Introduction to concrete building products
Practical Action
Spence, R.J.S. & Cook, D.J.; Building Materials in Developing Countries, John Wiley &
Sons, Chichester, England, 1983.
Doulgeris, N.P.; The Manufacture of Concrete Paving Blocks, Portland Cement Institute,
Midrand, South Africa, 1994.
Malherbe, J.S. & Addis, B.J.; How to Make Concrete Bricks and Blocks, Portland Cement
Institute, Midrand, South Africa, 1994.
Addis, B.J.; Concrete for Precasting Small Items, Portland Cement Institute, Midrand,
South Africa, 1993.
Ng'ang'a, Amon; Vibrated Concrete Products: Production manual, Intermediate Technology
Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya (draft).
Stewart, F.; Manufacture of Cement Blocks in Kenya, in Technology and Employment in
Industry: A case study approach (ed. Bhalla, A.S.), International Labour Office, Geneva,
1981, pp 209-246 (ISBN 92-2-102466-0).
Holthaus, Erich W.; Vibratory Techniques in the Production of Precast Concrete Parts and
Blocks, Concrete Works International, September 1982, pp 351-354.
Kuch, Helmut; Technical Process Problems Related to the Moulding and Compaction of
Small-Sized Concrete Products, Concrete Precasting Plant and Technology, 4/1992, pp
80-87.
Anon.; Concrete Blockmaking, West African Technical Review, September 1978, pp 131-
137.
McIntosh, J.D.; The Manufacture and Use of Concrete Blocks for Walls, Overseas Building
Note No. 150, Building Research Establishment, Garston, Watford, UK, June 1973.
Qihao, Gu; Local Materials for Block Making in China, Building Research and Practice,
January/February 1981, pp 44-47.
Anon.; Potential of Prefabrication For Self-Help and Mutual Aid Housing, Volume F: Zip-
Block, India, GRET, Paris, France & Institute for Housing Studies, Rotterdam,
Netherlands, November 1990.
IS: 3115 - 1978, Specification for Lime Based Blocks, Indian Standards Institution, New
Delhi, India, March 1979.
Anon.; Case Study of Women Block Makers in Kenya, UNCHS (Habitat), Document No.
HS/08/86-20 E, ISBN 92-1-131046-6, Nairobi, Kenya, 1988.
Anon.; Precast Stone Block Masonry, Building Research Note 7, Central Building Research
Institute, Roorkee, India.
Childe, H.L.; Everyman's Guide to Concrete Work, George Godwin Ltd., London, 1969.
Stephens, R.; Creative Casting of Concrete for Profit or Pleasure, Little Mill Publishing, Isle
of Man, 1993
Glossary of Selected Terms Related to Concrete Products
• Abrams Law - This states that with an increase in water to cement ratio there is a
proportional decrease in compressive strength. It forms the basis of most methods of
concrete mix design.
• Accelerated Curing - Any method of curing concrete at elevated temperatures to accelerate
the curing process.
• Admixture - A material (not water) added to concrete to modify its properties, for example
to make it more workable, to make it set faster or slower, or to introduce air bubbles into it.
• Aggregate - The inert non-cementitious component of concrete which usually makes up the
bulk of the concrete. Usually the aggregate consists of a mixture of sand and gravel.
• Autoclave - A high pressure steam vessel, usually of stainless steel, to achieve rapid curing
of concrete.
• Block - A rectangular building element, usually used for wall construction, several times
larger in volume than a brick.
• Cast-in-situ - A process of building with concrete whereby the concrete is poured and
consolidated in formwork and, after curing and removal of formwork, forms part of the
building fabric.
• Compressive Strength - Concrete is a strong material when it is loaded from above and
supported from below, i.e. under compression or pressure. The compressive strength is the
ultimate load the concrete can carry in compression divided by the area of the concrete
24