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552
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.8, No.1
Publication Date: January 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.81.9620.
Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A
Study of The Quality of Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research
Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
A Study of The Quality of Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block
Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria
Elijah O. Ayodele
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
Adeleye O. Akinmusire
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
Samuel O. Williams
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
Moses O. Olofinsawe
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
Modupe M. Ologunagba
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
Michael O. Alabi
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
Benson A. Ogunbode
Department of Quantity Surveying
Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo; Ondo State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This study determined the quality of the mix ratio of sand and cement
in sandcrete block in Ondo State of Nigeria. This involved the
determination of number of headpans of sand that are mixed with one
headpan of cement and the ratio of cement sand mix in sandcrete
blocks produced in Ondo State. This study was carried out through
interview of labourers at the 90 spots of block moulding in Ondo State.
Thirty spots were taken each of the three senatorial districts in Ondo
State. The study showed the cement sand mix ratio to be 1:11. This
implies that there is 83% increase of sand in the mix above the
standard. Very weak sandcrete blocks have arisen from this mix ratio
over the years and must have contributed to the incessant building
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Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A Study of The Quality of
Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9620. 553
collapses. The followings are the recommendations: Sandcrete blocks
should be made on the site in an approved machine to be provided by
the contractor or an approved supplier and should have a minimum
crushing strength of 273.4 tonner per square of gross area at 28 days
in case of hollow blockwork. The blocks should be composed of 1:6
cement and sand measured by volume unless otherwise specified or
directed on the site, turned three times until an even colour and
consistency occur throughout. Water should be added gently from a
watering can through a rose, the quantity of water added being just
sufficient to secure cohesion. After wetting, the mixture shall be
turned over three times and well rammed into moulds and smoothed
from the machine on pellets, the blocks should be made to mature
under shade in different rows, one block high, with a space between
each block and for at least 24 hours. Then they should not be stacked
up or removed from shade for at least a further 7 days then stacked up
not more than 5 blocks high in shade for a minimum of 14 days. No
block should be built into any part of the building until they have been
cured for at least 14 days. The faces of blocks except where otherwise
described should be left rough for plastering. The concrete blocks
generally shall be 450 mm long, 225mm or 150mm deep and of the
required thickness.
Keywords: Cement, Sand, Cement Sand Mix, Sandcrete Block, Ondo State
Nigeria.
INTRODUCTION
The quality of a product is defined as its ability to fulfill the customers’ needs and expectations, or
better still the degree or level to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfill customers’
requirements (ISO 9000:2005). Quality of a product is the level or degree of fitness for purpose
(Ayodele 2017). A client will normally want the highest level of quality which is excellence.
However this is not the case all the time, that’s why the quality of a product is in levels or degree –
poor quality, low quality and high quality. For sandcrete block the highest (excellence) quality is
defined by any user as specified by the British standard users as stated by Jagboro (1996) and is
cement sand ratio 1:6. This means one portion of cement to six of sand by volume.
Cement
Cement is a powder of alumina, silica, lime, iron oxide and magnesium oxide burnt together in a
kiln and firely pulverized and used as ingredients of motor, concrete and blocks (Swedberg and
Agevall, 2016). It has been defined as any of the various calcined mixtures of clay and limes stone,
usually mixed with water, sand and gravel to form concrete (Rogers Lucy (17 December 2018)
en.m.wikipedia.org retrieved 17 December 2018). It has also been defined as powdery substance
made by calcivining lime and clay mixed with water to form mortar or mixed with sand gravel and
water to make concrete (Qwety, 2000 simple.m.wikipedia.org) Cement is a binder, substance used
in construction that sets and hardens and can bind other materials together (Bye, 1999, Francis,
1977). The most important forms of cement used in construction are usually inorganic, often lime
based and can be categorized as either hydraulic or non-hydraulic. Hydraulic cement (e.g.
Portland cement) is the one that sets and become adhesive due to a chemical reaction between dry
ingredients and water. Non-hydraulic is the form of cement that will not set in wet condition or
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.8, Issue 1, January-2021
underwater, rather, it sets as it dries and reacts with carborn dioxide in the air. It is resistant to
attack by chemicals after setting (Hewlett, 2003, Bye, 1999. The form of the types of cement used
in the block moulding spots is the non-hydraulic form of cement.
