Investment Guideline:
Establishing a Stabilized
Compressed Earth Brick (SCEB)
Business in Afghanistan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This document is a guideline submitted as part of ABADE's Construction Materials Action Plan. It
includes information on Stabilized Compressed Earth Brick (SCEB), a material that is relatively
unknown in Afghanistan. SCEB has been successfully introduced into construction materials
economies in Uganda, Kenya, Mexico, India, Columbia, USA, New Zealand, and many other
countries. This guideline demonstrates that SCEB is a viable alternative to typical kiln-fired brick,
CMU, and adobe providing superior materials properties (safer and more durable) for less cost.
In essence soil on virtually any construction site can be mixed with a small amount of cement
and mechanically compressed via hand operated or machine-driven press into a stable, dense
interlocking brick. Cost studies indicate that installed SCEB is as much as 40% cheaper to produce
than comparative materials, with a drastically reduced environmental impact. It should be
clearly noted that the inforation presented in this Guideline is only a summary of the wealth of
available information and research on Compressed Earth Brick. Interested investors are strongly
encouraged to make use of the many in-depth references on this topic, listed at the end of this
Guideline.
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. 2
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 5
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 7
CEB, SCEB, and Similar Building Materials ..................................................................................... 7
Rammed Earth ............................................................................................................................. 8
Adobe Brick.................................................................................................................................. 9
Country Fired/Kiln Fired Brick ..................................................................................................... 10
Concrete Masonry Units (CMU) .................................................................................................. 11
SCEB Properties Summary .......................................................................................................... 12
SCEB Production Summary ......................................................................................................... 14
Applications ................................................................................................................................ 16
Military Applications .............................................................................................................. 16
Commercial and Government Uses ....................................................................................... 16
Military and Humanitarian ..................................................................................................... 17
Benefits ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Interlocking SCEB Quality Benefits .............................................................................................. 18
Interlocking Bricks .................................................................................................................. 20
Advantages of CEB/SCEB ............................................................................................................ 21
Alternatives/Substitutes ......................................................................................................... 21
Market Overview ....................................................................................................................... 22
Market Entry Costs ..................................................................................................................... 24
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Competitiveness......................................................................................................................... 28
The SCEB Manufacturing Process ................................................................................................ 29
Quality Control........................................................................................................................... 33
Environmental Matters .............................................................................................................. 34
Annex 1: Sample Floor Plan Drawing Used to Conduct Cost Comparisons ..................................... 36
Annex 2: Cost Comparison Calculations ....................................................................................... 37
Calculations for Non-Structural CMU ..................................................................................... 37
Calculations for Non-Structural Baked Bri.............................................................................. 38
Calculations for Structural CMU ............................................................................................. 39
Calculations for Structural Baked Brick........................................................................................ 40
Calculations for Non-structural SCEB ........................................................................................... 41
Calculations for Structural SCEB .................................................................................................. 42
Annex 3: SCEB Global Project Photo Gallery ................................................................................ 43
This report was made possible through support provided by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed herein are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the U.S. Government.
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INTRODUCTION
We have pleasure in presenting this Investment Guideline for setting up a Stabilized
Compressed Earth Brick (SCEB) manufacturing operation in Afghanistan. This Guideline is part
of the Assistance in Building Afghanistan by Developing Enterprises (ABADE) program, a
USAID-funded effort focused on strengthening the productivity of enterprises for sustained
growth and job creation.
ABADE’s objectives are to increase domestic and foreign investment, stimulate employment
and improve sales of Afghan products. It is designed to complement other USAID programs
focused on improving the business enabling environment, workforce development, and
access to finance. ABADE’s alliances with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can accelerate
productivity and job creation by mitigating risk, and by leveraging small, catalytic capital with
much larger contributions from private companies. ABADE is a four-year project which began
in October 2012.
ABADE's program includes the creation of a Construction Materials Action Plan (CMAP),
available as a separate document. This Guideline describes a specific construction material
which, if fully integrated, could represent a substantial positive impact on the construction
industry and the Afghan economy as a whole while at the same time reducing the negative
environmental impact of the industry.
The construction industry represents approximately 12% of Afghanistan's GDP. The creation
of infrastructure provides significant long term economic benefit over other economic
activities such as consumables production and services. On average, construction materials
represent approximtely 65% of total construction costs for a typical project in Afghanistan.
Approximately 40% of construction materials used in Afghanistan are imported, contributing
directly to Afghanistan's substantial trade defecit. Given these data, the construction
materials sector of the Afghan economy offers a high potential for leveraging catalytic capital.
SCEB represents a nearly ideal material in terms of enveronmental benefit, low barriers to
investment, and domestic production.
This guideline has been prepared by the ABADE Program and is presented for those
interested in the establishment of a Stabilized Compressed Earth Brick (SCEB) manufacturing
operation in Afghanistan. This investment guideline was prepared by ABADE based on field
information, subject matter research, and the experience, information and data furnished
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by ABADE’s consultants and project partners. The objective of this document is to give to
prospective investors an indication of the profit potential and feasibility of s an investment
in SCEB. This is not a feasibility study or prospectus in itself, and potential investors are
strongly urged to examine specific issues in greater detail as needed. Also, given
Afghanistan’s transitional economy, all figures represented herein must be validated to
ensure they are current and accurate. It should be clearly noted that the inforation presented
in this Guideline is only a summary of the wealth of available information and research on
Compressed Earth Brick. Interested investors are strongly encouraged to make use of the many
in-depth references on this topic, listed at the end of this Guideline.
6
Overview
The following narrative informs readers of the estimated costs of setting up, equipping and
tooling an SCEB brick production operation and the actual production/installation costs in
Afghanistan. Some information is provided on the cost of product alternatives and the
potential market demand. The information in this Guideline is anecdotal and based on limited
research and available data.
The objective of this document is to help potential investors determine if there is a market
for SCEB in Afghanistan and if it is a comparatively good investment. The document is not
comprehensive but does provide useful information about the product, applications, costs,
and challenges related to the installation and production,of Stabilized Compressed Earth
Bricks.
CEB, SCEB, and Similar Building Materials
Rammed earth and adobe have been used in Afghan construction for millenia, and continue to
enjoy a prominent place in rural residential construction. These materials are inexpensive to
produce and have a low environmental impact, comprising earth that has been molded for
building purposes such as perimeter walls and structural walls. Concrete Masonry Units (CMU)
are very popular due to their low density, low cost, and ease of construction with a limited-skills
workforce. Solid concrete walls enjoy a limited market share due to the high cost involved, but
their superior strength lends itself well to critical high performance structures. Compressed
Earth Brick (CEB, without a stabilizer) is a viable low-cost alternative for all of these materials.
These comparative materials represent the current market share for the vast majority of
masonry materials that CEB/SCEB might supplement or replace, and a discussion of each is
worthwhile.
It should be noted that CMU and Fired Brick are both specified and allowed by the current
revision of the Afghan Structural Building Code. Adobe and CEB/SCEB are not currently included
in Afghan building codes, despite the widespread use of adobe. The administrative and technical
infrastructure does not yet exist to enforce building codes, but both of these materials should be
included in future building code revisions, for such a time as when building codes are relevant in
Afghan construction.
