Once again, for small projects, there is no need for mechanisation of the soil preparation. A good grid trough (into which the soil is shovelled) will eliminate stones and other big components and will produce very good results. If a higher output is required, we recommend the use of a crusher that will reduce the lumps and stones and give a very high consistent quality to the final product.
For small projects, mixers are not used at all – but can be if so desired. We emphasise the labour intensive possibilities of Stabilized Soil Blocks. If the project needs a high output of blocks, we recommend the use of a pan mixer to improve productivity.
Stabilized Soil Blocks use what is called a “dry mix” which in fact uses a minimum of (10 to 15 %) water . Most often the soil is wet enough to be used as is. If need be, a small amount of water can be added. The mixture must not be over wet, otherwise compaction will not be achieved.
No! Pure sand cannot be used as we must compact the mixture. We use prescribed dosage of cement ratios to bind the soil. To achieve the compaction necessary for the strength to produce a strong block, we need a clay soil of 10%>. If the insitu soil is too sandy, then most definitely some ‘clayish’ soil has to be mixed in with the existing insitu soil. A compaction test will give you a clear idea of the proper mix to work with.