Sand
Sand is defined as loose granular materials that result from the disintegration of rocks. It consists
of particles smaller than gravel (https.//www.marriam–webster.com/dictionary/sand Assessed
28 January 2021)
Sand is reffered to as soil particles that range in diameter from 0.2 mm to 2.0 mm. Most of the
rock forming minerals that occur on the earth’s surface are found in sand, but only a small
member are common in this form. In some places, feldspar, calcareous, iron ores and volcanic
materials are major constituents of sand. Quarts is the most common, it is abundantly present in
rocks, it is comparatively hard, it has no cleavage so that it is not readily worn down, it is almost
insoluble in water and does not decompose. Many quartzose are sands contain a small quantity of
feldspar as well as small plates of white mica, which though soft, decompose gently (Constable,
Harriet, 3 September 2017)
Sands contain little amount of heavy rock-forming materials including garnet, tourmaline, zircon,
rutile, topaz, pyroxenes and amphiboles. In some shores and river sand beds these heavier
constituents as well as some of the heavy native elements become concentrated as a result of
actions by the, currents and the removal by the light constituents. All sands contain mineral
particles organic matter, water and air. Soil properties are determined by its texture, structure,
porosity, chemistry and colour. Soil is made up of different size of particles, and sand particles
seem to be the biggest (www.nature.com.scitable>blog Retrieved Oct 22, 2013). The chemistry
name of sand is Silicon dioxide also known silica, with the formula Si02. Silica is very hard, and is
mostly found in nature as said or quartz as well in the cell of walls of diatoms (Science Dictionary,
2011). Sand is the result of breakdown of earth crust. Sand is formed over a long period of time by
water, wind, gravity and tectonics among other forces. It is made up of various quantities of
materials, weathered from inland rocks and transported to the beach on the wind or in rivers and
or shells and other hard parts precipitated out of the ocean water by marine organisms
(www.nature.com.scitable>blog Retrieved Oct 22, 2013). Sand is defined as a loose granular
material that results from the disintegration of rocks. It consists of particles smaller than gravel.
The particles range from 0.2 mm to 2.0mm (www.nature.com.scitable>blog Retrieved Oct 22, 2013).
Sand contain little amount of heavy rock-forming materials including garmet tourmaline, zircon,
rutile, topaz and river and amphiboles. In some constituents as well as some of the heavy native
elements became concentrated as a result of actions by the cements and removal by the light
constituents (Collins English Dictionary, 2014)
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Sandcrete block moulded in the cement and sand ratio of 1:6 is one of the major building
construction materials in Nigeria. A, 5 storey building under construction in Kano state Nigeria,
collapsed in July 2009 as a result of poor quality building materials (Akinjogun & Balogun 2013).
In Ilesa, Osun State Nigeria, a residential building collapsed in March 2009 as a result of
substandard building materials incorporated into the works and one person died (Akinjogun &
Balogun 2013).
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Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A Study of The Quality of
Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9620. 555
A research report indicated that 45% of building collapses were caused by poor quality material
and workmanship, while 30% of the collapsed were caused by procedural errors (Bamidele 2002).
Also Bangbopa (2002) asserted that poor quality job in building project resulting from the use of
substandard materials and workmanship have generally been responsible for building collapses in
Ondo State of Nigeria. The assertion of Bamgbopa (2002) as just stated and the reports on building
collapses in Nigeria stimulated the need to determine the contribution of cement sand mix in the
building collapses. The findings from this research will help proffer solutions to curb the incessant
building collapses in Nigeria.
AIM & OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study is to determine the quality of cement sand mix in sandcrete block in Ondo
State Nigeria.
The objectives of this research are to
i. Determine the number of head pans of sand that mix with one headpan of cement on the
moulding of sandcrete blocks in Ondo State.
ii. Determine the ratio of the cement sand mix in sandcrete blocks produced for use in Ondo
State.