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Rammed Earth
Rammed earth construction involves construction of formwork in the shape of the desired wall
and filling the formwork with earth, tamping (ramming) the earth in layers. Rammed earth
enjoys a very long and successful performance record in Afghanistan, with many rammed earth
structures lasting hundreds of years or longer. CEB has similar material properties to rammed
earth, but does not require form work to install. The dimensional uniformity and modularity of
CEB offers improvement in construction time, reduction in overall costs and more flexibility in
building design. CEB, like rammed earth and adobe brick, can be vulnerable to erosion from rain
and wind. For maximum durability a plaster/render coat is recommended for both rammed
earth and CEB structures. SCEB offers additional strength and weather resistance at a modest
additional cost, and may not require rendering in temperate to arid climates. Hand press
production methods may be preferred for CEB/SCEB structures that replace rammed earth
structures, because no additional equipment, trained maintenance personnel, or fossil fuels are
required to operate and maintain the hand press.
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Adobe Brick
Adobe brick construction involves pressing wet earth into molds and drying the resulting bricks
in the sun. Adobe is a successful and ancient building material that offers excellent insulating
and structral properties. CEB is a viable alternative to adobe in that CEB can be produced more
rapidly without the requirement for forms. CEB is much more dense than adobe, and provides
better insulating and structural properties for walls of the same thickness. CEB permits thinner
walls with the same or better properties than adobe. The interlocking feature of some CEB types
provides excellent wall stability and uniform wall surfaces that require substantially less mortar
filling, patching, and maintenance than adobe. Hand press production methods may be
preferred for CEB/SCEB structures that replace adobe structures for cost and environmental
reasons.
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Country Fired/Kiln Fired Brick
Country fired/kiln fired brick (CFB) is a very common traditional construction material in
Afghanistan. CFB are produced by packing clay into molds, allowing the molded brick to dry in
the sun, then baking the sun-dried brick in an oven. When ready for sale, bricks are typically
trucked to construction sites or retailers. This type of brick is popular due to relative dimensional
consistency, good structural properties, and the availability of unskilled labor for brick making
and construction. Brick kilns in Afghanistan are generally viewed as an environmental risk, due to
the lack of monitoring and regulation of fuel inputs and emissions. Any type of ready fuel is used
to fire the kilns, often resulting in deforestation and/or toxic emissions. Fired brick is porous,
fragile, and subject to dimensional inconsistencies when compared to CEB/SCEB. CEB/SCEB is
typically produced on the construction site or as close to the site as possible, minimizing
transportation costs and emissions. CEB/SCB require no high temperatures to achieve required
strength and density, only moderate outdoor temperature and humidity. Based on this honest
and objective evaluation, there is no feature of country/kiln fired brick that is equal to the
properties of CEB, with the exception of CFB's current strong position in the marketplace.
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Concrete Masonry Units (CMU)
CMU (also known locally as hollow block or concrete block) is less prominent in Afghanistan's
marketplace, but gaining popularity. It should be noted that the increasing popularity of CMU is
at least in part related to the relatively small investment necessary to open a CMU plant, similar
to the minimal investment required to open a CEB/SCEB operation. CMU are produced by filling
a machine form with sand/cement/water mixture and subjecting the mixture to moderate
pressure into the form, using a motor-driven or hand-driven press. While it is feasible to set up a
CMU plant on a large construction project, typically CMU are produced in a central location and
trucked to construction sites or retailers. CEB/SCEB is mostly competitive due to the potentially
lower cost of production (lower cement content, lower transport costs, low investment for hand
presses), potentially better availability (usable soil can be found almost anywhere), and the
portability of hand presses. This Guideline envisions a healthy and close competition between
CMU and CEB/SCEB in the future, due to the many similarities.
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SCEB Properties Summary
Stabilized Compressed Earth Brick (SCEB) is a building material made from damp soil and a
chemical binder such as Portland cement or lime, compressed at moderate pressure to form
bricks. SCEB uses a mechanical press to form bricks, the shape of which depends on the mould
used.
CEB/SCEB are very dense and heavy as compared to other types of masonry, around five times
the density of kiln fired brick. This should be considered in transportation planning.
SCEB include Portland cement or lime for increased compressive strength and better
durability. CEB (without stabilizers) have lower strength and are less weatherproof, but still
has many useful applications as a superior replacement for adobe and rammed earth.
During brick pressing, around 2-5 MPa of pressure is applied and the original soil volume is
reduced by about half. The compressive strength of properly made SCEB with 10% cement
content is around 2-4Mpa, exceeding specified requirements for normal strength CMU or fired
brick. The compressive strength of CEB is somewhat dependent on soil type, but is typically
in the 1.5-2Mpa range. It should be noted that for the vast majority of single story applications,
brick compressive strength is far greater than the applied stresses, for virtually all types of
masonry.
SCEB and CEB can be compressed in many different shapes and sizes depending on the mould
and press used. SCEBs come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Interlocking bricks offer cost,
material, labor, and time advantages over smooth faced bricks which require mortar joints
throughout the structure. CEB/SCEB can be produced using curved forms for interlocking
circular sstructures. CEB/SCEB can be produced with forms that produce penetrations for
reinforcing steel, grout infill, and mechanical/electrical chases.
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SCEB Production Summary
Production of SCEB involves acquiring an operating area, procurement of brick pressing
equipment, selection and testing of a suitable soil, mixing, pressing, and storage.
Approximately 30 square meters of hard, dry surface area are required to set up and operate
a motor driven or hand press. The size of the drying and storage area will depend on the scale
of the operation and turnover times. A minimum of 100 square meters is recommended for
small scale pressing operations.
Motor driven presses and hand presses are widely available for import from a variety of
manufacturers. Substantial opportunity may be available for investors that acquire exclusive
rights to import high quality equipment. Hand presses are simple and inexpensive to fabricate
in a typical metal fabrication shop. Domestic fabrication of motorized presses is possible but
complex, and mar require a substantial capital investment. Fabrication drawings and
instructional videos for the fabrication of CEB/SCEB presses are available free of charge on the
internet from Open Source Ecology. Basic hand tools (shovels, wheelbarrow, buckets, scale,
screens, etc.) are required. For the ABADE training program, a motorized brick press was
purchased and imported from a USA manufacturer with a total cost of approximately $25,000
USD. A prototype hand press was fabricated in Afghanistan based on Open Source Ecology
drawings for approximately $800. Subsequent hand presses are estimated to cost
approximately $400 to fabricate and to retail in the $500 range.
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Soils for CEB/SCEB should be obtained from the constructon site itself, or at the nearest
feasible location to the construction site. It should be noted that in some cases the cost of soil
disposal can be reduced by the use of CEB/SCEB. These potential savings are not included in
our cost analysis. Organic soil (topsoil or any soil with included vegetable matter) should not
be used for CEB/SCEB. Soils should be tested to determine the percentage of sand, gravel, silt
and clay. It is strongly recommended to make use of a soils testing laboratory to sample and
test the soil. Cost of a typical soils test is around $10USD. Sampling costs will vary, depending
on the location and size of the project. Many experienced CEB/SCEB producers will conduct
their own tests, but this is not recommended.
Cement for CEB should be good quality type I portland cement from a reputable domestic
manufacturer. Type II cement may be required for certain soil types. Producers should
experiment with 5% or 10% cement content in SCEB mixes to optimize costs and desired
material properties. With 10% cement content, yield is approximately 150 finished bricks per
bag of cement.
Pressing operations require 4-5 laborers per press to mix soils, load the machine, operate the
press, and stack bricks for drying. A high quality motor driven press can produce as many as
1000 bricks per day, and a hand press can produce approximately 300 bricks per day.
Curing times for CEB/SCEB vary somewhat depending on initial water content, prevailing
weather conditions, and block type. Blocks with penetrations have faster curing times than
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solid blocks. Some builders report successfully installing SCEB on the day after production. In
typical conditions a minimum curing time of 7 days is recommended before handling the
blocks.
