addition to utilization of the waste product like
flyash.
– c) Flyash- lime gypsum products manufactured by
blending flyash lime and calcined gypsum for
making a useful product named Fal-G , and can be
used a cementations material for mortar/plaster
and for masonry blocks of any desired strength. It
can also be used for road pavements and plain
concrete in the form of Fal-G concrete.

– d) Clay red mud burnt bricks produced from

alumina red mud or bauxite, an industrial waste of
aluminium producing plants in combination with
clay. Posses all the physical properties of normal
clay bricks and solves the problem of disposal of
the waste product and environmental pollution. In
addition, they have good architectural value as
facing bricks due to their pleasing hues of color.
MATERIALS e)Precast stone blocks of larger size than
normal bricks are manufactured by using waste
stone pieces of various sizes with lean cement
concrete and enable a rationalized use of
natural locally available materials. Shaping
stones in this manner, enables speedy
construction saves on cement, reduces
thickness of stone walls and effects overall
saving by eliminating plasters on
internal/external wall surfaces.

– f) Precast concrete blocks made to similar

dimension of stone blocks without large size
stone pieces, but using coarse and fine graded
cement. They have excellent properties
comparable to other masonry blocks, are
cheaper and facilitate speedy construction and
especially suitable where quality clay for bricks
making is not available.
Cost effective appropriate
technologies are-
Foundation- – Random rubble masonry in
mud/cement mortar placed in
excavation over thick sand bed.
Rubble pointing above ground level
in stabilized cement mortar.
– Use of lean cement concrete mix
1:8:16 for base with brick masonry
in 1:6 cement mortar footings.
– Use of lean cement concrete mix as
above for base and over burned
bricks masonry in cement lime
mortar (1:2:12) footings.
– Arch foundations in place of spread
foundations
Foundation costs-

– Normally the foundation cost comes to about 10 to 15% of

the total building .
– It is recommended to adopt a foundation depth of 2
ft.(0.6m) for normal soil like gravely soil, red soils etc.
– It is suggested to adopt arch foundation in ordinary soils.
– In case of black cotton and other soft soils, it is recommend
to use under ream pile foundation which saves about 20 to
25% in cost over the conventional method of construction.
– Arch foundation-
– This type of foundation was used in olden
times where in spread foundation is
replaced by inverted arch .
– It reduces the construction cost up to 40%
– Advantage of this is-In soft soils that the
depth of foundation can be greatly
reduced; disadvantage is that the end piers
have to be specially strengthened by
buttresses so as to avoid the thrust to arch
action tending to rapture the piers
junction.
Plinth – It is recommended to adopt 1 ft. height
above ground level for the plinth and
may be constructed with a cement
mortar of 1:6.
– The plinth slab of 4 to 6″ which is
normally adopted can be avoided and
in its place brick on edge can be used
for reducing the cost.
– By adopting this procedure the cost of
plinth foundation can be reduced by
about 35 to 50%.
walls
– Brick work in 1:6 cement mortar using bricks from
black cotton and inferior soil stabilized with fly-ash.
– Rat-trap bond brick work in 1:2:12 cement lime
mortar/1:1.5:3 cement sand mortar.
– Hollow concrete block masonry in cement mortar.
– Compressed mud blocks masonry in mud mortar.
– Stabilized mud blocks masonry (4% cement or lime)
in stabilized mud mortar.
– Sand lime brick walls in 1:6 cement mortar.
– FAL-G sand block with 1:6 cement mortar.
– While laying bricks, the manner in
which they overlap is called the bond.
– The rat-trap bond is laid by placing the
bricks on their sides having a cavity of
4? (100 mm), with alternate course of
stretchers and headers.The headers
and stretchers are staggered in
subsequent layers to give more
strength to the walls.
– This technology has about 25% overall-
saving on cost of a building of traditional 9"
construction. The structure has proven its
strength to go up to three floors with the
support of brick columns. With this
technique there is reduction in cost of the
wall by 25% as with conventional English
bond (9’’thk wall) 350 bricks are required
per cu. m whereas in Rat-trap bond only 280
bricks are required and also the reduced
number of joints reduces the mortar
consumption.
Brick jali – THE COMMON BURNT BRICK IS ONE
OF MAN’S GREAT INVENTIONS. ALL
OVER THE WORLD, WITH ONLY A
FEW EXCEPTIONS, NEARLY ALL
BRICKS ARE ROUGHLY THE SAME
SHAPE AND SIZE - THAT IS ABOUT 9 X
4.5 X 3 INCHES.

