Dutch brick (stabilized earth block)

For the style of bricklaying, see Dutch Bond.

Dutch brick is a colloquial term for blocks formed by concrete stabilized soil used to form blocks, a low cost alternative to conventional bricks that may be appropriate in applications where strength is not a critical factor.

Composition

High strength concrete requires all the materials (calcium carbonate (Lime), and alumina/silica) (clay) to be calcined together. If strength requirements are minimal, such as when creating a footing over compressed soil but under a hardened road bed, concrete powder can be mixed directly with soil to produce a material with an intermediate strength that may be more useful for broader support for structures.

Dutch bricks are building-blocks made not of brick but of a mixture of concrete, sand and soil. They are not Dutch; the name results from the use of the word "Dutch" to mean "inferior". The mixture of concrete, sand and soil is also known as Mexican concrete when poured in larger moulds.

Application

The Peace Corps uses the term to describe a trapezoidal (as opposed to rectangular) concrete brick for a brick-lined well or soak pit. The South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry considers that Dutch brick, or Stabilized earth block, is an appropriate technology for a developing country, as are adobe, rammed earth and cob, all of which natural building materials.

See also

• Adobe
• Building construction

References

Notes

Citations

Sources

• "Latrine and Soak Pit Theory". RIM Health Education Handbook. Peace Corps. 2007. Retrieved 2014-04-14. Search this book on

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