Applications
SSCEBs are economical and convenient substitutes for
conventional kiln-burnt clay bricks, adobe bricks, and concrete
masonry units (CMU) in many applications. SCEBs are finding
the largest growth rate in the construction of houses, schools,
small clinics, and other low rise community buildings
worldwide. Though houses can be built anywhere using the
SCEBs, their use is a particularly compelling choice in the following situations:
 Project sites in remote locations
 Earthquake prone areas
 Construction of houses for economically weaker citizens
 In cases where very fast construction is necessary
 In cases where thermal (heat and cold) and sound insulation are important
 In dangerous areas where security is lacking
Military Applications
SCEBs are capable of stopping small arms fire at close range.
CEB/SCEB are a feasible substitute for sand bags, hescoes, and
other security measures for both military enclosures as well as
community structures such as schools, clinics, and housing.
Commercial and Government Uses

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Residential House made of SCEBs
Affordable housing
Disaster relief and reconstruction efforts
Sustainable and green building markets
Rural and semi-urban structures for education and health infrastructure development
Agricultural outbuildings and miscellaneous structures
Fencing
Owner/user and do-it-yourself projects
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Public works construction (i.e., road curbs, retaining walls, culverts, etc.)
Canal linings, river bank erosion protection.
A Ugandan project realized 40% cost savings using SCEB for above ground water tanks
below the cost of plastic water tanks.
Military and Humanitarian

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Contingency/emergency construction for military structures
Force protection for U.S. troops, equipment and allies
Substitute for sandbags
Revetments, fortifications and retaining walls
Military civic action/nation building for schools, clinics, community buildings, farm
buildings, and housing.
Benefits
There are many advantages to using interlocking stabilized compressed earth bricks (SCEBs)
as a substitute for both CMU and traditional baked bricks. See below for a listing of the main
cost and quality related advantages.
Interlocking SCEB Cost Benefits:
Size: One standard interlocking SCEB is equivalent in size to 3 Afghan baked bricks in that
typical baked brick external walls are 1.5 bricks thick. Using a 10 x 20 x 25cm SCEB brick, one
square meter will require 40 SCEBs vs. 190 baked bricks with 1.0 cm mortar joints included.
Materials: All materials required to make interlocking SCEBs are available locally, including the
labor.
Cost to Construct: Given the fact that no mortar is used, less plastering is not needed and if
so, less material is used, the labor requirement is reduced, and the construction time is much
faster, building with SCEB is between 2 to 3 times faster, depending on if it is a load or nonload bearing application.
Fast Production Rate: SCEB brick machines come in a variety of production capacities. The
locally available single chamber machine recommended herein, can produce 4 bricks per
minute of 1,920 bricks per 8-hour shift. This is equivalent to a surface area of 48 m2.
Fast Construction Rate: SCEB construction is usually 2 to 3 times faster than traditional
construction. The wall assembly construction of a 90 square meter house (see Annex 1), once
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the bricks are made, will require approximately 4,830 SCEBs. The walls can easily be
completed in four days at a high standard with a crew of 4 people.
Portability: SCEB production equipment is very mobile and can be easily brought to even
remote locations. SCEB produced at the project site virtually eliminates transport time and
losses due to transportation and handling. On-site production also improves control of the
supply chain. Brick transportation costs typically comprise between 20 to 30% of the brick
cost.
Raw Material Transportation: Suitable soils are usually available at or near the construction
site. Obtaining the soil on or near the site further reduces transportation related costs.
Mortar Requirements: Other than bedding down the first course of SCEB on the foundation
itself, there is virtually no other need for mortar. Mortar typically comprises 30% of brick
masonry costs.
Labor: SCEBs do not require highly skilled masons to build.
Unskilled labor with basic training can erect a wall. One skilled
mason is recommended to set the first course and periodically
check but when dry stacking, all others could be unskilled
workers. One individual unskilled laborer can lay approximately
450 SCEBs a day (11 m2) versus a mason with two laborers who
can average 1,300 bricks per day (7 m2). Similarly, one mason
and two labors can lay 150 CMU per day (12 m2).
Finishing: SCEB walls do not need to be plastered. Because of the consistent and interlocking
design, the wall has a very attractive appearance. However, in accordance with cultural norms
in Afghanistan, it is expected that many people will want to plaster and paint, or just paint
their walls. Due to the smoothness and tight fitting wall face, approximately 1/3 of the
amount of normal plastering is required.
Interlocking SCEB Quality Benefits
Strength: With 8 to 10% cement content, interlocking SCEBs have significantly higher
compressive strength of kiln fired bricks. These bricks are strong, stable, and long-lasting.
Disaster resistance: A properly made interlocking SCEB wall is able to deflect up to and beyond
the parameters as dictated by ACI 530 (Δ=0.007h). This allowance minimizes risks due to
earthquakes, hurricane winds of up to 193 km/hr and other such natural hazards.
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Insulation: SCEB brick constructed buildings are also significantly more energy efficient when
compared to construction using traditional concrete and/or clay fired bricks. As a result,
interlocking SCEB building interiors are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, saving
money to heat and cool and adding comfort through stable interior temperatures and
humidity.
Interior Space: As SCEB walls are 20cm thick versus typical 1.5 baked bricks walls at 33cm thick,
SCEB walls allow for more interior space given the same footprint. This includes interior brick
walls which are usually 22cm thick.
Fire resistance: SCEBs, composed of soil and cement, do not burn.
Insect resistance: Insects are discouraged because the walls are solid, very dense, and have
no food value.
Mold resistance: There is no cellulose material - such as in wood, Oriented Strand Board or
drywall - that can host mold or rot. Insects and other animals do not see SCEB as a food source.
Sound mitigation: Similar to thermal insulation, sound transmission is significantly less than
traditional concrete and bricks. This is an important feature in high-density neighborhoods
and residential areas adjacent to industrial zones or airports.
Arms Fire: SCEBs do not allow small arms fire to penetrate. This includes AK-47 rounds at
close range.
Utility: SCEB is suitable for single and double storey structures. Higher buildings may require
frame structures to withstand earthquake forces.
Environment: SCEB is environmentally friendly and does not require baking in a kiln,
transportation to the job site, or any other highly polluting processes. Usually, soil for SCEBs
can be found on site or within a short distance. The entire SCEB manufacturing process is
environmentally safe and gives off no harmful effluents or VOCs to the environment.
Non-toxic: All materials used are natural, non-toxic, synthetic chemical-free, and do not offgas.
Sustainability: SCEB structures last for a very long time. As mentioned above, compressed
earth was used in the Greta Wall of China and other historic sites that are still in use.
All these advantages and the lower cost of the Stabilized Earth Bricks have resulted in its
increasing popularity in various parts of the world.
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Interlocking Bricks
There are numerous advantages to an interlocking brick
design. The main one is that other than the first course
resting on the slab or foundation, they do not need to be laid
in a bed of mortar. In addition to material and labor savings
by eliminating mortar and “dry stacking”, the construction
time is also greatly reduced. The interlocking shapes of these
improved bricks also help to reduce the skill level needed, be
it for construction companies or homeowners desiring to
build their own homes.
Interlocking SCEB
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Advantages of CEB/SCEB
• A local material
• Energy efficiency and eco
• Market opportunity
Ideally, the production is made friendliness
According to the local context (materials,
3
on the site itself or in a nearby The energy consumption in a m can be labor, equipment, etc.), the final price will
area. Thus, it will save the
from 5 to 15 times less than a m3 of fired vary, but in most of the cases the total
transportation, fuel, time and bricks. The pollution emission will also cost of construction will be cheaper than
money.
be 2.4 to 7.8 times less than fired bricks. fired bricks or CMU.