RESARCH QUESTIONS
i. What number of headpans of sand are mixed with one headpan of cement in each of the
sandcrete block moulding spota in Ondo State?
ii. What is the cement sand ratio in sandcrete block moulding in Ondo State?
RESEARCH METHOD
In the study area which was Ondo State, interviews were administered to sandcrete block
moulders in 90 block moulding spots. That is 30 block moulding spots were selected from each of
the three Senatorial Districts. The interview included asking the respondents of the number of
headpans of sand that are mixes with one bag of cement in the sandcrete block moulding process.
The results of the interview were recorded and formed the basis of analysis. The data collected
were analysed by mean and percentages.
The Study Area
The study area is Ondo State of Nigeria, located on the world map between Latitude 50 451 N and
80 01 N and between Longitude 40 151 E and 60 151E. Ondo State has an area of 15,500 square
kilometers and is about 250 meters above sea level with a population of about 4,011,407. It is the
25th state created out of the 36 states of Nigeria (www.distancefrom.com en.m.wikkipedia.org). It
consists of 18 local governments shared into three Senatorial Districts namely: Ondo North
Senatorial District, Ondo Central Senatorial District and Ondo South Senatorial District, with each
having six local governments. Ondo State which is one of the South West States is a link to the
Middle Belt of Nigeria. Figure 1 shows the Map of Ondo State of Nigeria with the three senatorial
districts.
Sampling Technique
It is not practically possible to collect data from every block moulding spot in Ondo State in the
situation being investigated. Asika (2000) follows the saying that ‘You do not have to eat the whole
ox to know that the meat is tough.’ The block mouiding spots that participated in this investigation
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.8, Issue 1, January-2021
were sampled through purposive or judgemental sampling. In this case participants must have
been in operation for at least five consecutive years. Purposive sampling is combined with random
sampling and this provided a means of collecting data that is representative of the population.
Data collected from these sampling techniques were representative of the population and were
reliable.
Figure 1: Map of Ondo state showing the 3 senatorial districts (Distance Calculator, n.d.)
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Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A Study of The Quality of
Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9620. 557
Data Presentation
The data collected from 90 block moulding sites are recorded as in Table 1 below: (These data
lead to answer for research question number 1)
Table 1: Block Moulding Sites and Cement Sand Ratio
BLOCK MOULDING SITES CEMENT SAND RATIO
1
1:13
2 1:10
3 1:13
4 1:9
5 1:13
6 1:12
7 1:13
8 1:12
9 1:11
10 1:12
11 1:13
12 1:12
13 1:10
14 1:11
15 1:12
16 1:11
17 1:12
18 1:11
19 1:9
20 1:8
21 1:11
22 1:10
23 1:13
24 1:11
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.8, Issue 1, January-2021
25 1:13
26 1:8
27 1:13
28 1:14
29 1:8
30 1:13
31 1:14
32 1:13
33 1:11
34 1:13
35 1:11
36 1:9
37 1:14
38 1:12
39 1:8
40 1:9
41 1:13
42 1:10
43 1:11
44 1:13
45 1:12
46 1:13
47 1:12
48 1:13
49 1:8
50 1:13
51 1:12
52 1:11
53 1:8
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Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A Study of The Quality of
Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9620. 559
54 1:13
55 1:11
56 1:8
57 1:13
58 1:9
59 1:8
60 1:14
61 1:11
62 1:13
63 1:13
64 1:11
65 1:12
66 1:11
67 1:13
68 1:12
69 1:13
70 1:9
71 1:11
72 1:9
73 1:12
74 1:13
75 1:9
76 1:11
77 1:13
78 1:11
79 1:13
80 1:13
81 1:12
82 1:10
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.8, Issue 1, January-2021
83 1:11
84 1:12
85 1:11
86 1:8
87 1:11
88 1:8
89 1:12
90 1:12
The Decision Rule
The standard mix ratio of cement sand in the moulding of sandcrete block is 1:6; i. e. one part of
cement to six parts of sand (Opatunji, 2018; Jagboro, 1996; Barry, 1999). Any cement sand ratio
apart from this, is abnormal.