– IN MANY OF THESE SITUATIONS

LISTED ABOVE A “JALI” IS JUST AS
EFFECTIVE. FAR FROM BEING A LOT
MORE COSTLY THAN THE BASIC
WALL, IF MADE OF BRICK IT CAN BE
LESS COSTLY THAN THE HOUSE
WALL!
 BRICK JALI CAN BE USED
More uses- INSTEAD OF PARAPET
WALL OR BOUNDARY
WALLS...
LETS WATCH OUT FOR
SOME EXAMPLES....
Instead of using regular
walling system of lintel
and window system ,jali
work can help cost
estimation.
More methods-
– Soil cement block technology
this method of construction of wall is by soil cement
blocks in place of burnt bricks masonry. It is an energy
efficient method of construction where soil mixed with 5%
and above cement and pressed in hand operated machine
and cured well and then used in the masonry. The overall
economy that could be achieved with the soil cement
technology is about 15 to 20% compared to conventional
method of construction.

– Concrete block walling

In view of high energy consumption by burnt brick it is
suggested to use concrete block (block hollow and solid)
which consumes about only 1/3 of the energy of the burnt
bricks in its production. Concrete block masonry saves
mortar consumption, speedy construction of wall resulting
in higher output of labor, plastering can be avoided thereby an
overall saving of 10 to 25% can be achieved.
Roofs – Domes and vaults in brick or
stabilized mud block with appropriate
mortar.
– Upgraded thatch roof on appropriate
frame work.
– Pre-cast RCC “L” panel
– Precast RCC cored units in M15
concrete.
– Precast RCC channel units in M15
concrete
– Precast Waffle units in M15 concrete
– Burnt clay tube roofing in vault form.
Roofs/ intermediate slabs
– Filler slabs
– Partly precast RCC planks and joist in M15 concrete.
– Partly precast RCC joist and brick panels
– Partly precast RCC in hollow concrete blocks
– Thin RCC ribbed slabs
– Ferrocement channels
– Brick funicular shell on edge beam
– Bamboo reinforced concrete
– Brick funicular shells with RCC edge beams
– Brick jack arched over RCC joist
– Precast RCC cored units in M15 concrete.
– Precast RCC channel units in M15 concrete
Ferrocement Provide an economic solution to RCC

channel/shell unit slab by providing 30 to 40% cost

reduction on floor/roof unit over RCC
slabs without compromising the
strength. These being precast,
construction is speedy, economical
due to avoidance of shuttering and
facilitate quality control.
Jack arch roof/floor
–
They are easy to construct,
save on cement and steel, are
more appropriate in hot
climates. These can be
constructed using
compressed earth blocks also
as alternative to bricks for
further economy.
Filler slab- – The filler slab is based on the principle that
for roofs which are simply supported, the
technique upper part of the slab is subjected to
compressive forces and the lower part of
the slab experience tensile forces.
Concrete is very good in withstanding
compressive forces and steel bears the
load due to tensile forces. Thus the lower
tensile region of the slab does not need
any concrete except for holding the steel
reinforcements together.

– Therefore in a conventional RCC slab lot of

concrete is wasted and it needs extra
reinforcement due to added load of the
concrete which can otherwise be replaced
by low-cost and light weight filler
materials, which will reduce the dead
weight as well as the cost of the slab to
25% (as 40% less steel is used and 30%
less concrete)
The mechanism
–
The filler slab is a mechanism to replace the
concrete in the tension zone. The filler material,
thus, is not a structural part of the slab. By
reducing the quantity and weight of material, the
roof become less expensive, yet retains the
strength of the conventional slab. The most
popular filler material is the roofing tile.
Mangalore tiles are placed between steel ribs and
concrete is poured into the gap to make a filler
slab. The structure requires less steel and cement
and it is also a good heat insulator.