• A bio-degradable
• Cost efficiency
• Reducing imports
With a natural resources and local labor, Produced locally by skilled and unskilled
material
Well-designed SCEB houses and without transport, SCEBs can most people, SCEB can serve as an alternative
can withstand, with a
definitely be cost effective! The degree to importation of other, more expensive,
minimum of maintenance,
depends on the context and one’s
materials that have to be shipped and/or
heavy rains, snowfall or frost knowledge.
transported over long distances.
without being damaged. The • An adapted material
• Flexible production scale
strength and durability has
Being produced locally, it is more easily Equipment for SCEB is available from
been consistently proven for adapted to various needs: technical,
manual to motorized tools ranging from a
half a century.
social, cultural habits.
village to a semi- industrial scale. The
• A transferable technology
initial selection of the equipment is
• Limiting deforestation
It is a simple technology requiring few
crucial, but once done, it will be easy to
SCEB are not kiln dried and skills. Through efficient training, student, scale as demand improves.
thus do not need firewood to practitioners, and even local villagers will • Social acceptance
produce. This will save
be able to learn how to make and build
Demonstrated over the past half century,
forests, which are being
with SCEBs relatively quickly.
SCEB can adapt itself to various needs:
depleted quickly due to short • A job creation opportunity
from poor income to well off people or
term thinking and the
SCEB allows unskilled and unemployed governments. Its quality, regularity and
mismanagement of resources. people to learn a skill, get a job and rise in style allow a wide range of final house
social status and financial stability.
products.
Source: www.earth-auroville.com
Alternatives/Substitutes
Non-Structural: The main alternatives to SCEB in Afghanistan are concrete block, also called
concrete masonry units or “CMU” and baked brick. In Afghanistan, CMU is typically
manufactured locally in a wide variety of small, owner operated facilities. Quality can vary
greatly. Typically, builders survey the area around the job site and select a block manufacturer
to supply them with product of sufficient quality at a competitive price. Block sizes vary in
Afghanistan but in the main CMU comes in the following standard sizes:
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Hollow CMU
20cm x 20cm x 40cm (8” x8” x 16”)
10cm x 20cm x 40cm (6” x 8” x 16”)
Solid CMU
20cm x 20cm x 30cm (8” x 8” x 12”)
The cost of CMU can vary greatly depending on quality and volume purchased. The average
costs of reasonable quality hollow CMU delivered on site is 40 Afghanis ($0.62). The most
common use of CMU is for infill in standard column and beam buildings. In other words, wall
assemblies that are not structural as the weight of the building is carried by the columns and
floor decks. In some cases, solid concrete blocks or hollow concrete blocks are grouted to
form load bearing blocks. In these cases, columns are no longer required.
Another product commonly used in Afghanistan is fired clay (or baked) brick. Baked bricks are
also often used for infill as above. The other most common use of bricks in vertical
infrastructure is for internal or partition walls. Bricks are manufactured in over 1,200 brick
factories scattered across the country. Most use the traditional BTK or FCK technologies which
are known for their high CO2 and dust (PM2.5) emissions. In many countries, these
technologies are now illegal due to their contribution to pollution. The standard size red brick
in Afghanistan is 22 x 11 x 7cm (8.7” x 4.35” x 2.75”). When using as external wall infill, the
wall thickness is typically 1.5 bricks or 33cm thick. For non-load bearing interior or partition
walls, the wall is usually 1 brick thick but laid along its length. Thus, the wall thickness is 22cm.
Brick prices, volume, and quality vary but on average the cost of a standard red brick is 2,900
Afghanis per 1,000 bricks or 2.9 Afghanis ($0.045) per brick. Like CMU, baked bricks are also
sometimes used for low-rise structural applications at a 1.5 brick or 33cm thickness.
Market Overview
The current or projected future demand for concrete blocks and bricks in Afghanistan could
not be ascertained. While we know Afghanistan is self-reliant in the production of these two
building materials, current or accurate statistical data was very difficult to obtain. Due to
physical insecurity and weak state capacity, data collection continues to be a perennial
challenge when trying to conduct rigorous analysis.
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Currently, concrete blocks (mainly hollow) and kiln-fired or “baked” bricks comprise the
traditional approach for both exterior and interior wall assemblies. In fact, while steel
reinforced concrete is typically used in a post and beam system, there are low-rise buildings
(one and two storey) in urban locations that use bricks for the structural aspects as well. In
rural Afghanistan, mud or “adobe” walls are still very common. Brick is preferred and
sometimes used but is still significantly more expensive than a 40-60 cm (16-24”) adobe wall.
If SCEBs can be produced locally and houses constructed at a total cost at or near the cost of
using adobe, there would be a very large market. At this juncture, the primary target market
is both interior and exterior walls, structural and non-load bearing for low rise structures in
urban Afghanistan and affordable housing projects in the peri-urban areas.
In terms of supply, both concrete blocks and baked bricks are generally made by small private
enterprises locally near the job sites. While dimensions are quite standard in Afghanistan,
quality is highly variable. Thus, rather than go to a large, recognized brand of block or brick,
builders typically survey the area around the job site and contract with a local producer.
Herein with the portability of SCEB, it is anticipated that small producers will be established
across the country but initially serving the larger projects in the urban and peri-urban areas.
Most recognize the peak of construction took place in 2012-2013 when the international
community, led by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was in full force. At this point,
there were hundreds of millions of dollars of projects being tendered to meet a variety of
military and civilian needs. During this period, the majority of the work was awarded to
foreign companies. Similarly, the majority of the materials used were imported from Pakistan,
Russia, Turkey, the UAE and other countries. However, some of the less sophisticated
requirements did trickle down to Afghan construction companies and construction materials
manufacturers. Most importantly, this served as a wake-up call for the public and private
sectors illustrating the unprecedented opportunity Afghanistan has in developing these
sectors and reducing imports.
Accurate and current data and information is extremely hard to obtain in Afghanistan but from
numerous focus groups, private interviews, and studies performed by the international
community, we purport that the construction sector has hit bottom and is poised to expand,
led by both internationally funded and Afghanistan initiated projects. For example, the US
Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has announced $700M of infrastructure investment over
the coming 2 years. The Asian Development Bank has pledged $1.2 billion and the multi-donor
funded Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), managed by the World Bank, is also
promising $300 million. In this cycle, we anticipate a measurable increase in the use of Afghan
construction companies and Afghan manufactured building materials. The Ministry of
23
Commerce and Industry’s (MOCI) “Construction Materials Action Plan” (CMAP) articulated
several critical recommendations to make this a reality. At this juncture, we believe there to
be a growing commitment and opportunity for affordable, culturally acceptable, and energy
efficient infrastructure and housing related technologies. A Working Group has been
established to address these recommendations, with one of the most urgent being the need
to improve the quality and portfolio of Afghan manufactured construction materials on the
market.
The Local Economy: A SCEB press and production facility can also enhance the local economy.
SCEBs can be made competitively at a local scale. In "Compressed Earth Block Volume 1:
Manual of Production" by CRA Terre, Vincent Rigassi, CEB is described as "one of those rare
'modern materials' which has sufficient production flexibility to enable it to be integrated into
both formal and informal sectors of activity, from 'cottage' industry to full-scale industrial
plants". A well-managed, high capacity single chamber SCEB machine could potentially
employ 10 people and produce between 1,000-2,000 bricks per day.