The 90 data on cement sand mix ratio were grouped into seven, with each group having the same
mix ratio as in Table 2 below. These data give answer research question number 2
Table 2: Cement Sand Ratio grouped according to frequencies of occurrence
GROUP
RATIO OF HEAD PAN
OF SAND TO ONE HEAD PAN OF CEMENT (R)
FREQUENCIES
(F)
RF
1 1 : 13 25 13 X 25 = 325
2 1 : 10 5 10 X5 = 50
3 1: 9 7 9 X 7 = 63
4 1 ; 11 20 11 X 20 = 220
5 1 : 12 19 12 X 19 = 228
6 1 : 8 10 8 X 10 = 80
7 1 : 14 4 14 X 4 = 56
90 1022
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Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A Study of The Quality of
Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9620. 561
RESULT
From Table 2, the total number of spots visited is 90 while the total number of frequencies is
1022, therefore the average
= 1022 = 11.355
90
The average of cement sand mix is 1: 11
Mean of cement sand mix ratio in Ondo State is 1: 11
DISCUSSION
The research finding of cement sand mix ratio of 1:11 in block moulding in Ondo State is similar to
what is obtained in the production of concrete on construction sites in Ondo State. According to
Ayodele (2010) the mix ratio of cement sand and gravel is 1:4:8 as foundation concrete, which is
supposed to be 1:3:6 (the standard). For floor concrete, a study carried out by Ayodele (2010)
found this to be 1:5:10 as against the standard of 1:2:4.With the use of cement sand mix 1:11 in
block moulding, very weak blocks are produced and used up in the construction process, which
results in building collapses. The issues of building collapse are very common in Nigeria.
Examples abound like the followings:
In Ilesa Osun State, a residential building under construction collapsed in 2009 as a result of the
use of poor quality materials (Akinjogbun & Balogun, 2013). In April, 2010, a 2 storey market
plaza collapsed in Oshodi, Lagos State because of the use of subststandard building materials
(Akinjogun & Balogun 2013).
A, 2 storey residential building on road 3, plot 10, Funbi-Fagun Street, Abeokuta Ogun State
collapsed in November 1998 as a result of the use of poor quality building materials (Fadamiro,
2012).
CONCLUSION
The standard mix ratio of cement sand in the moulding of sandcrete block is 1:6; i. e. one part of
cement to six parts of sand ( Opatunji, 2018; Jagboro, 1996; Barry, 1999). From the study in Ondo
State the cement sand, mix ratio is 1:11 instead of 1:6. This interpretes to be that the quantity of
sand in the sandcrete block is 83% above the standard which leads to the production of weak
sandcrete blocks.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations include the followings:
The followings are the recommendations: Sandcrete blocks should be made on the site in an
approved machine to be provided by the contractor or an approved supplier and should have a
minimum crushing strength of 273.4 tonner per square of gross area at 28 days in case of hollow
blockwork. The blocks should be composed of 1:6 cement and sand measured by volume unless
otherwise specified or directed on the site, turned three times until an even colour and
consistency occur throughout. Water should be added gently from a watering can through a rose,
the quantity of water added being just sufficient to secure cohesion. After wetting, the mixture
shall be turned over three times and well rammed into moulds and smoothed from the machine on
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.8, Issue 1, January-2021
pellets, the blocks should be made to mature under shade in different rows, one block high, with a
space between each block and for at least 24 hours. Then they should not be stacked up or
removed from shade for at least a further 7 days then stacked up not more than 5 blocks high in
shade for a minimum of 14 days. No block should be built into any part of the building until they
have been cured for at least 14 days. The faces of blocks except where otherwise described should
be left rough for plastering. The concrete blocks generally shall be 450 mm long, 225mm or
150mm deep and of the required thickness (Jagboro, 1995).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This work was aided by research grant, awarded by Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND). The
authors of this research appreciate TETFUND for this kind gesture.
TETFUND is a creation of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
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Ayodele, E. O., Akinmusire, A. O., Williams, S. O., Olofinsawe, M. O., Ologunagba, M. M., Alabi, M. O., & Ogunbode, B. A. (2021) . A Study of The Quality of
Cement Sand Mix in Sandcrete Block Moulding in Ondo State Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8 (1) 552-564.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.81.9620. 563
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