– Conventional tests by different institutions and

laboratories has proved the load bearing capacity
of filler slab and found it no less in performance
from the conventional R.C.C. slab. Since filler roof
tiles are firmly bonded to and covered by
concrete, it does not collapse under the impact of
say, a coconut falling on the roof.
Benefits-
– Saving on cost
The savings on cost can be from 15 per cent to 25 per cent. But designing a
filler slab requires a structural engineer to determine the spacing between
the reinforcement bars.
– Thermal insulation
The air pocket formed by the contours of the tiles makes an excellent
thermal insulation layer. The design integrity of a filler slab involves careful
planning taking into account the negative zones and reinforcement areas.
 Patterned
ceilings-

Filler slabs provide aesthetically pleasing

patterned ceilings. In most houses, the filler
material is left open without plastering to form
aesthetic design symmetry but some residents
prefer to cover the space with Plaster of Paris
coating.
 – Brick arches : Flat, semi
circular and segmented
– Precast thin lintel and lintel
cum chajja
– Brick arch with sand stone
Door cum window frames
chajja

– Ferro cement chajjas

– Precast RCC frames with
wood insert
– Resin bonded saw dust frame
– Polyvinyl chloride frame
– Fiber reinforced plastic frame
More methods-
– Doors and windows
It is suggested not to use wood for doors and windows and in its place
concrete or steel section frames shall be used for achieving saving in cost
up to 30 to 40%.Similiarly for shutters commercially available block boards,
fibre or wooden practical boards etc., shall be used for reducing the cost by
about 25.

– Lintels and Chajjas

The traditional R.C.C. lintels which are costly can be replaced by brick
arches for small spans and save construction cost up to 30 to 40% over the
traditional method of construction.
 – Arches are an economical
and aesthetic means of
Opening in the form of spanning openings.
arch with local Arches can be a cost
effective alternative to
material- the lintels.

– The traditional RCC

lintels which are costly
can be replaced by brick
arches for small spans
and save construction
cost up to 30–40% over
the traditional method of
construction.
 – Plantation timber styles with particle
Door panelsboard inserts.
– Medium density fiber board doors.
– Cement bonded particle board
– Plantation timber style with rice husk
board inserts
– Red mud polymer panel doors.
– Ferrocement doors
– Polyvinyl chloride doors panels.
Finishing Work-
The cost of finishing items
like sanitary, electricity,
painting etc., varies
depending upon the type and
quality of products used in
the building and its cost
reduction is left to the
individual choice and liking.
Ar. Lourie baker and his
works-
Concluding summery-
– Is the circulation space economical & functional & not wasteful? (i.e.
passages, corridors, stairs, access verandas & so on).

– Study local climate & make use of wind directions (to reduce power
consumption) & aspect(To prevent unnecessary heat absorption).

– Make proper use of land gradients contours, natural existing features.

– As much as possible use energy free, or energy-less materials, that is,
material, for which very little energy is used in their manufacture (e.g.
cement & lime are made from the same basic materials but cement uses
100 times more energy) .The result for mortars & plasters is equal.

– Remember that what is ‘good’ for Kerala is not necessarily good for
Kashmir. What works well in Bihar may be disastrous in Rajasthan etc.
Study local indigenous architecture & use its principles even when using
modern materials indigenous architecture represents thousands of years of
R&D.
– Avoid currently fashionable gimmicks. They are almost always an addition
that may be eye-catching but are invariably an extra expense and
unjustifiable.

– Use local plentifully available inexpensive (comparatively) materials .Avoid

importing (from other districts) much as possible.

– Insist on accurate mixes & mixing of plasters, mortars, concretes. Don’t use
over rich mixtures

– Don’t forget to apply common sense to all you design & do.
REFERANCES-

– http://www.gharexpert.com
– http://www.fs.fed.us
– http://www.greenstone.org
– http://manajemenproyekindonesia.com/
– http://sepindia.org/
– http://lauriebaker.net/
– Low cost housing- an analogical study of the current
practices & technologies by- vastu shilpa foundation
Thank you