Market Entry Costs
Capital Expenditures: The investment required to establish a SCEB brick factory is low
compared to most other high tech alternatives. In the main, all that is needed is a brick
machine (manual, electric, gasoline or diesel powered), a pan-mixer (although initially manual
mixing with shovels on the floor is common), and moulds (usually coming along with the
purchase of the machine). The requirements in terms of factory space, fuel, electricity and
other utilities are similarly modest. This bodes well not only for market entry but also for
breaking even and obtaining an attractive return on investment.
In this scenario, we are assuming the investor in Afghanistan starts with one single chamber
motorized hydraulic brick machine. Depending on the model, these types of machines are
capable of producing between 1,000 to 2,000 bricks per 8-hour shift. It is highly recommended
to produce interlocking bricks as these cost no more but carry additional advantages in terms
of cost savings and reducing construction time. Below is a list of the primary and auxiliary
pieces of equipment required for a start-up SCEB manufacturing facility.
24
Brick Machine: Several companies all over the world make brick presses. As mentioned
above, these come in all shapes and sizes, and can
be manually operated or motorized.
Moulds: Companies that sell the machines typically
also offer moulds of different shapes and sizes. In
fact, most machines come with at least one set of
moulds in the machine. The most common
Mobile Motorized Brick Press
interlocking SCEBs are smooth surfaced with a key
slot on the top and bottom surface for interlocking. The dimensions of these bricks can vary
so make sure you determine what size(s) brick is most desirable. In all cases, moulds have to
always be kept clean, maintained, and stored properly. In some machines, after a period of
use, the side “wear plates” will need to be replaced in order to maintain consistent dimensions
of the brick. As such, it is always good to periodically (once per month) check the dimensions
of the brick being produced.
(Optional) Pan Mixer: In the beginning, it is very common to mix the soil, cement, and water
on the factory floor using 2 to 4 laborers with shovels. As long as the mix quantity is not too
large, and the laborers do a good and efficient job, this is fine. Reasons why you do not want
to make too large a mix is a) it is harder to mix thoroughly by hand, and b) you want to use
the mix quickly before the moisture content starts to drop. As mentioned below, it is always
best to start with dry soil. Once the factory is producing a threshold level of bricks, it probably
makes sense to invest in a pan mixer. A good quality pan mixer is far more effective and
efficient in mixing the soil, cement, water, and possibly water resistant stabilizer before being
placed in the brick machine. Many machine manufacturers, like Hydraform, sell pan mixers
separately or include them along with the brick machine.
Raw Materials: All of the raw materials required to make SCEB are readily available in
Afghanistan. The only material not available is a clay soil stabilizer for waterproofing purposes
which may or may not be needed. Raw materials required to manufacture SCEB are as
follows:
-
Soil
Cement
Sand
Water
Soil Stabilizer if needed
25
Soil: Not every soil is suitable for SCEB production. But with some knowledge and experience
many soils can be used for producing SCEB. Topsoil and organic soils must not be used.
Identifying the properties of a soil is essential to perform, at the end, good quality products.
Some simple sensitive analysis can be performed after a short training. Cement stabilization
will be better for sandy soils. Lime stabilization will be better suited for clayey soils.
It is critical to determine the composition of the soil before commencing production activities.
Ideally, the soil is comprised of between 60 to 70% sand and 30 to 40% silt and clay. Local
soils labs can assist here, or a test kit can be purchased. However, there is also a simple test
that can be done using a clear glass or plastic bottle half filled with soil and half with water. A
pinch of salt can be added to speed up the process. Cap it tight and shake it up until all is in
solution. It is good to let it soak for a few minutes and then shake the solution again to get it
mixed well. Normally, layers of different particle sizes will form as it settles. This may take a
few minutes with the salt added or a few hours without salt. The large particles on the bottom
of the jar will be sand, then silt will settle out and finally a clay layer will form on top
underneath clear water. Mark the height of each layer to get a rough calculation of the
percentages of each material. If the soil from the selected burrow pit does not meet the
criteria desired, sand or clay can be added to adjust the mix. In other cases, where the clay
content is too high and/or too reactive, clay soil stabilizer can be added to the mix.
Alternatively, the producer can seek another burrow pit with better soil.
Cement: A high quality Portland Type 1 cement should be used. This is typically available in
all markets.
Sand: At times, if the clay percentage is too high, sand can be used to cut the percentage
down. Alternatively, the producer can find another burrow pit with better soil composition.
Water: The water should be as clean as possible. Potable is preferred but if not available, the
water should be as free from debris, metals, organics, salt, and other impurities as possible.
It is suggested that the water be tested before use to be sure it is compatible with the cement
being used in accordance with ASTM AC 531.
Other Additives: In certain applications, other ingredients can be added such as a clay soil
stabilizer to add water resistance, a dye or tint to color the brick, or lime to also stabilize and
adjust the pH of the soil. At this juncture, we do not envisage the need in the Afghanistan
market.
Year 1 Set-Up: The first purchase order of raw materials depends on the company’s pipeline
of projects. If a large contract is likely or has been awarded, they must secure a sufficient
volume of materials to complete the project. Hence, this is a decision that must be based on
the market realities and projections of the company’s leadership.
26
Below, we have assumed year 1 sales to comprise of 60% non-structural SCEB to be used for
infill and partition walls and 40% for the structural use in constructing low rise houses. We
have also assumed that sales will require ~3,750m2 of infill and partition walls (150,000 SCEBs)
and 2,500m2 to build the interior and exterior walls of 20 x 90m2 houses, each requiring ~5,000
SCEBs or a total of 100,000 SCEBs. This results in year 1 production requirement of 250,000
SCEBs.
Table 1. Estimated Raw Materials required for Year 1 (@a 10% cement mix)
Raw Material
Qty
Unit Cost (Afs)
Soil/Sand (m3)*
1,800
200
5,581
360,000
Cement (50 kg bags)
5,000
340
26,357
1,700,000
31,938
2,060,000
Total**
Cost (US$)
Cost (Afs)
*Assume soil is found to be suitable for SCEB, without the addition of sand or other
ingredients.
** Assume water is available at no cost
Factory-related Items: Initially, there is very little required other than a factory space to stage
raw materials, produce SCEB, and store the inventory. However, as the company begins to
trade and become profitable, there are other items that will be needed.
Factory Space: When first starting off, it is recommended to install the plant in a space of
approximately 250-500m2 depending on the raw material and finished good inventory
requirements. The main need is floor space to place raw materials, mix the raw materials,
place the machinery, produce the bricks, cure the bricks, and then palletize, wrap, label and
store the inventory. In addition, there should be secure interior space to store and lock-up
the unused raw materials, hand tools and other sundry items, and have an office for the plant
manager and plant engineer.
Other items that should be part of the company’s operating equipment include the following:






Company 4x4 or pick-up truck
Fork Lift
Strapping machine to strap bricks to pallets for transport
Tarps to cover freshly made bricks for curing
Pallets
Compression tester
27





Brick cutter
A digital scale
A clean and stable source of electricity
Access to clean, potable water
Sundry items (hand tools, buckets, brooms, gloves, water hose, etc.)
Labor: To run the plant with one single chamber machine at full or nearly full capacity, there
should be approximately 10 staff, excluding senior management and front office personnel
(management, sales, marketing, finance, etc.). More specifically, a small plant as described
above would require the following:
Plant Manager/Supervisor: This person would be responsible for running the plant, including
but not limited to overseeing the SCEB production, equipment maintenance, raw material as
well as finished good inventory, and ultimately manufacturing and preparing the block for
sale.
Senior Brick Maker: This person would be in charge of the brick machine. He would direct the
laborers in terms of mix preparation, loading, and stacking. He would also participate in the
process but be trained and responsible for the inputs and outputs of the brick machine.
