miércoles, 30 de junio de 2010

Fireproof Papercrete Panels

FROM MY PREVIOUS POST you got to know that prototypes of concrete blocks and papercrete panels were made successfully, according to the recommendations of the soils mechanic and materials testing laboratory of a local university. That means they passed the test related to resistance to the pressure force. Now it is very important to test the papercrete panel prototype to see how resistant it is to fire.

So, the leader of the technical part of the project, Eng. Pablo Muguerza Toro, was heading this test together with Mr. Orlando Bemúdez, executive director of the non-profit organization CHOI and responsible for the administrative part of this project. He put a piece of papercrete panel through fire for a reasonable time and it did not catch fire. This way its resistance to fire was demonstrated.

While materials like estera (a kind of panel made of reed woven and used for wall and roof), paper, cardboard, etc. burn quickly, it was evident, by this test, that papercrete is resistant to fire, since even though it was put through fire, this material never caught fire.

Considering the successful result of this test, we now expect to be able to make concrete blocks for floor and papercrete panels for walls in gradual quantities to build houses using these affordable building materials in poor neighborhoods of Chimbote, and this way helping the motto of the project to come true: Better House, Better Life.

Click on the image below or on the link to see more PICTURES.


viernes, 25 de junio de 2010

Making Improved Prototypes

UNDER THE MOTTO "BETTER HOUSE, BETTER LIFE"; the housing project called "Making of Concrete Blocks for Floor and Papercrete Panels for Walls" continues to be executed. The last information I shared with you all on it, was about the results of the quality control laboratory of a local university which suggested improving the mixture quality that was used to make concrete blocks as well as papercrete panels so that they will be more resistant to pressure forces. In this new post I would like to share about the new prototypes that were built based on the laboratory results.

In this part of my post I would like you to know that two people have joined this project as volunteers from a very faraway country located in Europe. They are two French youth that will stay here in Chimbote city for awhile and while here they are very willing to assist the activities of the project. Their names are Roman WYTS and Maxime ANTIER. They are planning to perform some economic activities in a near future to raise funds for assisting this project, which I am going to post here on the blog of CHOI.

Well, coming back to the project, according to the suggestion of the laboratory, the mixture was improved and a new prototype of concrete block and a new one of papercrete panel were built over three weeks ago but, after the few days that it took for the prototypes to dry, it was discovered that the thickness of the papercrete panel was very thin, which meant the mold that they used was inappropriate. The thickness of the concrete block was ok.

So, to solve this problem it was necessary to build a new mold with the correct thickness, and with this a new prototype of papercrete panel was built. Samples of concrete block and paperpcrete panel had already been sent to the laboratory. As usual, it took some days for the prototype to dry.

After some days, the results from the laboratory said that concrete block and papercrete panel samples have successfully passed the tests for quality control related to resistance to pressure force. Now it is needed to test the papercrete panel again, but this time to see how resistant it is to fire. I will share this activity in my next post.

Click on the image below or on the link to see more PICTURES.