CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Some experimental investigation works has been done in the department of civil engineering, Kwara State Polytechnic and faculty of engineering, University of Ilorin which has some beamy to the structural strength of cube and it is necessary to mention them, even though this project is a further work on past project which contain the mechanical properties and structural strength of the cube.
The first work in the department is that of Mohammed Akanni .D. (2011) where he carry out the study of physical and mechanical property of wool cement board using a Fara wood.
The second are is the one carried out by Usman .B. (2007) faculty of engineering University of Ilorin. Where he carry out the effect of pure sachet on the properties of wood wool using Apa wood.
2.1 BRIEF HISTORY OF WOOD WOOL CEMENT BOARD
Wood Wool Cement Board (WWCB) was first developed in Europe in the 1920s (Moslemi and Handel 1989) and its first commercial production started and was patented in Australia in 1927. In the Philippines; research to explore the suitability of indigenous wood species for the manufacture of wood wool cement board (WWCB) began almost half a century in the department of science and technology. A pilot scale manufacture plants was established at the utilization of the Philippines wood species and stimulates manufacturing conditions at a commercial level. Availability of sugar cane bagasse, rather shadings, coconut coir fibre and tobacco stalks also prompted researchers to investigate the potential of these agricultural products as raw materials for cement bonded boards. Wood wool cement board of commercial size were manufactured and used to construct a 23 – Square metre model house in the FPRDI compound in1986.
In contrast to wood-fibre cement composites and cement bonded particle boards; wood wool cement board can be manufactured in small, low cost plant and their resistance to moisture biodeterioration and termite attack, makes them particularly suitable for building application in tropical and sub-tropical zone. Wood wool cement board plant have become established in many less developed countries (LDC). The wood wool cement board itself is pressed under low pressure and ambient temperature.
These demonstration houses show case the feasibility of using wood wool cement boards as alternative construction material specifically for cost-effective and environmentally friendly houses. Several other model houses were construction in other parts of the country, in addition to these model houses, FPRDI promoted the technology through the conduct of investors, this attracted a number of entrepreneurs to invest in the commercial manufacture of these boards.
The first commercial scale of wood wool cement board plant was established in central in hizon in the late 1980s and after this more plant were established in the early 1990s due to the large demand for the product and in meeting house requirement of the country, about 3.95m unit (NHA, 1993).
2.2 PROPERTIES OF WOOD WOOL CEMENT BOARD
Wood wool cement
board properties vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer and the
process manufacturing the board is simple and does require any highly
skilled personnel. Wood wool cement board have been shown to have the
essential properties needed to satisfy the various economic, cultural,
safety, health, and production and construction requirement of the
Philippines (Pablo et al, 1994). Given the chromic housing shortage
being experienced by the country, the needed for suitable alternative
construction material is imperative. The high cost of traditional
building materials is considered to be one of the major constraints to
alleviate the problem in the perennial housing backlog because the
majority of the people who need these houses are the ones who cannot
afford financially to own one. The board is relatively cheep since
indigenous raw materials are used and it does not necessarily require
expensive and sophisticated equipment. Board application is not
complicated because it is a workable material. One of the major draw
backs suggested by end-users of the board is the roughness of the
surface of the board, this undesirable feature can however be regarded
as advantageous since mortars can readily be applied to the boards to
give them a final finish and hence making them workable boards. Wood
wool cement boards can readily be pre-fabricated in order to reduce
construction time. It does not require special requirement to handle
boards during construction.