Factory Labor: In addition to the above, a compliment of approximately 8 unskilled laborers
are needed to complete such tasks as soil mixing, machine loading, brick stacking, curing, and
palletizing. These laborers also clean the factory at the end of the day and prepare the
materials for the next day.
Competitiveness
In many cases, depending on the size of the brick, the cost of the raw materials and labor
locally, and other factors, the cost of SCEB brick can be less than or more expensive than baked
brick, CMU, or other alternatives. The key point to understand is it is NOT the unit price
differential between the bricks and blocks that makes SCEB economical but rather the
resultant decrease in total building cost. As stated above, the many benefits of SCEB combine
to offer a less expensive, faster build, better insulated, stronger and safer structure.
As shown below, the cost of using SCEB in Afghanistan works out to be between 5-20% less
expensive than the commonly used alternatives depending on the application. This also
excludes the non-financial benefits of SCEB such as stronger, more insulated, faster and easier
to build, safer in seismic conditions, and environmentally friendly to mention a few.
28
Using an example of a 90m2 house, we have conducted materials and labor comparative
analyses of SCEB, CMU and baked brick. . As shown in Table 2 below, the cost of using SCEB
in Afghanistan works out to be between 20-40% less expensive than commonly used
alternatives.
Table 2: Comparison of SCEB with CMU and Baked Brick Walls for both non-structural (in-fill, partition) and
structure wall applications
Total Cost
(Afs)
CLC Ratio
with
others
%
difference
No
Structure System
Comments
I
Non-Structural Case for Walls
1
SCEB infill with steel reinforce concrete
columns
163,056
2
CMU infill with steel reinforce concrete
columns
207,002
0.79
21.2
SCEB is 21.2% less expensive than CMU
3
Baked brick infill with steel reinforce
concrete columns
210,346
0.78
22.5
SCEB is 22.5% less expensive than Baked
brick
II
Structural Case for Walls
4
SCEB without columns
114,794
5
CMU (grouted) without columns
188,802
0.61
39.2
SCEB is 39.2% less expensive than CMU
6
Baked brick without columns (1.5 brick
thickness)
169,131
0.68
32.1
SCEB is 32.1% less expensive than Baked
brick
(including interior partition walls)
The SCEB Manufacturing Process
The production process for SCEBs includes the following steps:
-
-
Mixing the soil with the determined percentage of cement, water, and possibly soil
stabilizer, depending on the soil composition.
Adjustment of the hydraulic pressure of the machine, depending on the soil
composition and moisture content.
Loading the hopper with the mixture and activating the machine to form SCEBs.
29
-
Curing the SCEB
-
Palletizing and preparing for storage or delivery.
The steps involved for manufacture of Stabilized Earth Bricks are briefly discussed below.
1.
Soil Preparation: The soil should be clean and dry with all trash, organics, and rocks
(<10mm) removed. It should contain a minimum of 12.5% clay. In the case where the soil
contains less clay content, a clayey material needs to be properly mixed with the in-situ
material. Similarly, if there is too much clay, sand should be added to reduce the percentage.
Ideally, the mixture should be between 50-60% sand/gravel and 30-40% silt and clay. The soil
should be dry and must not contain lumps. In many cases, mechanical crushers and sifters are
used to help refine the soil. When first starting out with relatively small volume production,
soil can be manually sifted through mesh screens. Herein, a wood frame is built to hold one
or two layers of screening materials (5mm x 5mm). The frame is then put at an angle of
approximately 45 degrees and the soil is shoveled through the screen.
2.
The soil is then mixed with a pre-determined dosage of cement, and additional
stabilizer if deemed necessary. Test bricks should be run and tested for each new burrow pit
or mix but in the main, between 8-10% cement (by volume) is typically used.
3.
Obtaining the Optimal Moisture Content: One of the most important aspects in the
SCEB manufacturing process is obtaining the right moisture content in the mix. If too wet, the
brick will crack in the press and not reach full strength. If too dry, the compression will not
take full effect and again, you end up with a substandard brick. There are many books on how
to achieve this but experience is the best lesson. One simple test is to take a handful of mix
and squeeze it into a ball. When the ball stays together in your hand, drop it from your waist
to the ground. If it sticks together or breaks in only two or three parts when it hits the ground,
it is too wet. In this case add some more dry ingredients, keeping the ratio of soil to cement
equal to your original mix. If it breaks into dozens of pieces, or doesn’t even stick together in
your hand, it is too dry. Add a little water but note it is common to err at this point by adding
too much water. The little water you add will take a lot of mixing to get it thoroughly into the
mix, so don't rush at this point by adding more water than needed, because it is a lot of work
to dry the mix out again. Experimentation when first making bricks is the best teacher.
A Word on Moisture Content: Why is it good to use as little moisture as possible? Minimal
(but sufficient) moisture content results in better strength, water resistance, durability and
30
thermal mass in the finished block. An understanding of the structure of soil is helpful in
grasping its interaction with moisture. Imagine that we magnify the size of the particle and
look at it. If you look at a pile of stones, you will see many spaces of different sizes and shapes
between the stones. This is similar to how sand particles look. If you try to compress the pile
of stones, they really don't compress because one rests on top of the other. The spaces are
similar to those between the sand particles in a SCEB. We want to fill these spaces with clay
because the clay acts to bind the sand particles together. Sand does not have the
characteristic of sticking together well when it is dry, but the addition of clay binds the sand,
helping the brick keep its shape. To get clay to stick together well, it is first saturated with
water. Mixing the wet clay helps the clay particles align with each other. Because clay
particles are flat, rather than round or angular like sand, they will stick together or to sand like
wet paper.
When a SCEB brick machine compresses a block, it reduces the volume by 30%. It does this
by mechanically aligning the moist clay particles, removing the air pockets and sticking the
clay to the sand. If too much water is in the mix, there will be more air space between the
particles when the brick dries. This reduces the strength and thermal mass, and makes the
surface more porous so it is not as resistant to water and scratches. If there is more clay than
is needed to fill the spaces between the sand particles, the block becomes weaker because
clay compresses more than sand, especially when wet.
4.
The hydraulic pressure of the machine should be checked and adjusted to the desired
strength. This depends on the end result expected as well as the type of soil composition (e.g.
percentage of clay) and moisture content. Experience is the best teacher so it is
recommended to always run a variety of mixes and pressures and then test the bricks to
determine the optimum settings.
5.
The hopper is then filled with the soil mixture and the production of SCEBs
commences. Note, each hopper of the Green Machine will handle 72 kgs of mixture and
produce 6 bricks. This takes 1.5 minutes. Thus, to ensure continuity, there has to be an
ongoing floor (or pan-mixer) mix of approximately 660 kgs. This equates to 1.3 bags of cement
and 594 kg of prepared soil mix.
6.
Newly produced SCEB are somewhat delicate and should be handled carefully when
moving from the machine to the floor and stacked for curing. They are also between 9 to 11
kgs so staff must also take care in how they are lifting and setting the bricks.
7.
Curing: When using cement as a stabilizer, it is very important to cure the cement by
keeping the brick moist. Herein, it is recommended to wet cure the bricks for 7 days. This
31
entails covering a stack of bricks (approximately 6 bricks x 15 bricks x 6 bricks high) with a tarp
and watering them 1 to 2 times per day, depending on the humidity of the location. After 7
days, the watering should stop and the tarp should be removed. Allow the bricks to then air
dry for another 7 days. Thus, after 14 days, they are ready to sell and use. The bricks will
continue to strengthen for another 14 days and will be fully cured after 28 days from the date
of manufacture. Bricks can be used for some construction projects after the 7-day wet curing
but caution should be exercised. If using the brick before it has completed the wet curing
process, cover the wall with a tarp or leaves to keep the sun and wind off and the moisture in.
Cement cures with water, so letting it dry too quickly, especially during the first week of curing,
robs it of its strength.
8.
Palletize and prepare for sale: After the curing process is completed, the bricks are
ready to be stacked on pallets, wrapped as deemed necessary, and used for construction.
9.
Post curing tests: The stability of the clay can also be observed by submerging a brick
in a bucket of water after it is cured. If the brick is stabilized and well cured, the brick will not
deteriorate or absorb water. Weigh the brick before placing in the bucket and after 1 week,
4 weeks, 1 year, removed the brick, visually inspect and weigh the brick. This is a great way
to demonstrate its water resistance to those who might doubt that soil can be used to build a
good house.
A Word on Soil Stabilization: Stabilizers such as cement, gypsum, lime, polymers, enzymes,
and ionic exchange liquids have been used in the body or on the surface of the bricks for
decades. Some of these have proven to be very effective in altering the performance
characteristics of the brick. Some have not. Whenever trying to alter the specifications of the
brick through stabilization, exercise caution and get advice from recognized and independent
industry leaders.
Key Success Factors for the Organization of a SCEB Brickyard:
•
•
•
•
•
Always reduce the distance of any required transportation.
Optimize the ratio output/number of workers, to obtain the best efficiency.
Organize the brickyard as close as possible to both the burrow pit and more importantly, the building site.
Locate the storeroom as close as possible to the brickyard.
Situate the final curing and stacking area as close as possible to the brickyard.
32
Quality Control tools
Quality Control
Quality control must be maintained throughout the process. Key steps comprise the selection
of the soil, preparation of the soil (e.g. crushing, sifting, and drying), the soil/cement mix, the
moisture content, the proper operation of the brick machine, including compression
pressures, and the dry and wet curing process. High quality and consistent brick can easily be
made day in and day out if proper procedures are established and adhered to.
In all batches, a few random bricks should be selected for compression testing to ensure their
strength. Other tests might include weighing the bricks and submerging one in a bucket of
water to measure the water absorption rate as compared to a dry brick. All batches should
be numbered and recorded noting the burrow pit, the results of any soil tests that were
conducted, the date of production, the client if pre-sold, etc.
33
Environmental Matters
Baked bricks remain one of the most important and traditional building materials in
Afghanistan. Usually confined to the rural areas, over 1,000 brick kiln factories exist across
the country. In recent years, with expanding urbanization and increasing demand for
construction materials, brick kilns have grown to meet the demand. In so doing, it has directly
and indirectly caused a series of environmental and health problems.
The clay brick production industry is a well-recognized and documented source of air pollution
in developing countries. The process of manufacturing clay bricks requires high energy to heat
and burn, resulting in significant greenhouse (CO2) emissions. At a local level (in the vicinity
of a brick kiln), environmental pollution from brick-making operations is injurious to human
health, animals and plant life. At a global level, environmental pollution from brick-making
operations contributes to the phenomena of global warming and climate change. Also,
extreme weather may cause degradation of the brick surface due to frost damage.
The proposed SCEB manufacturing processes would not generate any solid, liquid or gaseous
pollutants beyond limits permissible by domestic and international pollution control
authorities. However, all necessary precautions for control of pollution and the safety of the
production personnel from injury should be given due importance.
The only pollution generated by the proposed manufacturing process is the exhaust fumes
from the engines of the brick machines and pan-mixers if using fossil fuel powered machinery.
This would be tackled by proper ventilation of the factory building. There would not be any
other pollutants beyond permissible limits. Necessary precautions for further control of
pollution and the safety of the production personnel from injury should be given due
importance at all stages of the project.
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS OF SCEB
Earth is a local material. Preferably, the soil should be extracted from the site itself or at a minimum, not
transported from far away.
Compressed earth brick production is a labor intensive technology that is an easily adaptable and transferable
technology.
34
Soil is a cost and energy effective material.
SCEBs are much less energy consuming than fired bricks (about 4 times less).
It is much less polluting than country fired bricks (about 4 times less).
INITIAL EMBODIED ENERGY PER M3 OF WALL
POLLUTION EMISSION (Kg of CO2) PER M3 OF WALL
SCEB wall = 631 MJ / m3
Kiln Fired Brick (KFB) = 2,356 MJ / m3
Country Fired Brick (CFB) = 6,358 MJ / m3
SCEB wall = 56.79 Kg / m3
Kiln Fired Brick (KFB) = 230.06 Kg / m3
Country Fired Brick (CFB) = 547.30 Kg / m3
Source: www.earth-auroville.com
35
Annex 1: Sample Floor Plan Drawing Used to
Conduct Cost Comparisons
36
Annex 2: Cost Comparison Calculations
Calculations for Non-Structural CMU
CMU with Columns: Breadown Cost Estimation from FFL* of 9.9x9.05M Building With 2.75M Height
No.
I
1
2
3
4
II
1
2
3
Description Work
Columns (labour included)
Concrete of Columns (35x35cm), (9 columns)
Form work of columns
Rebar for Columns
Stirrups
Sub-total for Columns
Exterior Walls CMU (20cm width)
CMU+5% Waste
Workforce
Mason
Labour
Mortar
4 Plastering both side of walls
5 Painting both side of walls
III
1
2
3
4
5
Unit
QTY
M3
2
M
Kg
Kg
3.03
34.65
260.00
86.70
7,000.00
180.00
60
60
21,223.1
6,237.0
15,600.0
5,201.8
48,261.9
Nos
775.97
40
31,039.0
Head
Head
M3
5.17
10.35
2.40
800
350
3,500
4,138.5
3,621.2
8,400.0
M2
M2
186.40
186.40
130
100
24,232.0
18,640.0
90,070.7
40
25,098.4
800
350
3,500
130
100
3,346.5
2,928.2
7,000.0
17,124.3
13,172.5
68,669.8
207,002.5
Sub-total for Exterior Walls
Interior Walls CMU (20cm width)
CMU+5% Waste
Nos
627.46
Workforce
Mason
Head
4.18
Labour
Head
8.37
3
Mortar
M
2.00
2
Plastering both side of walls
M
131.73
2
Painting both side of walls
M
131.73
Sub-total for Interior Walls
Grand Total
*Finished Floor Level (excluding earth work and foundation work)
U/Price (Afs)
Amount (Afs)
37
Calculations for Non-Structural Baked Brick
Baked Brick with Columns: Breadown Cost Estimation from FFL* of 9.9x9.05M Building With 2.75M Height
No.
I
1
2
3
4
II
1
2
3
4
5
III
1
2
3
4
5
Description Work
Unit
QTY U/Price (Afs)
Columns (labour included)
Concrete of Columns (35x35cm), (9 columns)
M3
3.03
7,000
2
Form work of columns
M
34.65
180
Rebar for Columns
Kg
260.00
60
Stirrups
Kg
86.70
60
Sub-total for Columns
Exterior Walls Baked Brick (35cm width)
Baked Brick+5% Waste
Nos 11,817.00
3
Workforce
Mason
Head
9.09
800
Labour
Head
18.18
350
3
Mortar
M
2.40
3,500
2
Plastering both side of walls
M
186.40
130
2
Painting both side of walls
M
186.40
100
Sub-total for Exterior Walls
Interior Walls Baked Brick (22cm width)
Baked Brick+5% Waste
Nos 5,881.20
3
Workforce
Mason
4.52
800
Labour
9.05
350
3
Mortar
M
2.00
3,500
2
Plastering both side of walls
M
131.73
130
2
Painting both side of walls
M
131.73
100
Sub-total for Interior Walls
Grand Total
*Finished Floor Level (excluding earth work and foundation work)
Amount (Afs)
21,223.1
6,237.0
15,600.0
5,201.8
48,261.9
35,451.0
7,272.0
6,363.0
8,400.0
24,232.0
18,640.0
100,358.0
17,643.6
3,619.2
3,166.8
7,000.0
17,124.3
13,172.5
61,726.4
210,346.3
38
Calculations for Structural CMU
CMU without Columns: Breadown Cost Estimation from FFL* of 9.9x9.05M Building With 2.75M Height
No.
I
1
2
3
4
*
*
5
6
7
II
1
2
3
4
*
*
5
6
7
Description Work
Unit
Exterior Walls CMU (20cm width)
CMU+5% Waste
Nos
Rebar in every other cell
Kg
3
Grouting in rebar cells
M
Workforce
Mason
Head
Labour
Head
3
Mortar
M
Plastering both side of walls
M2
Painting both side of walls
M2
Sub-total for Exterior Walls
Interior Walls CMU (20cm width)
CMU+5% Waste
Nos
Rebar in every other cell
Kg
Grouting in rebar cells
M3
Workforce
Mason
Labour
Mortar
M3
Plastering both side of walls
M2
Painting both side of walls
M2
Sub-total for Interior Walls
Grand Total
*Finished Floor Level (excluding earth work and foundation work)
QTY
U/Price (Afs)
Amount (Afs)
820.81
190.00
1.80
40
60
4,000
32,832.3
11,400.0
7,200.0
5.47
10.94
2.40
186.40
186.40
800
350
3,500
130
100
4,377.6
3,830.4
8,400.0
24,232.0
18,640.0
110,912.4
627.46
95.00
0.88
40
60
4,000
25,098.4
5,700.0
3,520.0
4.18
8.37
2.00
131.73
131.73
800
350
3,500
130
100
3,346.5
2,928.2
7,000.0
17,124.3
13,172.5
77,889.8
188,802.2
39
Calculations for Structural Baked Brick
Baked Brick without Columns : Breadown Cost Estimation from FFL* of 9.9x9.05M Building With 2.75M Height
No.
Description Work
Unit QTY U/Price (Afs)
I Exterior Walls Baked Brick (35cm width)
1 Baked Brick+5% Waste
Nos 13,513.50
3
2 Workforce
* Mason
Head 10.40
800
* Labour
Head 20.79
350
3 Mortar
M3
2.40
3,500
4 Plastering both side of walls
M2 186.40
130
5 Painting both side of walls
M2 186.40
100
Sub-total for Exterior Walls
II Interior Walls Baked Brick (35cm width)
1 Baked Brick+5% Waste
Nos 5,881.20
3
2 Workforce
* Mason
4.52
800
* Labour
9.05
350
3 Mortar
M3
2.00
3,500
4 Plastering both side of walls
M2 131.73
130
5 Painting both side of walls
M2 131.73
100
Sub-total for Interior Walls
Grand Total
*Finished Floor Level (excluding earth work and foundation work)
Amount (Afs)
40,540.5
8,316.0
7,276.5
8,400.0
24,232.0
18,640.0
107,405.0
17,643.6
3,619.2
3,166.8
7,000.0
17,124.3
13,172.5
61,726.4
169,131.4
40
Calculations for Non-structural SCEB
Calculations for Structural SCEB
SCEB (25x20x10cm) with Columns: Breadown Cost Estimation from FFL* of 9.9x9.05M Building With 2.75M Height
No.
I
1
2
3
4
II
1
2
*
*
3
4
5
III
1
2
*
*
3
4
5
Description Work
Unit
Columns
Concrete of Columns (35x35cm), (9 columns)
M3
2
Form work of columns
M
Rebar for Columns
Kg
Stirrups
Kg
Sub-total for Columns
Exterior Wall SCEB (20cm width)
SCEB size 25x20x10cm+5% Waste
Nos
Workforce
Mason
Head
Labour
Head
Mortar
M3
2
Plastering both side of walls
M
Painting both side of walls
M2
Sub-total for Exterior Walls
Interior Walls SCEB (20cm width)
SCEB+2% Waste
Nos
Workforce
Mason
Head
Labour
Head
Mortar
M3
Plastering both side of walls
M2
Painting both side of walls
M2
Sub-total for Interior Walls
Grand Total
*Finished Floor Level (excluding earth work and foundation work)
QTY
U/Price (Afs)
Amount (Afs)
3.03
34.65
260.00
86.70
7,000
180
60
60
21,223.1
6,237.0
15,600.0
5,201.8
48,261.9
2,827.00
20
56,540.0
5.65
5.65
0.00
186.40
186.40
800
350
0
100
100
4,523.2
1,978.9
0.0
18,640.0
18,640.0
43,782.1
2,003.00
20
40,060.0
4.01
4.01
0.00
131.73
131.73
800
350
0
100
100
3,204.8
1,402.1
0.0
13,172.5
13,172.5
71,011.9
163,055.9
41
Calculations for Structural SCEB
SCEB (25x20x10cm) without Columns: Breadown Cost Estimation (from FFL*) of 9.9x9.05M Building With 2.75M Height
No.
Description Work
Unit QTY U/Price (Afs)
I Exterior Wall SCEB (20cm width)
1 SCEB size 25x20x10cm+5% Waste
Nos 2,827.00
20
3 Workforce
* Mason
Head 5.65
800
* Labour
Head 5.65
350
4 Mortar
M3
0.00
0
5 Plastering both side of walls
M2 186.40
100
6 Painting both side of walls
M2 186.40
100
Sub-total for Exterior Walls
II Interior Walls SCEB (20cm width)
1 SCEB+2% Waste
Nos 2,003.00
20
2 Workforce
* Mason
Head 4.01
800
* Labour
Head 4.01
350
3 Mortar
M3
0.00
0
4 Plastering both side of walls
M2 131.73
100
5 Painting both side of walls
M2 131.73
100
Sub-total for Interior Walls
Grand Total
*Finished Floor Level (excluding earth work and foundation work)
Amount (Afs)
56,540.0
4,523.2
1,978.9
0.0
18,640.0
18,640.0
43,782.1
40,060.0
3,204.8
1,402.1
0.0
13,172.5
13,172.5
71,011.9
114,794.0
42
Annex 3: SCEB Global Project Photo Gallery
Single family house,
Indonesia
School Building, Thailand
Townhouses, Philippines
SCEB painted wall kitchen
Teacher accommodation, Liberia
Government office, S. Africa
Private home, Ghana
Single Family house, Ethiopia
Teacher’s quarters, Liberia
43
Annex 4: References
Compressed Earth Block Building Code
Compressed earth block - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CRAterre :: Compressed earth blocks. Volume II: Manual of design and construction
The CETA RAM Block Press.pdf
HiLoTec – Shaking table test - YouTube
Open Source Ecology
Makiga Engineering ISSB Technology - YouTube
Stabilized Soil Blocks - The Makiga story - YouTube
I built a Cinva-Ram CEB press, and I made it easier for you to build one too! (cob forum at
permies)
Building Code Resources for Sustainability
44
USAID/Afghanistan
U.S. Embassy Compound
Great Masood Road
Kabul, Afghanistan
Tel: 202.216.6288
Web: www.usaid.gov/afghanistan
ABADE International Development
Q Kabul Hotel
Old Taimany Square, 40M Road
Kabul Afghanistan
Phone: +93 (0) 797 957 209
www.abade.org
45